Casuarina cunninghamiana progression

[Bougy Fan]

Love it Steven - it is how I imagine a tree in Sleepy Hollow would look like Love the bark on these trees when they get big in size too. Can I place an order for a Spotted Gum training box ?

[Neli]

Steven,
This is a gem!
How does casuarina handle root reduction? What % max can you get away with?
Did you bareroot it after sowing the root ball or just planted it like that?

[Shannon]

Great work Steven! This tree has had a very successful transformation over the years and has a bright future ahead.

[Steven]

Thanks for the feedback

I repotted this guy in November 2013 into this big (500mm wide) Pat Kennedy pot. The specks in this glaze are made from eucalyptus ash.
Last night I rewired all the branches and gave it a plucking all over. That's 5mm wire on the bottom 2 branches. It still has some filling in to do around the apex and back this will be sorted in a year or so.

2014 February (a).JPG

Regards,
Steven

[bamboos]

Hi Steven
Lovely tree --- do you have trouble growing the branches below the horizontal?
Mine seem to lose vigour and then die off even with the tips facing up -- even though this is how they grow in nature
Any advise would be good
Regards Steve

[Boics]

Beautiful pot and tree combo!
Very nice work!

[Steven]

Thanks guy's,

Yes Steve, the lower section of branches will loose vigor but the foliage higher up (closer to the trunk) will gain vigor. I plan on this happening and use it to achieve good taper and movement similar to you see them in nature. Does that make sense?

Regards,
Steven

[DustyRusty]

Something about the connection between the speckles on the pot and the foliage on the tree makes this a really nice combination.

[Neli]

Steven, Your tree is getting better and better. Very inspiring.
If you remember I am doing some experiments on several casuarina. I tried to grow trunks in several ways and see what will be faster,
On one I left a sacrifice branch near the bottom, to try and fatten the trunk. It was 2 mm when I started growing it. Now 8 month later, it is 2.5 meter long and 2-3 cm thick down. Need to check it exactly...It has prevented the main trunk from growing , it is thicker than the main trunk...so probably sacrifice branches need to be kept shorter than the main trunk...so they dont restrict its growth. But it did fatten the lower portion very well. I did the same on my casuarina for the competition, and the same happened.

[bodhidharma]

How is the healing of the scar coming along Steven? I have a vested interest as i will be cutting mine soon if the layer worked. If it didnt i will have to develop the base. Your tree is developing wonderfully by the way

[kez]

This is a fantastic tree,

Beautiful outline, and the shape conveys such great maturity! A very evocative tree, it reminds me of a river where I used to live and days spent swimming and grubbing around in the surrounding bush.

Great work!

[Ash]

Superb development Steven. Perhaps to keep the bottom branches strong it would be worth growing the ends out every now and again then giving them a hard prune. There has to be a way - look at all of those superb trees grown in SE Asia!
Look forward to seeing future pictures of this tree.

Ash

[anthonyW]

Impressive Steven, if don't mind I have one question do you scissor or pinch just before last segment on each needle...cheers

[mugen]

Wow love the shape of this one Steven you have put some real movement into the tree with that trunk cut. It has come on leaps and bounds and has progressed impressively. Looking forward to more updates.

[bamboos]

Hi Steven,
Yes that makes sense to increase the taper.
I agree with Ash there has to be a way of keeping the bottom branches( unlike your prize winning tree from the shohin comp) vigorous .
I guess i will have to read Robert Steven's books and see if he says anything.
Looking forward to further updates!
Regards Steve