AusBonsai

Botanical Name: Leptospermum flavescens x scoarium nana
Common Name: Emily Nao (Australian Cherry Blossom)
From: Bunnings
Cost: $10.58

I've never grown native as a bonsai but I am really attracted to the flowers of tea trees. Especially those found along the coast.
Spotted this little one and was attracted to it straight way. Last one in store so there was little options to pick from.

Can't wait to see it flower. The leaves are tiny.
Regards,
Dennis

Liking all 3 entries Dennis!
This one is a “scoparium” right??? ‘Nana’ suggests a dwarf form but whatever, love to see where you take it.

Hi Ryceman3.

You are right... so embarrassing. I can't even copy from the label. Lol.
The leaves are tiny so I think you are spot on that it is a dwarf version.

I've got no idea what I'd do with my 3 entries but I am already having fun thinking about it.

April Update.

Since entering the competition, I've re-potted into a larger pot with a more open mix composing of scorio, mini pine bark and a premium soil.
About a month after that, I wired the main branch to give it some bends. Not much disturbances to the root when re-potting except opening up the middle to spread the root more across a flat surface.
If you look closely, you will notice it is about to flower. The buds are quite well formed.
It has definitely thickened and probably doubled in density.
I am considering a cascade similar to those found along river beds or possibly more bends later.

October Update

Since repotting in April, this plant has been left to grow. The last wire left on the trunk ate into the wood and was removed. To my surprised, created a nice twist so I have since added another wire hoping to create more twists into the trunk.

I accidentally broke one of the larger trunk so it looks a bit smaller than before. The wife also damaged some smaller twigs. This plant will be left to grow over this growing season before commencing the next step in styling.

That's a lovely piece of material at the base.
I would suggest being careful with this one. It doesn't look in great health at certain areas at moment, but other parts look fine.
If its indeed crossed with scoparium nana, you could have a very temperamental species on your hand. You've done well by not reducing the rootball initially, I would have done the same.

L. Flavescens is very hardy, so hopefully its all good.
I would wait until its really healthy and bushy for a root prune when you do. And I'd leave a lot of foliage on and only reduce the rootball slightly.

Unfortunately I've never had any Leptospermum 'rubrum nana' survive bonsai life. (the species its crossed with) None have ever survived root reductions.

I love it so far though.

Thanks for the advice Rory.
The dead looking branches are from wiring damages. It was so bushy, the wire just sat on top of some unwanted twigs.
I should have pruned first but i didn't want to remove anything yet in case it slows the thickening process.

It flowered heavily over winter. I have cut off most of the seed pods but could not find the heart to cut the flowers.

April 2020 Update

Not a lot has been done to this plant since October. Left out in the open sun over summer and made sure it is watered daily.
I removed the wires and added news to to continue to create movements. You can probably tell I am going to cascade this plant.
I left all the new growth lower on the trunk unhindered to create trunk thickness.
In the coming spring/early summer, I plan to shorten the main branches to start creating ramification while continue to let the lower branches grow to thicken the trunk.

I also noticed it does not flower on new growth.
Hope you enjoy the flowers...

Very nice mate.

Just for some advice on Leptos, when you eventually cut the roots, don't do it until its in the strong and warm growing season, like maybe September / October.

Thanks Rory. Will keep that in mind.

October 2020 Update

Since my April update, I've have not done much to this plant except replanting into a bigger pot.
With the competition ending next year, this is the last growing season so I gave it a trim two weeks ago to encourage some lower growth.
I will continue to trim throughout the growing season and will repot into bonsai pot sometime in the next few weeks. I am hoping to complete final design late summer/early Autumn and will let it settle over winter 2021.

I noticed all three natives I have in the competition does not do much over winter and does not like being trimmed either.

Aiming to have a few shari and reproduce the dead wood I often see in tea trees around the country side.

April update 2021

I really like working with this one. It response to pruning very well in spring/summer and continue to ramify and push out new shoots.
I retain my initial plan and continue to develop the cascading design. Some wire was added to push the plant down and direct some of the secondary branches. It is starting to flower.

Styling/Repotting notes: I repotted it into a bonsai pot about 2 weeks ago (late Feb). I did not touch the greens. Going from a large plastic pot to this fairly small bonsai pot, I took off quite a lot of roots (more than 60%). It didn't like it for a day or two. The tips of the extensions dropped. I almost cried. But they came back upright around the 3rd day and have continued to grow for the last 2 weeks with flower buds continuing to grow and open. Shoots are also extending.

Future plan: For the competition, I am going to let this grow between now and October. Before final submissions, I will trim it back to give it form and shape. After the competition, I am going to put this back to a bigger pot and let it go nuts for a few years. I really like the small leaf and rough bark. I want to develop it into a bigger tree (at least twice the thickness of the current trunk). It will maintain the cascading form. I might wire it to damage the trunk to create more twist.

Regarding soil, it has always grown in a mixture of diatomite (30%), lava (30%), zeolite (10%), pine bark (15%) and coir peat (15%).

Looking good Dennis, as are your other entries.
Not bad for about $10 from Bunnings,

Thanks Ryan.

I kinda rushed into this competition but glad I did. I really like leptos now. I truly think our natives are as good if not better than any traditional species in the world. The learning process has been wonderful.

Going great Dennis ,lovely shape and looks like plenty of options for secondary's. With flowers it will be a stunner .
Cheers John.