I don't know its age, but when I recieved it it was thoroughly rootbound and I was told that it had been in the same pot for the last 7yrs as a much neglected pot plant.
As soon I received it I root pruned it, trunk chopped it by 1/3, and repotted it. 3mths later when it had recovered I trunk chopped it for a second time.
It has regrown new shoots in the last 9mths (after the second trunk chop) and that is the growth you see in the below pics.
It has never been wired or pruned in any way (other than the roots reduced by half when I first received it), and I have only fed and watered it to get it healthy.
If allowed in the comp, I will give it the final trunk chop and sort the roots out tomorrow (Sept 1st), and work out how I want to style it once I get my first look at the trunk base under the soil when repotting.
Lilly Pilly
Original Height(before first trunk chop/reduction)...35cm.(trunk was growing horizontally not vertically).
Cost...free I have know idea why View 1 appears twice?? Good luck everyone!
this was my first real chance to get a look at the roots. I bare rooted it which took at least half an hour and it absolutely well and truely did my head in big time. It was literally like a brick of soil!! I have never, and hope to NEVER again encounter anything even remotely in this state for as long as I live!!! 
Anyway, it sure is a big learning curve for me and I am just glad to be involved in this competition...so thanks!
