Sannatha/Babingtonia/BAECKEA

[MelaQuin]

The many name changes on this species have not stopped me from still referring to it as a baeckea. I like that name and the tree is used to it.

I have had the baeckea for almost 10 years and thought I knew the tree well. It has never showed much inclination to back bud and where the main branches were there were never additions.

Unfortunately the tree was allowed to grow out to enable it to display flowers and it became far too large for me at a 50 cm spread and 45 cm high. I don't like large trees in my collection. The tree has a personal history and I didn't want to move it on. One branch was long with just a bit of foliage on the end so I cut it to 2 cm to jin it. I was very surprised to find that it started budding near the cut end. In late autumn the tree went into a flurry of growth, extending happily. I pruned judiciously and heavily, cutting a number of subbranches back all over the tree, leaving one or two still overly long in each location. Within weeks tiny shoots were forming closer to the trunk. I cut back more but still left sufficient foliage in every section to keep feeding the branches. Several branches that had all foliage removed died back.

Growth is slowing as winter moves in but a daily avid check shows a lot of newly developing shoots. I will wait until these are several centimetres long and then cut back to the more inward growth as well as removing the still long branchlets. The aim being to encourage budding ever closer to the trunk. I reckon it will be two years at least to get the tree back to its preferred compact state but I can accept that as long as the tree keeps throwing out new buds.

It has been removed from the bonsai pot and put in a larger training pot to enable more root growth to help push out new foliage growth. In the meantime the apex steadily refuses to do any back budding and I don't want to reduce it anymore until I have new growth coming. There is no lower branch that can be converted to the apex so it is a matter of waiting. But now that I know the tree will back bud under sufficient encouragement I am happy to wait. Although the trunk looks very straight in the photo it is not. It has movement, character and inundations that make it special.

My pruning is drastic but the tree was really out of balance and what I am doing will correct that and bring it back to show condition. It only takes time and patience.

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[boom64]

Hi MelaQuin, Very informative post .Have been toying with some natives in a similar fashion but no where as adventurous as yours. Will go much harder in the future. Hope you keep on getting those buds were you need them. Cheers John.

[kcpoole]

I have also had them backbud successfully, but only on branches where there is foliage.
Like pines and Junipers, they cannot be cut back past the green bits .

Ken

[MelaQuin]

Hey, this whole cutback started when I cut a 15 cm branch back to a naked 4 cm to jin it and it threw out a bud. Yes, several other branches have died back with the same treatment so you have to be careful but don't discount it. That's why I'm not reducing the apex until there is back budding and why the branches on the left are still far too long. When buds develop I will gradually reduce but I am leaving some foliage tho I have greatly reduced what foliage there was and selectively removed branchlets. It is risky but I don't see any other option unless I want to get rid of the tree. This is why I am estimating at least 2 years. With a pyracantha or a privet you can stump the branches and redevelop a show tree in 12-18 months. This is a far longer proposition but as long as the tree lives I'm in for the time.

And in the long run the tree will be better balanced and more compact than it was originally. Time, and care... that's all it takes. [Ha ha]

[treeman]

Nice tree!

[angelozoras]

Which baeckea is it ?

[MelaQuin]

Baeckea
now Sannantha plurifloria
Formerly baeckea virgata

[MelaQuin]

BAECKEA UPDATE
It's been months now since I cut this tree back and learned a few things about it. It does shoot on old wood - the branchlets that I thought had died are shooting just above the fingernail test that showed no green cambium. I'm pleased as punch. There are tiny shoots on a lot of the branches and while most haven't extended yet, one has shot out to 10 cm. The only spot not playing the game is the apical branches. I want to completely redesign the apex, lowering it by 5 cm and using another branchlet for the apex but there is almost no budding along the top branches. At this stage, nearing the end of winter, I am not keen to cut it back and assume it will shoot. I have cut it back so hard already that leaving the tuft at the top is better until it really starts to get into spring growth.

I am pleased with the way it is responding, especially at this time of year. Looking forward to spring and the continuation of the redesign to get this tree more compact and in balance.

[Rory]

Hi Melaquin,

That sounds awesome! I don't own any, but it is great to hear it shoots back. Now will come the fun part I guess on trying to reduce it. Post a picture in mid Summer.

[Max]

Hi...just wonderng if there is a chance of an update?

regards
Max