Melaleuca linariifolia 'Claret Tops'

[Bonsai_madness]

Any ideas for shaping this one?

[Ash]

G'Day,

Lots of ideas! The first one would be to replant it away from the extreme right hand side of the pot a bit more central RHS. As currently planted the root system will develop lop-sided and the long term horticultural and aesthetic properties would be made better by planting further to the centre.

Have fun

Ash

[Bonsai_madness]

The only way i could get it in the pot was to do that as it has a thick root. Should i take it out of the bonsai pot for training?

[Ash]

OK - a one sided root makes it somewhat more difficult. In this case I would plant it in a wider pot so that new roots can grow on the RHS of the trunk. A training pot doesn't have to be an ugly old coolite box or plastic tub - it can be a larger bonsai pot. In this case all you need is width. The rest I would leave as is to develop, no major pruning for now, just let it grow, thicken and mature and do some more decisive prunes later down the track. Ash

[JPG]

What about developing it as a cascade style? Not sure this would suit a melaleuca though.