Lilly Pilly - lets hope I dont kill this one!

[Jamie]

hi guys

as in my title I am prone to killing lilly pillies, dont ask me how, it just happens, I have only had a couple in the past and when they died I just didnt get another. This one has come from my garden, i was having a look at the garden shrubs and there was this nice little solid trunk so got the cousin round and got him to help me get it out, I was surprised when he got down two inches and it was dry as a bone, especially considering that we have had over 200% more rain for sept. than the average :)so I went and got him the hacksaw and I got it out flat cut, it does have some feeders so I reckon it will pull through, semi shade position and plenty of water and seasol

lilly pilly out of the ground.jpg

lilly pilly out of the ground 2.jpg

lilly pilly cut back to trunk.jpg

as you can see it has a nice flair, and a sloid trunk that will taper nicely, from soil to top of the trunk is teetering on 25cm, by the time it is developed and has a new apex it might be a touch taller that is if I dont cut back to a new leader to bring it down

what ya all reckon good stock, I reckon I will get some wire on it by mid summer depending on two things, one it doesnt die, and two how much strength it will have if ready

jamie

[kvan64]

Very nice base it has jamie. I found a nice one too with beautiful movement for $12 in the rootbound corner of a local nursery. I did a chop and repotted last spring and it shot up nicely...I lost it on a hot day in summer
All the best with your tree.
DK

[Damian Bee]

Lily Pilly is usually hard to kill, God knows I have tried to kill mine on several occasions but they keep on bouncing back thanks to Seaweed extracts. You certainly can't over water them

[bonsai4life]

Looks good Jamie, I hope it pulls through and powers on

[Jamie]

Looks good Jamie, I hope it pulls through and powers on

thanks mate so do I fingers crossed

cheers Dk its funny as I have had similar experiences with them dying, then we get experiences like damiens and he cant kill them

cheers guys

[Damian Bee]

Yep, I just can;t figure out what I am doing right

[Taffy]

Do you know what species of Lilli Pilli it is Jamie. I've noticed some are more 'sensitive than others. I've managed to kill two 'Tiny Trev's' but my Syzygium Australe 'Aussie Boomer' will take anything I can throw at it. I can massacre the top and the roots, and it just bounces back - and it flowers and fruits every year:

2005

AB2005.jpg

2008

AB17Sep08.jpg

2010

AB1Sep10.jpg

[Mojo Moyogi]

Hi Jamie, good luck but I think a prerequisite of the "Can't Kill 'emLilly-Pillies" is that they need roots. We used to heaps of them as hedging plants in landscapes and you can be homicidal above ground, not sure about similar treatment below ground. Won't hurt you to find out if they can have the legs cut out from undernath them Yakuza Style

Cheers,
Mojo

[Jamie]

Hi Taffy

this one I got from out of the garden didnt have any tages with them but the rest of them around the yard are aussie boomers, I think the person that landscaped the place just grabbed bulk amounts of a couple of species, fingers crossed any ways! the other LP I did have were the tiny trevs so that might be why i didnt have mucch luck?

gday mojo

yea this one wasnt coming out to easy so the heavy flat cut was the decision i made, make it or break it definately went yakuza style on this one top and bottom! it does have some feeders so fingers crossed there, plus it was pretty strong and healthy when i got it out so we will see how it goes, the roots would have been 2 or 3 foot deep which would never have come out

jamie

[Istari]

wow, nice one jamie!

I dont think i'll ever get used to what some plants can be put through

[Jamie]

ITS ALIVE!!!!!

well after a few weeks of me checking this one every couple of days I was getting a little worried I flat cut the roots and it was a mistake. well so far things are well, I havent moved or touched the tree since doing it apart from today to get the picture, but it didnt move the tree at all so it should be good.
I am hoping that it starts taking right off now it has buddedand I might be able to do some basic styling.

Lilly pilly new growth.jpg

I really, really like this type of trunk having wanted a solid, muscular trunk like this in my collection for a long time, yes I have some sumo type trees but have wanted one that looks muscular not just short and fat. I wasnt phased bout species but guess it will be an added bonus that it is a native that I dont have many of in my collection other than figs really.

jamie

[jase]

Well Done Jamie.........Best of luck with it.

Jase

[bodhidharma]

I fit into your category Jamie as Lilly'Pilly and i dont get on. I personally think people have a natural affinity with certain trees. I am glad this one is doing it for you though.

[Pup]

G,day Jamie I have the same trouble with Cotoneasters, even when they have roots I seem to kill them. Cannot get them to strike from cutting's either.

As for your Lilly pilly I did one last October from just a root stub which I cut in half. I was a subject here of a progression series. Syzygium or Achmena, I have found that even the smallest root will give it a chance.
When I cut mine in half the were about 5 roots, I planted the bottom half.
There is no new growth, but even now when I scratch the bark it is still green. So it is another of our Natives, that I will not throw away until it is dried out and dead for sure.

Good luck with this one cheers Pup

[Jamie]

thanks jase

bodhi I know what ya mean bro! this is the first time I have touched a lilly pilly in god knows how many years and have had it come back with signs of life, it is usually the way to go though, treated it hard and rough and it shows signs of life, care for them like an old man on his death bed and it goes down hill

pup

I know what ya mean mate! I have found some times that I dont need any feeders for a tree to take and other times I do. I havent had the luck of getting my hands on cotoneaster ever even though I have wanted them for soooo long. it will be interesting to see what happens if I can get my hands on them as I reckon our climates are somewhat similar.

jamie