[Steven] Casuarina torulosa

[Boics]

Thanks for posting Steven.

Can I ask..

Did you cut the "needles" to the appropriate length?

Or did you use some technique to get shorter "needles"....?

Thanks,

[Steven]

G'day,

This one is currently 190mm tall and following are my update pictures.

2013 March (a).jpg

2013 March (b).jpg

2013 March (c).jpg

Part of the first branch has died so I'll have to regrow and shape it. The canopy will be thinned and some structure created to hopefully loose any resemblance to a pom-pom.

Regards,
Steven

[Steven]

Not sure why but the bottom branch on this one keeps dying back.
There is still some live growth towards the trunk so I'm hopeful of being able to regrow it.
If not then this little tree will look like a pom-pom on a stick

2013 April (a).jpg

[Steven]

And the first branch eventually died

2013 August (a).JPG

But I have a plan

I'm going to rotate the front clockwise which actually shows much more movement in the trunk. I'm growing the branch on the right hand side and when it gets some more bulk to it I will wire it down as a dominant, hanging branch with a defined foliage pad. Only time will tell if it will look okay

2013 August (b).JPG

Regards,
Steven

[Steve B]

I like your plan for it Steven - I actually think a downward slanting branch is going to improve it

What's the post-mortem on the lost branch:
- Shaded out by the thick apex canopy?
- Not a thick enough diameter to survive the tree doing self-pruning as part of it's apical dominance?

Be keen to apply any of your lessons learned on a couple I'm trying. I do struggle getting the balancing right. Haven't lost branches yet but directing growth to the right areas takes some monitoring......

[Steven]

G'day,

I took this little Casuarina along to the Tops Weekend 2013 put on by Illawarra Bonsai Society as a discussion prompt with Robert Steven. He gave me lots of great advice for collecting, growing and refining Casuarina! I'll post something up about our discussions in another thread. He did say that the branch die-back could have been caused by repotting. He said that he rarely repots his Casuarina and only replaces the medium around the outside of the pots when he does.

Last week I repotted this guy and changed the viewing angle. Put some more wire on and lowered the long branch. I gave it a trim and following is how it is looking today. I still need to reduce the amount of branched in the apex and will be looking to create some more pads of foliage.

2013 September (a).JPG

Regards,
Steven

[cre8ivbonsai]

He did say that the branch die-back could have been caused by repotting. He said that he rarely repots his Casuarina and only replaces the medium around the outside of the pots when he does.

Interesting, thanks for passing this info on , so ok to repot now then? or give it another month for melbourne weather to catch up?

Last week I repotted this guy and changed the viewing angle. Put some more wire on and lowered the long branch. I gave it a trim and following is how it is looking today. I still need to reduce the amount of branched in the apex and will be looking to create some more pads of foliage.

already looking better, I look forward to seeing the results of these improvements

[iliya]

awesome tree mate! it was great to see it in person! you have inspired me to do something similar

[Boics]

Hi Steven and Co.

The Koreshoff Bonsai with Aus natives book states something along the lines of..

* Root prune in Spring or Autumn when the plant is just about to shoot.
* Treat like a conifer and never remove the main area of soil around the trunk.
* Remember that any branchlets with strong upward growth must be trimmed or removed.
* If not removed die back will occur along the elongating branch until the point of upward growth.

Hope this helps.

[Steven]

Thanks guys

Here I am sporting the AB T-shirt while Mr. Casuarina (Robert Steven) holds my little fella

2013 September with Robert Steven (a).JPG

[Graeme]

Enough of that Steven - this is a family Forum after all!!

[Steven]

Not a lot to report, lots of growth that gets plucked every week or 2.
Looking at this picture I can see that the shape has been lost somewhat due to the fact that I've got a bit lazy with the plucking.
When I have time I'll cut it back and work on the ideal silhouette.

2013 December (a).JPG

[Elmar]

Pot: by Pat Kennedy of Mirkwood Pottery

2012 October - final.jpg

Regards,
Steven

Love this tree - well done! I must say that that pot is awesome! the momentI saw it I loved it. Are they available directly from Pat Kennedy or thru Bonsai Nurseries only? Have not had much success in finding them advertised anywhere … In fact 2 nurseries that advertise them say "all (PK) pots sold out"

Great looking combo, tho!

[kcpoole]

Pot: by Pat Kennedy of Mirkwood Pottery

2012 October - final.jpg

Regards,
Steven

Love this tree - well done! I must say that that pot is awesome! the momentI saw it I loved it. Are they available directly from Pat Kennedy or thru Bonsai Nurseries only? Have not had much success in finding them advertised anywhere … In fact 2 nurseries that advertise them say "all (PK) pots sold out"

Great looking combo, tho!

A few nursuries sell them ( Ray usually has them), but I have obtained al mine direct via shows and demos Pat has done.
He is planning on retiring soon so if you do see any, do not wait around.

Ken

[Steven]

G'day,

This one continues to grow rampantly and I'm pinching it weekly. I've removed about a third of the branches from the apex and cut back all of the straight ones to the first branch. This has resulted in a much better structure in the apex. Now I need to continue down the tree doing the same. I'll need to be careful on the first right as it is not as vigorous as the rest.

2014 March (a).JPG