[Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

AusBonsai will be holding regular contests about bonsai in Australia and bonsai with Australian natives. Check here for the current contests.
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3442
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1191 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by melbrackstone »

such a challenge...
20200311_DSC0099.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3442
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1191 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by melbrackstone »

Well the foliage is closer to the trunk, at least.
_0DSC3342.jpg
_0DSC3343.jpg
This has just been watered and fertilised...with a cut back once between the last photo and this one
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3442
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1191 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by melbrackstone »

I've kept this alive, at least! Cut off a few leaves for these shots, but other than water and a bit of fert... it's had little work on it. I've wired a couple of the branches, but really don't know what to do with it other than cut it back hard after the berries are done.
DSC_9275.JPG
DSC_9276.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Max
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 587
Joined: April 14th, 2016, 2:05 pm
Favorite Species: all
Bonsai Age: 3
Bonsai Club: grow chop snip
Location: Taree
Has thanked: 34 times
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by Max »

why so open a mix, if the ground grown was fairing better?
User avatar
Rory
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 2807
Joined: January 23rd, 2013, 11:19 pm
Favorite Species: Baeckea Phebalium Casuarina & Banksia
Bonsai Age: 24
Location: Central Coast, NSW
Has thanked: 22 times
Been thanked: 456 times

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by Rory »

I do love that some users have tried their hand at uncommon native plants, such as this post from Mel, even if it proves difficult. At least its proving fruitful ;)

I find you learn a lot more about an uncommon genus/species when you have to get results in a 3 year period, and you don't have a long time to allow for a slow approach.

Well done Mel, great to watch your attempts with this one.
Rory
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
Central Coast, NSW
Bonsai: Casuarina Leptospermum Banksia Phebalium Baeckea Melalueca Ficus

Growing Australian natives as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=289480#p289480

Buying and repotting Native nursery material: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=30724

Growing tips for Casuarina as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=244995#p244995

How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3442
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1191 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by melbrackstone »

Max wrote: February 20th, 2021, 11:39 pm why so open a mix, if the ground grown was fairing better?
Thanks Max, the ground grown up and died after one season, it grew prodigiously in that time, and then I cut it back, as I'd read I needed to do, but it never shot again. :( At least this mix seems to be working! (Not that I've rootpruned it in the last two years!)
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3442
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1191 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by melbrackstone »

Rory wrote: February 21st, 2021, 7:13 am I do love that some users have tried their hand at uncommon native plants, such as this post from Mel, even if it proves difficult. At least its proving fruitful ;)

I find you learn a lot more about an uncommon genus/species when you have to get results in a 3 year period, and you don't have a long time to allow for a slow approach.

Well done Mel, great to watch your attempts with this one.
Thanks Rory, it's been an interesting experiment, but I must admit I've not fallen in love with this species, lol.
User avatar
Keep Calm and Ramify
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 944
Joined: April 1st, 2017, 11:50 am
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: Newcastle NSW
Has thanked: 397 times
Been thanked: 445 times

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by Keep Calm and Ramify »

melbrackstone wrote: February 20th, 2021, 6:59 pm I've wired a couple of the branches, but really don't know what to do with it other than cut it back hard after the berries are done.
With the pretty coloured berries being such a feature of this plant, would you not do a bit of a style now in order for a final photo submission? Will you have this berry feature again by this coming October upon comp closure? I think this plant has massive potential for a simplistic composition & could look really striking, much like Ikebana.

http://roadsideikebana.blogspot.com/201 ... rries.html
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3442
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1191 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by melbrackstone »

Cheers KCAR, yes I believe that's pretty much what I'll have to do with the plant as it currently stands. I'm going to keep experimenting with it, and will try to take some cuttings and see if I can keep it more compact in the future. As for whether the berries will last, I don't recall if they stay on for that long, and to be honest I haven't been good at keeping notes! There is a bit of wire on the plant at the mo, in an attempt to give a couple of the branches some shape...
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3442
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1191 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by melbrackstone »

Thanks for the suggestion KCAR, I went with it for the Redlands show since the berries were so eye-catching. I don't think they'll be back in time for the October final though. This is a shot from the show, a month ago. Not much has changed, other than some of the berries drying up and falling off.
20210327DSC_0056.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Keep Calm and Ramify
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 944
Joined: April 1st, 2017, 11:50 am
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: Newcastle NSW
Has thanked: 397 times
Been thanked: 445 times

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by Keep Calm and Ramify »

Nice little display for your show Mel :clap:
Love the colour combination of those berries and the pot.
User avatar
Redsonic
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 441
Joined: June 18th, 2015, 12:49 pm
Favorite Species: Ficus, Casuarina
Bonsai Age: 5
Bonsai Club: Redlands
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 86 times
Been thanked: 61 times

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by Redsonic »

That pot is a cracker, Mel & great timing with the berries. I remember seeing a callicarpa growing beside a bike path with loads of berries cascading down, & they are definitely the best feature.
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3442
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1191 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by melbrackstone »

Cheers KCAR and Sonya. The berries are impressive, so hopefully I can force the tree to bud up a bit lower down and get some ramification. This one's still happy in the pot, unlike the one I planted in the ground, which grew huge in one season, then turned up its toes.
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3442
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1191 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: [Natural] Callicarpa pedunculata - melbrackstone

Post by melbrackstone »

D0SC_0500.jpg
D0SC_0499.jpg
Two slightly different views - not sure where the front is, I suspect that will be settled when it's berrying.
I've spent a bit more time pinching new growth this year, in an attempt to keep the plant more compact. I was hesitant because pruning the one in the ground killed it quick smart. This time taking the growth point out has produced some bifurcation, so fingers crossed it also generates a few more shoots from buds lower down.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Post Reply

Return to “Current Contest”