2015 Native Symposium Photos

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Gerard
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2015 Native Symposium Photos

Post by Gerard »

Over the next few days I will post photos and descriptions/artist notes of all the trees which were exhibited at the symposium, please feel free to comment in between my posts.
1 Grevillea patentidoa ssp. platypoda (grevillea)
native symposium 2015 01 Grevillea patentidoa ssp.platypoda - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
Flowers: Small clusters of apricot flowers in spring.
History: The plant was bought as young nursery stock in July 2012 from the specialist grevillea nursery, 'Grevillea Maximus', in Nicholson Street East Gippsland. It was originally being trained as a broom style then changed in June 2013 to a slanting informal upright. Premliminary styling was done under the Guidance of Rory Ester.
Fertilizing: Spring/Summer Fortnightly alternate applications of Powerfeed for natives or Charlie Carp plus Seasol as recommended rates. Autumn/Winter - Charlie Carp plus seasol once a month Throughout the year, I apply Neutrog Seamungus pellets at 6 weekly intervals.
Horticulture:As this tree is grafted onto grevillia robusta it is very hardy and can be bare rooted. It has reasonably flexible branches and buds back on old wood. I have had no problems with wiring and some of the branches on this tree are wired below the horizontal. It has small leaves so doesnt need to be defoliated. This tree is in full sun all year round in temperatures up to 40 degrees. As long as you keep the water up it doesn't blink at any weather conditions. In temperatures up to 30 degrees, I wateronce daily. At temperatures above this, watered twice daily. In winter, this drops to once every 3 days. It is frost tolerant.

2. Eucalyptus sideroxylon 'rosea' (Red flowering ironbark)
native symposium 2015 02 eucalyptus sideroxylon 'rosea' (red flowering ironbark) - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
Meaning of name: Eucalyptus is from the Greek: eu, well + calyptos, covered, ie the well-covered cap covering the developing flowers. Sideroxylon is from the Greek: sideros, iron + xylon, wood, ie having wood like iron.
History:The tree was bought from a standard nursery in November 2013 for $4. The nursery had been closed down and was overgrown. The tree was pot bound and in average health. The main reason for buying it was the small leaf sizeand branch formation. The leaves were no longer than 2 cm long whereas they normally grow to 14 cm. I thought this was because it was pot bound and hungry but they have not grown any larger after re-potting and feeding. The largest leaf I have seen on this tree is 2 cm. When I first re-potted the tree, I found a ring of roots around the top of the pot, where it appeared to have been ground layered. After uncovering the lower section in the pot I found a large trunk buried in the pot. I removed the top layer of roots and planted the tree higher in the pot exposing the thick base giving great taper. It was potted into the current rock pot in Dec 2014. I cut the main trunk back to increase the taper in the top and have begun wiring the branches although they grow with a very twisted shape naturally, so placement is more about position on the tree rather than shape in the branch. the tree has only been in training for a relatively short timealthough it is showing great prospect. This tree responds well to pruning, seems to bud back easily. So far has not required any special treatment, normal watering and feeding work well. Being in a relativelt shallow potit does dry out fairly quicklywhich doesn't seem to affect the tree at all. Due to leaf size and branch shape, I believe this variety of eucalyptus sideroxylon 'rosea' will make it a great bonsai.
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Re: 2015 Native Symposium Photos

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3 Agonis Flexuosa (willow myrtle)
native symposium 2015 03 agonis flexuosa (willow myrtle) - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History:This tree was grown from seed collected from tree in WangarattaGardens. It was germinated in 1994. It was grown in a squat pot for 2 years and gently wired in that time. I was put into its first bonsai pot in 1996. There was minimum wiring over the next few years, to set the trunk and branches. Thereafter, it was wired very occasionally.
Horticulture:The species is somewhat cold sensitive, and tips may burn off in winter, but they recover in summer. Its real growing burst starts in early December and continues until mid autumn. Re-potting in summer is advised and the tree recovers well. Re-potting every year is advised. It thrives in warm to hot sunny position.
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Melaleuca incana (grey honey myrtle)
native symposium 2015 04 melaleuca icana (grey honey myrtle) - Copy - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History:This tree was purchased as seedling tubestock in 2006. It was grown in a squat pot and wired while young. It was transferred to its first bonsai pot in 2009. Bushy growth was kept in check, while thinning out branches to open the canopy for light and sun.
Horticulture:It has been re-potted every summer, sometimes twice, as the root mass quickly fills pot. It will happily bud back on older wood during summer and thrives in a warm to hot, sunny position. Depending on trimming regimeapplied, it can be covered in miniature, white bottlebrush flowers in early summer.
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Re: 2015 Native Symposium Photos

