Australian Native Trees

Learn to identify Australian native trees. Select appropriate species, to propagate, nurture, plant and establish trees with the right cultural techniques - planting, feeding, soils, pest and disease control, etc.

Course Code: VHT115
Fee Code: S2
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification Statement of Attainment
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LEARN ABOUT AUSTRALIAN NATIVE TREES

Become an expert on Australian Native Trees by enrolling now.

  • Learn to select the right tree for the right location saving you money
  • Learn to propagate your own trees and save more money
  • Essential for any arboriculturalist, regenerators, horticulturalist and those with a general interest.
  • Study from home: saving you hassle, time and money

Learn about different types of Australian flora, plant identification, information sources, planting, feeding, soils, pests & diseases, watering, propagation and transplanting, selected varieties of trees, windbreak planting, agroforestry, tree maintenance and tree selection.

Knowing about trees is vital for any Horticultural career. Get to know them and you will understand what to plant where even better, and in a way that is harmonious to the natural landscape of Australia.

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

  1. Introduction
    • Review of the system of plant identification
    • Genus, Species
    • Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons
    • Characteristics of main Australian Plant Families
    • General characteristics of native trees
    • Information contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs, etc.)
    • History of nomenclature
    • International Code
    • Ranks of Taxa
    • Principle of priority
    • Selection and spelling of plant names
    • Changing names
    • Hybrids
  2. Culture
    • Planting Procedure
    • Planting on slopes
    • Fertilizer
    • Time of planting
    • Staking
    • Mulching
    • Pruning native trees
    • Steps in removing a branch from a tree
    • Soils (Physical, chemical, biological structure)
    • Soil profile
    • Improving soil profile
    • Colloids
    • Water and air
    • Soil temperature
    • Soil life
    • Soil Problems (Loss of soil fertility, Erosion, Salinity, Soil compaction, Soil acidification, Build up of dangerous chemicals)
    • Improving soils (soil additives etc)
    • Limestone Underlay Technique
    • Fertilisers
    • Fertilising established trees
    • Plant Nutrition
    • Water Problems
    • Drainage
  3. Propagation
    • Choosing the right propagating technique
    • Seed
    • Seed sources
    • Hybrid seed production
    • Storing seed
    • Difficult seeds
    • Dormancy factors
    • Maintaining genetic identity
    • Propagating Media
    • Propagating Eucalypts
    • Propagating Acacias
    • Cuttings
    • Improving cutting success rates
    • Grafting
    • Top graft
    • Whip & Tongue graft
    • Irrigated graft
    • Grafting selected plants ... Eucalypts, Grevilleas, Banksias, Hakeas
    • After care of seed and cuttings
    • Transplanting (seedlings, cuttings)
    • Potting up plants and Growing on
  4. Most Commonly Grown Varieties
    • Review dozens of relevant genera
    • Allocasuarina
    • Casuarina
    • Melia
    • Pittosporum
    • Acacia
  5. More About Important Groups
    • Eucalyptus
    • Banksia
    • Brachychiton
    • Grevillea
    • Diagnosing Tree Problems
    • Tree Surgery Techniques
  6. Other Varieties
    • Rainforest Trees
    • Constructing a Rainforest
    • Acmena
    • Eugenia
    • Mallotus
    • Melicope (Euodia)
    • Neolitsia
    • Nothofagus
    • Schefflera
    • Stenocarpus
    • Syzygium
    • Aracaria
    • Agathis
    • Actinostrobus
    • Callitris
    • Podocarpus
    • Adansonia
    • Agonis
    • Albizzia
    • Alstonia
    • Alphotinia
    • Angophora
    • Barklya
    • Buckinghamia
    • Castanospermum
    • Elaeocarpus
    • Ficus
    • Macadamia
    • Melia
    • Nuytsia
    • Tristania/Lophostemon
  7. Making The Best Use of Native Plants
    • Why plant trees in the Landscape
    • Problems with trees
    • Biological controls
    • Parasitism
    • Symbiosis
    • Planting Techniques (Pocket planting, slope serration, Wattling, Planting arid sites, Direct seeding, Spray seeding)
    • Edible Australian Tree Crops (Davidsonia, Quandong, Backhousia, Citrus, Acacia, Syzygium, Tasmannia, Kunzea)
    • Australian indigenous timber trees
    • Essential oils
    • Useful Australian Conifers (Actinostrobus, Athrotaxis, Agathis, Araucaria, Callitris, Podocarpus)
    • Australian Indigenous Palms
  8. Special Assignment
    • You select and conduct an in depth study of one plant genus or group (eg. Timber trees, conifers, trees from a particular region)

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

  • Identify Australian Native Trees
  • Describe the culture of Australian Native Trees.
  • Propagate Australian Native Trees
  • Compare characteristics and cultural requirements of different commonly grown species of Australian Native Trees.
  • Compare characteristics and cultural requirements of conifer and rainforest species of Australian Native Trees.
  • Describe a range of uses for Australian native trees.
  • Investigate one type of Australian Native Tree in depth.

