AusBonsai

I bought this as tube stock from the Native plant sale at Mt Coot-tha in Sept 2018. Was around $5 I think. It was repotted within a week of being brought home. One into a pot, one into the ground. (The one in the ground is over a metre tall already!) At least the one in the ground can give me an idea of what it looks like as a natural grown plant.

Quick Mel, put your name in the title while you still have the chance to edit it!
Will this one be going in the ground, do you think?

Thanks Sonya, I forgot about my name!

I suspect I might put it into a colander and then into or on the ground, especially after seeing how the other one has gone mad.... in saying that, the one in the ground really suffers on those hot days, and wilts quickly!

I'll think about what to do, maybe after Summer it'll settle in a little better?

Callicarpa pedunculata...never heard of it... never seen it?.
Definitely not one to try & pronounce whilst scoffing down potato crisps. Just had wipe my screen...
That's 2 in the bag Mel - going for the 3rd??

That's 2 in the bag Mel - going for the 3rd??

I'm hoping to find something in my existing plants that fits the bill, KCAR, since I've definitely got way too many.

Nothing happening, still in the pot. The one I had in the ground has died from the extreme heat over summer, so I'll need to be more careful with this one.

This is definitely going to be a labour of love....for no return, I'm guessing! Cutting back hard generally kills the whole branch, it seems, so I'm trying other options..

Hi Mel, I find these slow, difficult, and temperamental. Looks like your one needs some nitrogen or the soil has a pH issue. Fixing this might give you some more growth this season. My ones are only waking up now.
Cheers,
Symon

I find these slow, difficult, and temperamental. Looks like your one needs some nitrogen or the soil has a pH issue. Fixing this might give you some more growth this season. My ones are only waking up now.

Yes I think you've got this plant pegged Symon! I've given it some fertiliser and its new leaves are nice and green now...but they're massive leaves!

This is going to be a challenge...

Good things can be achieved. I think this is Kimura. Cheers Symon

Think that's Callicarpa japonica, Symon. That was what first alerted me to our own version...I'm hoping that pedunculata might behave....LOL

This one, if it were available, might be worth trying in oz...

https://www.tesselaar.net.au/product/17 ... a-giraldii

Yes that is 'japonica'. I have what is supposed to be 'pedunculata', but talking to some plant people here on the north coast they aren't so sure that the species names are very accurate.

At the Coffs Botanical garden there are some large specimens with chunky trunks, they have them growing in semi shade under trees. If only they would let me dig one up...
Cheers Symon

If only they would let me dig one up...

heeeheee

If we didn't have people like Mel trying different native species for bonsai, we wouldn't know what works and what doesn't. Another reason to be thankful for this competition.
I will watch this one with interest, Mel. Hopefully, the leaves will reduce. I am glad it is responding to the fertilliser. I imagine you will be aiming for a large tree.

Hopefully, the leaves will reduce. I am glad it is responding to the fertilliser. I imagine you will be aiming for a large tree.

I do hope the leaves will reduce too! I really don't know what I'm going to end up with, lol! I guess it'll depend on how it deals with my cutting back regime. From what I've seen of other Callicarpa shrubs, they need to be cut back hard every year....so I need to find a way to make an acceptable shrub that grows enough to produce flowers and berries....lol.