Post by Rory »

Wow... I love that Agonis Flexuosa. That is really beautiful. Beautiful shape, beautiful colours..... Beautiful.
Rory
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
Central Coast, NSW
Bonsai: Casuarina Leptospermum Banksia Phebalium Baeckea Melalueca Ficus

Growing Australian natives as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=289480#p289480

Buying and repotting Native nursery material: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=30724

Growing tips for Casuarina as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=244995#p244995

How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
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Re: 2015 Native Symposium Photos

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5. Callistemon sieberi.
Bottlebrush
native symposium 2015 05 callistemon sieberi (bottlebrush) - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
Style of Bonsai: root over rock.
History: This tree is approximately 21 years old, and has been trained as a bonsai for 15 years.
It has been trained to evoke the character of local Callistemons that grow on rock bars in the rivers of southeast Australia, which typically have a water-swept shape with all growth pointing downstream and flood damage to upstream side of the trunks. Roots clamber over the rocks searching for crevices and nutrients.
This Callistemon was started from a one year old seedling from the local Landcare nursery. It was bare rooted and the roots draped over the rock then potted into a polystyrene box and allowed to grow freely for several years so the roots and trunk would develop. Preliminary training to develop the one sided structure started when the trunk had thickened sufficiently. Preliminary pruning focused on building ramification, but I soon realized that the structure was far too dense to convey the idea of a water swept tree and much of the pruning since has aimed at thinning out the branches and foliage. Dead wood was added progressively and continues as the bark closes over the shari on trunk and roots. It was eventually potted into a bonsai pot around 2005 then into the current pot in 2010.
Horticulture: This Callistemon tolerates quite hard root pruning. I usually prune roots in October or November. I have only repotted every three to four years.
Hard pruning and dead wood creation can be done at any time of year. Buds form easily on bare wood so I regularly need to remove new shoots that grow from trunk and branches.
Wire is used to shape branches and both old and new wood set quite quickly.
To encourage flowering, all shoots are cut back to one or two leaves after flowers finish in December and shoots that grow as a result are allowed to grow freely to bear flowers the following spring. I fertilise the tree regularly with any fertilizers but switch to higher K ‘flowers and fruit’ fertilizer in late summer to encourage good flowering the following spring.
It grows in full sun in all but the hottest years when some light shade is provided so that it does not dry out too quickly.
It is watered twice a day in summer and as needed in winter. New shoots droop visibly when it gets thirsty but recover soon after the tree is watered.
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Re: 2015 Native Symposium Photos

