AusBonsai

Hi all,
This thread was lost in the great ausbonsai crash a few weeks ago but I thought it would be worth reposting.

My waterswept callistemon flowered for the first time this year thanks to the helpful and informative advice from PUP. The tree is probably about 20 years old now but has never flowered because I had been pruning regularly to try to maintain a neat shape. Allowing the shoots to grow and mature has allowed it to set flowers this time. Callistemon sieberi does not have the showy flowers of some of its cousins. They open very pale pink and age to off white but it is my local species and the flowers are usually smaller than many of the showy species so fits well as bonsai. Flowers are more open than most other species too.

A couple of weeks later the flowers have finished so it is time to prune back to allow room for fresh new shoots which will carry the flower buds for next season. Shoots have been cut back below the flowers, most close to the base - just leaving 1 or 2 leaves. I also took the opportunity to thin out the shoots. My idea for this style, based on the trees I see in the wild, is to keep it sparse and open rather than dense so I need to regularly thin out as well as cut back It also seems to be getting a little tall so I'm inclined to reduce the height by removing the current apex.

Hello Shibui,

I was aware that this thread was lost and I'm glad that you put it back up again.
It is IMO a tribute to Australian Bonsai and a credit to your work.

I hope you don't mind me hijacking this thread but this link here: http://www.cbs.org.au/Native_Shows/bons ... /2011.html
Also has a picture of your very tree: http://www.cbs.org.au/Native_Shows/bons ... 0large.jpg
The detail on that particular photo is superb (albeit a fraction out of date).

Cheers,

It's certainly maturing nicely, thickening and barking up well along the branches.

Here's a close-up from my Shibui-seiberi - the flowers occur in quite separate bud-bundles, unlike the thick bottle-brush masses on most Callistemons. I'm wondering whether to pluck maybe two out of three, to have very tiny separate bud bursts of colour, in scale with the tree.

Just a thought. It's a very fine tree. Opening it up focusses attention on the trunk and branch bark.

Gavin

Nice thought Gavin. I'll have to play with the idea when others flower, esp smaller ones. The problem is that they will still have to be allowed to grow long shoots in order to get the flowers which may defeat the purpose in a smaller tree? I think the waterswept above is big enough to carry the entire flowers so I'll leave those to flower naturally for the time being.

Thanks for posting those links Boics. That tree has been showed several times in the national native bonsai shows at Canberra and the pics might give some idea of the development over the past few years. It has been nominated for display at the Canberra convention next year and shortlisted for loan to the national collection so its not just you and me that think its ok.

My Waterswept Callistemon has just started to open flowers again this week. Looks to be a better flowering this year so here's a photo to update the thread. You can see that this species has rather smaller flowers than most of the ones we see in gardens.

G'day

That's awsom!



Cheers.

Irish Junee.

that really is a lovely tree, great example of an aussie native.
Had a look at the other threads as well.
Would love to a more detailed photo put up again, this recent photo is very dark.
well done on the tree.
Watty

I commented on its beauty before the "Great crash of 2012" and still hold firm. I dont think the photo does the tree any justice and would love to see a pro shot of this tree.

You are a classy man - I can tell by the beer. Very much enjoy this bonsai and agree with Bodhidharma a professional photo shoot would do it justice. It is improving as time goes by and I also like the pot.

Hi Shibui,
I hope you don't mine. I have lightened up your photo a little. I like the shade of pink in the flowers.
Regards Ray

Thanks for tweaking the photo Ray. I had to shoot the original early in the morning with little light and did not get back to take another one with a bit more light. Maybe next time

By Monday all the open flowers had faded to creamy white. The pink blush only lasts a day or so at the most.
We had a thunderstorm on Monday evening and all the open flowers are gone There are still more buds to open so might still get another fresh batch of flowers in the next couple of days.

For any Victorians and those who want to travel I'm planning to show this tree at the next Australian Natives as Bonsai seminar in Melbourne - March. A one off great opportunity for anyone in Victoria who is interested in Aussie bonsai to see great trees and, if you book in for the weekend lots of interesting and informative sessions from growers who have collected lots of expertise. Canberra have indicated they will host the event again in 2016.

Like this tree shibui. Very nice!

Following Pup's advice for pruning Callistemon viewtopic.php?f=55&t=6600&p=75091&hilit ... ing#p75091 I cut this tree back quite hard soon after the flowers finished. The tree had far too many branches and had started to lose that open, waterswept look so I also took the opportunity to thin it out a bit.
Here's a link to an article I posted on the Shibui Bonsai website with pictures showing the pruning process. https://shibuibonsai.com.au/wp-content/u ... runing.pdf

This week new buds have started to develop in the leaf axils and also along the bare parts of the branches (pruned 18-12, new buds 8-1 = 3 weeks). Now, according to the master , we just let the new shoots grow so they will set flower buds next spring. I'll give it some high K 'flowering' fertiliser a few times later in the summer.

I'm witholding fert for the moment to see if that will restrict the new shoots a bit without compromising the flowers.

Never really thought much about natives... Then I saw this tree & a few posts from Pup - I had a bit of a re-think... Now I have more native stock than anything else. All of it is small, but the inspirational trees I've seen from you guys has changed my opinion, and I'm grateful. Look forward to seeing this one in the flesh in March, thanks for the inspiration!

I like the pruning Neil.
I think your comments regarding this tree are all spot on
The changes you have made have made lead me to believe the style and story again.