AusBonsai

such a challenge...

Well the foliage is closer to the trunk, at least.
This has just been watered and fertilised...with a cut back once between the last photo and this one

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.

why so open a mix, if the ground grown was fairing better?

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.

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!)

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.

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

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...

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.

Nice little display for your show Mel
Love the colour combination of those berries and the pot.

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.

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.

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.