Casuarina 2 progression

[Steven]

G'day,

Here is another progression of a Casuarina. I'm unsure of the species of this one. If you have any ideas, please let me know.

When I purchased it I was fortunate to also get some early pictures of it. Following is its progression from July 2009 until present.

2009 July.jpeg

2009 October.jpeg

2010 August.jpeg

2011 June.jpg

2011 July.jpg

2011 October.JPG

2011 October front new.JPG

2011 October left side.JPG

2011 October back.JPG

2011 October right side.JPG

I'm hopeful that the sacrifice branches will do the job of sorting out the base over this growing season. If not I might try some vertical cuts in the bark.

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcomed.

Regards,
Steven

[MattA]

Steven,

What a beautiful Cassie... Its progress is fantastic & I really like the Mudlark pot its in. Look forward to seeing it progress over the coming years, I dont think you will have to wait too long for the reverse taper to be resolved by the way its going.

Matt

[newzealandteatree]

Steven, very good progress. Tree shaping up nicely. I am confident the reverse taper will lessen overtime. With this specie, keep on constant pinching of the needles to improve the desity of the foliages. Trained the branch pads like clouds floating in the sky. What is your feeding regime ?
Cheers, CJ.

[Steven]

What is your feeding regime?

G'day CJ,

Thanks for the tips. I feed every 2 weeks alternating between Miracle-Gro for acid loving plants and Charlie Carp at the recommended dose. There is also Osmocote Native on the surface and in the substrate.

I really like the Mudlark pot its in.

G'day Matt,

You have a keen eye for pots especially considering this one is not in Penny's usual style. I really like it too. It suites the tree beautifully

Regards,
Steven

[Bretts]

That's looking very nice Steven.
Mine has been frustratingly slow since going into a bonsai pot last year. Instead of letting it grow wild I am pinching more often this year and it seems to be growing well but it is hard to tell what is going on.
I keep getting long wispy growth but it does not seem to be from the branches/needles I have pinched . This growth has to be coming from some where but I am still trying to work out what is going on

[MattA]

G'day Matt,

You have a keen eye for pots especially considering this one is not in Penny's usual style. I really like it too. It suites the tree beautifully

Regards,
Steven

The glaze is unmistakeably her own, I have a few pots with it on them.

Matt

Just had to have another look at tree & pot... love them both

[xtolord]

Thanks for the progression!
I have a casuarina in training too...
How do you pinch it?
Do you use a scissor?
Or do you use your fingers and pinch off half the niddle length?

What kind of soil do you use?
Soil with high water retention or low water retention?


Thanks in advance for any reply!

[hugh grant]

awsome tree steven, very well done. a very promising tree you have there.

Hugh

[Steven]

How do you pinch it?
Do you use a scissor?
Or do you use your fingers and pinch off half the niddle length?

What kind of soil do you use?
Soil with high water retention or low water retention?

G'day Xtolord and welcome to AusBonsai!
I use my fingers to pinch - well actually, pull them apart. This way they don't die off at the tips like they do if you use scissors.
It is in an inorganic, water retentive substrate of Diatomite 60% and zeolite 40%. There is a bit of organic matter on top to support the moss. You can read more about this mix by searching the forum.

Regards,
Steven

[EdwardH]

Hi Steven,

I love what you have accomplished so far with this tree.

It has inspried me to get a move onto a Cassie that I have left more or less - emphasize the less untouched for a few years. Time to get cracking.

[Steven]

I love what you have accomplished so far with this tree.
It has inspried me to get a move onto a Cassie that I have left more or less - emphasize the less untouched for a few years. Time to get cracking.

G'day Edward, I'm really happy that you will be getting back into your Casuarina. Here is an update on how this one is going.

Since October, there has been more of the same... plucking and growing, plucking and growing.

2012 January.jpg

The first back branch rapidly lost vigor and ended up dying I've found that this can happen on this species but I don't know why yet.

2012 March dead back branch.jpg

I cut it off and considered leaving it that way but wasn't happy with the void left behind.

2012 March.jpg

Within weeks of cutting off the dead branch, new shoots emerged from the trunk. I initially left a couple of them to see which one I preferred.

2012 March new back branch.jpg

I let them extend for a few weeks then decided on the upper on. Removed the others and wired it to give it some typical Casuarina movement. I haven't cut it as I want it to fatten up to the size of the lost one.

2012 May.jpg

Regards,
Steven

[squizzy]

This is an awesome looking casuarina.

I am inspired to start one now.

Just have to find a place to hide it from my wife

Cheers

Squizz

[anttal63]

Looking great Steven and only to get better !!!

[Jan]

Very elegant indeed; an inspiration and a joy to behold – thank you.

Jan

[matlea]

Very nice!!