Coastal trees

[shibui]

Here are some images of trees that I saw as inspirational for bonsai design of natives. Most were taken along the NSW coast.

Banksia integrifolia 3.JPG

PICT0262.JPG

Those who live on the coast will probably not be impressed but I was amazed at the places the PJFs grew and the shapes they attain.

Ficus Mimosa Rocks 8.JPG

Ficus Mimosa Rocks 5.JPG

Pretty beach 2006 -7.JPG

The prostrate form seems to be genetic as seed from these trees has produced prostrate and semiprostrate plants.

Red gum Meringo 2.JPG

Theres more but they can wait for another time.

[Pup]

Thank you for taking the time to show these Shibui.
The one thing I do admire about our native flora, is its ability to cope with the condition's Mother Nature thow's at them.
I have just had some experience with it on a much smaller scale on a hot windy day.

Again thank you Cheers Pup

[Kunzea]

Hi Shibui
thanks for sharing those images. What great stuff.

I wonder how the concept of that amazing 8m, wiggling fig could be picked up in a bonsai? That would be a worthy challenge to our 'cubist'-seeking bonsai artists.
Kunzea

[shibui]

At the time I didn't think to collect propagating material from those prostrate trees to see whether the prostrate habit is environmental or genetic as it turned out to be in the M. hypericifolia. Maybe some other time. Does anyone know of any prostrate forms of Ficus?

[anttal63]

i missed this one some nice material to be diggin
sorry just having a moment.
thanks for sharing shibui.

[Kunzea]

A prostrate M. hypericifolia has been marketed under a trade name. I can't recall what it is just now, but it is named after one of the south coast NSW towns.

[shibui]

The prostrate M. hypericifolia cultivar is 'Ulladulla Beacon'. It was not far from Ulladulla where those hypericifolia shots were taken and may even be the same headland where Ulladulla Beacon was collected. As cultivars are propagated vegetatively I was surprised to find the trait was carried through to seedlings so must be genetic. It also brings up the question of releasing some of my stock into general circulation. Each seedling would need a separate, new, cultivar name and would likely eventually end up being confused and traded as Ulladulla Beacon cultivar. maybe good maybe bad depending on your point of view. I will keep trialling those I have and see if any have any outstanding attributes to make it worth introducing them to the world.

I don't know of any prostrate figs though. Anyone heard of such a thing?

[Kunzea]

Hi shibui
Thanks for the 'Ulladulla beacon' name.

I've found that some of the coastal dwarf/prostrate forms of other species are also genetically fixed. I've got a beautiful little dwarf of Baeckea ovalifolia: leaves and flowers are just miniature versions of the 'normal' version growing on a few 10s of metres away. It selfs and its seedlings are all of the dwarf form. Makes an excellent mini bonsai with contorted stems and rough but miniture texture to the bark too. After nearly 20 years the stems are only 2-4 mm dia, whereas the parents were greater than 50 mm - wonder how old there were? I presume that the coastal forms have been around for so long and confined to their often special soils that they have simply diverged enough to come true from seed. Wonder if they still 'cross' with the 'normal' type?

Cheers
Kunzea