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6. Leptospermum madidum var sativum (often sold as L. brachyandrum in error)
Weeping tea tree,
native symposium 2015 06 leptospermum madidum var. sativum (weeping tea tree) - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History: The tree has been grown from nursery stock acquired in 1998. It has been grown as a bonsai since then, needing larger pots as it grew. Root growth is vigorous. It has peeling cinnamon bark over green inner bark, weeping grey green foliage and small white flowers in late spring.
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7. Acacia howittii prostrate form
Sticky wattle
native symposium 2015 07 acacia howittii prostrate form (sticky wattle) - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History: This tree has been grown from nursery stock acquired around 1995. It has always been grown in bonsai pots since, but needed major restyling after some die back of major branches in the drought years.
The root and foliage growth is vigorous. It needs annual root pruning, and foliage needs pruning back once or even twice a year.
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8. Brachychiton populneus
Kurrajong
native symposium 2015 08 brachychiton populneus (kurrajong).jpg
History: This tree was bought from the estate of former Bendigo nurseryman Peter Rutherford in 1975, and was estimated to be five years old then, making it one of the older native bonsai around. It was grown on in its original coiled style for many years, but was restyled as a semi-cascade in 2003.
Are the leaves too large? Defoliation does not reduce leaf size in this species!
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9. Banksia aemula
Wallum banksia
native symposium 2015 09 Banksia aemula (Wallum banksia) - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History: This tree was purchased as nursery stock at Northwest Bonsai show in October 2006. It was allowed to grow freely to increase the thickness of the girth. In 2010, I removed all sacrifice branches and then planted it into bonsai pot. The first bottom branch on left died inexplicably, but there have been no problems with the tree since then.
Horticulture: The only fertiliser used is native Osmocote. It requires plenty of water. In hot weather, it is watered twice a day.
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10. Callistemon citrinus
Crimson bottlebrush
native symposium 2015 10 callistemon citrinus (crimson bottlebrush) - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History: This tree was dug from my garden in August 1995 and planted in a training pot for five years.
Approximately six months before I removed it from the garden, I cut the roots with a spade 40cm from the trunk.
In August 2006, I defoliated the tree to enable me to wire and set the branch structure. It requires plenty of water, usually every day. The flowers are now shorter, but the diameter is the same.
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11. Agonis flexuosa
Willow myrtle
native symposium 2015 11 agonis flexuosa (willow myrtle) - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History: This tree was purchased from its previous owner about five years ago and was in desperate need of major works. After initial clean-up and shaping to size, a major redesign and repot including a changed angle, with the help of a well-seasoned bonsai artisan, followed about three years ago.
The tree is budding back very well from bare wood and is responding well to pruning/pinching and wiring. It likes full sun and plenty of water.
The estimated age of the tree is 60+ years.
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12. Leptospermum petersonii
Lemon-scented tea tree
native symposium 2015 12 leptospermum petersonii (lemon-scented tea tree) - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History: This tree was purchased from its previous owner about five years ago and was in desperate need of major works. It was in full flower which was the attraction at that time. A heavy trunk clean-up and trimming of overgrown branches and twigs improved the overall look of the tree. A restyling, including wiring and more trimming was done around three years ago and further enhanced the tree.
The tree is budding back very well from bare wood and is flowering every year. It is responding well to pruning and wiring, but does need constant pinching of new growth. It likes full sun and plenty of water.
The estimated age of the tree is 40+ years.
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13. Callistemon viminalis ‘Captain Cook’
Callistemon 'Captain Cook',
native symposium 2015 13 callistemon viminalis ('Captain Cook') - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History: The tree is more than 20 years old. It was purchased as nursery stock in a six inch black plastic pot.
The tree has always been grown in a pot and is repotted every two to three years. As a bonsai, it tolerates wiring, buds back well on bare wood and is not sensitive to root pruning if done at the right time, usually in the warmer months.
It likes morning sun and some protection from scorching hot afternoon sun. It is rotated every week to ensure even growth all around. It is given regular feeds of native fertiliser and does flower.
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Re: 2015 Native Symposium Photos

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14. Leptospermum sp.
Tea tree
native symposium 2015 14 leptospermum sp. (tea tree) - Copy - Copy - Copy.jpg
History: This tree was originally purchased around 1990 as a nursery plant intended to be a potted garden plant. The identification tag with species details has been long lost after several moves.
This plant was grown for more than 15 years in a medium-sized earthenware pot without much attention or care, other than watering and occasional slow-release fertiliser. Over this time, the plant developed from a rounded shrub to a taller specimen, as its lower branches died off.

The tree was transplanted into a larger plastic pot around 2005, and some limited training was undertaken from then, primarily through branch and shoot pruning and pinching back.
From 2008, some limited wiring was carried out, and the tree was repotted into bonsai training pots from the same time.
The tree was repotted into its current container in early March 2015.
Horticulture: The tree has responded to transplanting and root pruning quite readily since its first repotting in 2005. The initial repotting required removal of a considerable amount of old dead roots, but it has responded quite readily ever since in developing new roots around the outside of the root ball.
Over the life of this plant, there has been some limited back budding and new shoots from bare wood, but usually only from wood less than three years old. After that, there has been virtually no new shoots from older wood.
The branches become tough and somewhat brittle within two years of forming, and wiring has been of limited success.
The tree has proven quite hardy in both sun and shade, and while it has tolerated some drier periods, it prefers regular and frequent watering for best health.
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Re: 2015 Native Symposium Photos

Post by Phoenix238 »

Hi Gerard, this is top information and an invaluable resource, thanks for posting it!

My question is how aggressively can you root prune callistemon?
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