Thryptomene

[Rory]

Just starting a stand alone thread for this genus.

I picked up a Thryptomene saxicola as a trial run to see how they grow. Neil has touched on them previously, but there is basically nothing about growing them on this site. I thought I'd start this genus thread as a collective for others to add their material / experiences with them as well as myself. I'll try to get more to trial and get a better feel for their potential.

[treeman]

That's the funniest looking pine tree I've ever seen!

[Rory]

That's the funniest looking pine tree I've ever seen!

I fear a cunning comment has marched its way towards this thread with ill confidence. You've obviously realized that I substituted a 'pinky pine' instead. Well done good sir, you have bested me.

[shibui]

All the thryptomenes that I've tried have had root problems and died. I believe that they occur naturally on rocky hillsides and granite outcrops so they probably need very well drained conditions. I can't recall whether they are able to bud on bare wood?
If someone can work out how to grow them as bonsai they should be a great species - small leaves, abundant small flowers over an extended period and that great ropy bark and trunk. Good luck Rory.

[boom64]

Nice looking material Rory. I might join you if I come across some. The good lady would love the flowers. Cheers John

[SueBee]

Thryptomene are grown commercially on the south western slopes of the Grampians in Western Victoria as cut flower trade, so hot summers,cool winters and as Shibui says granite outcrops or decomposed granite with excellent drainage. They have been grown there for at least 25 years to my knowledge so conditions must be right for them there.

[dansai]

I recently visited Cool Country Natives in Canberra. A great nursery with an awesome range of tube stock and some larger stock too. I got a heap of tubes including some of the native daisies and everlastings, and over 40 shrubs and trees to trial as Bonsai. Amongst it was a Thrypotomene saxicola in a 50mm tube. It was treated as all the rest, pruned back and repotted into a mix of quality local potting mix with added zeolite and diatomite and a control release complete fertiliser. I was pretty ruthless with all the roots. No point ending up with nice trunks and crap roots. I just went and checked on it then and it has put on heaps of new growth.

I also looked it up and found the ANBG Growing Native Plants page on it with some great info. I noted a few things including the text was written in 1977!

The following are excerpts:

T. saxicola itself is confined to the Stirling and Eyre districts of south-western Western Australia. It grows among granite outcrops

As Shibui said, good drainage would seem ideal.

It can be used for cut flowers as severe pruning has no detrimental effect on its vigour or shape. Pruned well, it will generally flowers more profusely in the second year and its potential for cut flowers is excellent.

Sounds good. Wondering if that is back passed the green?

Application of a complete fertilizer in spring and autumn, will be beneficial, especially it the plant is pruned hard for cut flowers. Under these conditions, T. saxicola has proved to be a reliable plant with a marked resistance to the root-rot fungus, Phytophthora cinnamomi.

These statements I find interesting seeing as it is from WA. It mentions a complete fertiliser, but no mention of low Phosphorus (I hope this proves right as the control release I put in isn't low P), and that it is resistant to Phytophthora. Do you know what the cause of your root problems were Shibui?

I'll let you know how it goes longer term in my warm, humid and without much pampering conditions. The ANBG page also mentioned soft tip cuttings are good for propagation so I'll definitely be getting a heap going next year to really have a play.

[Rory]

Hi John / Dansai,
Thanks for the advice and input. John, if they prove successful from my trials I’ll try to keep one for you. They are the most beautiful flowering native I’ve ever seen. Better than L. Scoparium, because the minute size of the flower is perfect for Bonsai, so that on an older piece of material it will look like tiny flowers on a giant tree.
I picked up 6 more, just to really test them out and see how far I can push them. They are similar to the micromyrtus stock that I’m trying. But Thryptomene definetly have better flowers. But the standout for a micromyrtus is it’s trunk.
The native grower said he has repot then all year round and not had any trouble with them, however he isn’t cutting back the roots like we do. I’ll wait till about October/November.
The good thing about growing them from small stock as this, is you can keep them in check, because like Micromyrtus I am dubious about getting these to shoot on old wood.

[shibui]

I have found them quite easy to grow as cuttings - probably semi hard wood in summer would be best if you have some humidity control.
Cannot confirm P tolerance as I grew these when I was being more careful because of the low P native craze back then but I don't doubt that they should do well with 'normal' fert.

and that it is resistant to Phytophthora. Do you know what the cause of your root problems were Shibui?

No real idea Dan. I had assumed phytopthera as symptoms seem to be the same as WA banksias, Micromyrtus, grevilleas and a few other susceptible Aussies. I look forward to hearing how you guys go with them.

[boom64]

Hi Rory ,There might be a stampede for them if you can nail them. .Cheers John.

[Pat3222]

Hi all,

Thanks for starting this thread Rory, there's good potential in these I reckon.

How are you finding them now spring is underway?

I found this one in a nursery for a tenner a week ago, would have been rude not to take it. Seems to have been there forever and (for the price) it has some nice features. Gave it a haircut before these photos were taken. Unsure how to proceed now as I don't know how it would respond to a trunk chop or if they will bud on old wood reliably. All the growth is at the apex as you'd expect and I have kept both trunks for now. Any thoughts and suggestions would be most welcome. Cheers

Pat

[Rory]

They appear very hardy. Unfortunately the possums in my area strip them bare and brake the branches off like they're a kebab stick. To say its frustrating is an under-statement.
I have not lost one yet, but they keep getting defoliated by the possums. So many varieties of genus I grow get the occasional nibble by the possums, but these are brutally savaged. I will not be persuing these much more unless we move, or something stops the possums.

From the limited time I have had with these, they prefer full sun. They can tolerate part shade. All mine shoot back all along the trunk, but they aren't old enough to be confirmed as 'budding back on old wood' reliably.

I haven't tried repotting to see if they survive root removal, as they aren't given long enough to be in full health due to the possums to even warrant that testing yet.
Sorry I can't give you much more help, but that's I've been able to do with them at the moment.

Most of the other genus I have tried aren't possum attractors so I'm focusing my efforts on those. But they are beautiful in flower, and have great foliage.

[Pat3222]

Hi Rory, thanks for the update - sorry to hear the kebabs are so tasty to your local possums. I don’t have much to lose for a $10 investment so think I’ll wait until it’s a bit healthier then see what happens. No possums here so can afford to wait.
Cheers
Pat