AusBonsai

Cheers Mike,

Will try a few and see

squizz

Since going to the Melbourne symposium I can't get enough of them either. Some research has shown that they grow up to the NSW/QLD border having been introduced in the 60s after sand mining. In northern NSW they are regarded as an invasive species and in lots of places are taking them out. I followed up and found a place where with permission I have now pulled a few up.
So far some have reshot and some are 'waiting' for the spring (I hope). They were growing in sand so basically were bare rooted in the lifting. This was about 5 weeks ago.
I also collected some seed and that has now germinated ( love the Brisbane winter). This photo is of some set in tubes just a couple of days ago - now growing well. Sown with just a sprinkle of fine organic media dust on top and then the pot sat in a dish of water. To collect the seed just pick a few capsules that are full and closed, put them in a paper bag and wait a week for them to dry and open and release the seed - very fine. Don't sew too much in the one pot because lots come up. Pull them up, cut the tap root and replant when they have 6 leaves.

Please have a look at Leptospermum leuhmannii - the Glasshouse Mountain Tea Tree. Same leaf as the Coastal but with bare red/brown/bronze bark. I've got a bunch of these growing from seed too. I've got a bunch of L. polygalifolium going from seed too, all very easy.

Good luck with the larger ones. But I have my doubts. Let us know how they work out. L. laevigatum does not seem to respond well to bare branch pruning going by my garden trees.

Is this the best Australian species for abstract bonsai design?
The more I study it the more the answer for me is YES! The potential is HUGE! I'm working on lots material which will hopefully rival these forms in a few years.
I'm really excited about the future of this species. It could be a world beater!
We are lucky to have it here. Let's get stuck in before the Americans discover it.
One of the real advantages over shimpaku is the rate of thickening. Maybe 10 times faster?
That means that if we really push it we could have 50 or 60 mm diameters with any shape imaginable in 10 years or less.
What is not to love?
You need to start NOW! (if you don't want to, I'm doing it for you but I have 4 years head start Mwahahaha )

Add flowers into the mix and potentially better nebari too!
Have you checked out lanceolata (moonah) mike?? Another ripper i reckon.

Good to see you getting some native excitement!

Ps i agree they thicken up nicely..
The other one i have going has doubled in size in around a year of free growth.
I also repotted successfully over a less hot summer.

Leucopogan Parviflorus might also be a good wingman in terms of bonsai potential... Just putting it out there.

Ryceman3 wrote:Leucopogan Parviflorus might also be a good wingman in terms of bonsai potential... Just putting it out there.

I agree!. It's a fantastic thing. There are many down here that are natural masterpieces but they are to big to use, and they can't be dug up anyway.
If I could find a good method of propagation I would be doing that for sure.

Hi all,
How have people found back-budding on the coastal tea tee. My experience is it will bud on small twigs and branches but bigger branches tend to not.

I have chopped one but left it in the ground and have spade cut around the roots. It is almost a year since I did this and the tree has survived Melbourne's long dry summer. The tree still wobbles when I play with it. I suspect it has one decent root intact. Planning to dig this autumn after the heat subsides.
Thoughts on this plan and recommended after care appreciated e.g., bare root or not? Degree of sun? Degree of water?

Much appreciated. I have killed two previous attempts (not pre-cut roots) so confidence not high.

"Stu"]Hi all,
How have people found back-budding on the coastal tea tee. My experience is it will bud on small twigs and branches but bigger branches tend to not.

I have found the same thing too. If the tree is very vigorous, it seems to bud a lot easier. I think the trick is to remove branches in very gradual stages. The ones I have in the ground are now in their 4th year with lots of movement. As I am replacing the leader often to induce taper, I have to constantly cut back sacrifice branches to stop them taking over but I'm not removing them entirely, just cutting back leaving a stub which seems to shoot back on bare wood reasonably well.

I have chopped one but left it in the ground and have spade cut around the roots. It is almost a year since I did this and the tree has survived Melbourne's long dry summer. The tree still wobbles when I play with it. I suspect it has one decent root intact. Planning to dig this autumn after the heat subsides.
Thoughts on this plan and recommended after care appreciated e.g., bare root or not? Degree of sun? Degree of water?

[/quote]

If you're not in a great hurry, I would suggest leaving it one more year ad continue cutting the roots every 6 months or so. More sure of success that way.

Boics wrote:

Add flowers into the mix and potentially better nebari too!

Like shimpaku, I think a nebari on this species is not necessary (depending on the style) Most of the wild ones I see have very few above ground roots showing - if any.

Hi Treeman,
Any chance of a photo of the 4 year olds?
Cheers,
Symon

I have found these to be very fast growing and rewarding. This one was first styled a year ago, pruned hard and re wired this week I am pleased with ehere it is going.

Just on the Moonah, they are extremely slow growing, and it would take a lifetime and then some imo. I have one in the ground at Blairgowrie, and it's slow and leggy without care.
Coastal tea is faster, flakier and less prickly!

Gerard wrote:

004.jpg

I have found these to be very fast growing and rewarding. This one was first styled a year ago, pruned hard and re wired this week I am pleased with ehere it is going.

Nice Gerard. There will/should be more of these.

delisea wrote:Hi Treeman,
Any chance of a photo of the 4 year olds?
Cheers,
Symon

Not yet.......