KNOW HOW TO NAME THE TREES YOU ENCOUNTER

Plants are usually given two different types of names:

Common Names. These are English language names usually given to plants by amateur gardeners as a descriptive, easy to remember tag. Many plants have more than one common name, and sometimes the same common name can be given to several quite different plants. Some plants have no common name. Common names are not governed by international conventions, and so can be very inaccurate and unreliable for plant identification. Wherever possible, use the scientific name.        

Scientific Names. Scientific names are usually based on the Latin language. The Latin words often describe some aspect of the plant – for example latifolia refers to the leaves of the plant. Scientific names may seem more complex than common names at first glance. However, they have a system to them which can make plant identification much easier. The system of scientific naming is strictly controlled and coordinated by botanists throughout the world. Scientific names should always be used in preference to common names.

For example:

Corymbia ficifolia is commonly known as the Red Flowering Gum

Eucalyptus ptychocarpa is also commonly known as the Red Flowering Gum

There are many species that have the same common name and this can cause confusion when trying to correctly identify a plant. That is the main reason why scientific names are always preferable to common names - that way you know exactly which plant you are referring to or looking at.

In the scientific system, plants are classified by dividing them into groups which have similar characteristics. These groups are then divided into smaller groups with similar characteristics. These are divided again and so the division of group to sub group and sub group to further sub groups goes on....until you finally have only one type of plant in each group.

The main levels of division are as follows:‑ The entire plant kingdom is divided up into PHYLA Phyla are divided into DIVISIONS Division is divided into CLASSES Classes are divided into ORDERS Orders are divided into FAMILIES Families are divided into GENERA (singular: Genus) Genera are divided into SPECIES Species are sometimes divided into SUBSPECIES and VARIETIES.

The scientific plant names which you see in books or on plant labels in a nursery will usually consist of two words:

The first word is the 'genus' name of the plant. The genus name should always start with a capital letter, and the rest of the word is lower case letters.   

The second word is the species name of the plant. Generally the entire species name is in lower case letters.

Both the genus and species name should be italicized or underlined. For example:

Macrophylla excelsa

Macrophylla excelsa

The main plant phyla we are concerned about in horticulture are:

  1. Anthophyta (commonly referred to as angiosperms) This group includes all of the plants that produce flowers e.g. Eucalypts, roses, lettuces, grasses and so on. The vast majority of plants in the world are angiosperms.
  2. Coniferophyta (these are the conifers) and includes all plants that produce cones e.g. pines, cypresses etc.
  3. Pterophyta (commonly referred to as the ferns) - this group includes ferns and fern allies.

Other phyla include things such as mosses, fungi bacteria and algae.

 

 

WHY STUDY THIS COURSE?

  • If you are passionate about Australian native trees and want to learn more - this course will certainly fulfil that goal.
  • If you work in rehabilitation of sites - this course will help you to pinpoint and grow the correct species for the area.
  • If you want to work in national parks and gardens - this course will give you the knowledge and skills needed to identify and understand the basic care of Australian native trees.
  • If you want to work in or set up an Australian native tree nursery - this course will give you the skills and knowledge need to mark a start.

 

If you would like to speak with an expert in this field please scroll down and click on the relevant box below.

 

 

Principal of ACS Distance Education, John Mason, is fellow of the CIH.
Principal of ACS Distance Education, John Mason, is fellow of the CIH.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Member Nursery and Garden Industry Association.
Member Nursery and Garden Industry Association.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
ACS is a Silver Sponsor of the AIH; and students studying designated courses are given free student membership. ACS and it's principal have had an association with AIH since the 1980's
ACS is a Silver Sponsor of the AIH; and students studying designated courses are given free student membership. ACS and it's principal have had an association with AIH since the 1980's
Principal John Mason has been honoured to be awarded a Fellow of Parks and Leisure Australia, having been an active member since 1974.
Principal John Mason has been honoured to be awarded a Fellow of Parks and Leisure Australia, having been an active member since 1974.
Our Principal John Mason, was awarded a fellowship by the Australian Institute of Horticulture in 2010
Our Principal John Mason, was awarded a fellowship by the Australian Institute of Horticulture in 2010
UK Register of Learning Providers, UK PRN10000112
UK Register of Learning Providers, UK PRN10000112

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More information is here

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