S.A Swamp Gum

[Matt S]

Hi,

I thought I'd post an update on this tree which had self sown in a pot about 30 years ago. Back in December 2017 I asked for a species ID (thread which included the history of the tree is here viewtopic.php?f=134&t=25115). I settled on a S.A Swamp Gum (Eucalyptus ovata subsp. ovata) and I'll stick to that unless someone convinces me otherwise. Back then it looked like this:

eucalypt 01.jpg

A few weeks ago it shed it's bark to reveal the smooth bark underneath and each time it does this the bark shed goes further up the tree. I wanted an extra foliage layer right at the top poking through the main layer like you see in Eucalypt's but it was difficult to allow the extra growth on top without the tree shedding branches below. I did lose a couple of smaller branches but now that the outline is complete I can concentrate on reducing the leaf size and increasing ramification at the tips. It's a bit sparse but the smooth bark extending further really improves the image.

eucalypt swamp gum Mar19.JPG

eucalypt swamp gum Mar19 closeup (2).jpg

It's now a lot bigger and it needs a better pot, although I'm not sure of the colour or shape.

Matt

[boom64]

Great work Matt, looking like a fine Eucy. The bark is a real treat ….Thirty years ,now that is dedication . Cheers John.

[MJL]

Top stuff Matt. Regarding pot - I reckon there are some amazing Australian made pots with muted but creative glazes that match the rugged, rustic look of our natives. As an example - I took a photo of this tree and pot about 6 months ago. Not my tree but I liked the combo.

IMG_0232.jpg

Bonsai teaches me patience.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Boics]

I really like your tree and vision here.
Great work!

[Matt S]

This tree is hard. You can see the history of it in the link above and it continues to frustrate me, but I’ve had it for a long time and and it teaches me a lot (mostly acceptance and patience).
It really, really wants to grow higher, so whenever I leave the top of the tree alone for more than a few months it drops a lower branch, and I can never get a settled design. Back in April it looked like this.

34981A80-CE57-411B-B123-2D20A276E33F.jpeg

Much sparser than in the past and taller than is convenient but it showed off the smooth bark on the trunk and branches. The good news is that after this photo was taken I finally got a decent pot for it, a lovely custom pot from Luke Parsons who did a fantastic job. In order to let it gain strength after the repot I let it go without any pruning but of course it responded by dropping the lowest branch. Bugger.

So now I responded in kind by removing all the new growth back to the branches I want to keep.

A1255DA0-7843-4D03-84A0-CAAFB2FD41C4.jpeg

The tall branch on the left that is wired was also showing signs of being dropped,so I’ll see if a drastic prune saves it. Either way, it’s just a matter of seeing where the new shoots spring from and selecting the ones I want. With the lower branch gone a change in planting angle might be in order too.

My other gums are all Red Gums and they certainly don’t give me anywhere near as much trouble as this one. Even after 30 years in a pot it’s still trying to reach for the sky, so it may never change, but I’ll keep it for the occasional times it looks good.

Matt.

[DangerousDave]

Your lessons in patience and acceptance are paying dividends… I really like this tree

The progress posts and strategy updates are valuable too - please keep posting on this one

[Sno]

I really like the smooth trunk . The new pot makes a difference to the feel of the tree for the better . How often are you repotting ? Just curious if the tree still grows roots like a younger tree after all these years in a pot .
Cheers Craig

[Matt S]

I repot roughly every 3 or 4 years and it's never sulked after a root trimming. In summer it stands in water and the roots come out of the pot and into the water tray. The roots don't seem particularly rampant, it just seems really apically dominant.

Matt.

[Matt S]

After the drastic prune last month this tree responded as expected by putting out shoots everywhere. I kept rubbing off the shoots at the base but let the rest go for a few weeks.

eucalypt swamp gum Feb 22 back after defoliaton.jpg

Also as expected the main branch on the left has died off, so another adjustment to the design is in order. I reduced the mass of shoots so that only one emerges from the same location, and I'm pinching back the strongest ones to the first set of leaves. We'll see how it looks after a few more weeks.

eucalypt swamp gum Feb 22 back after defoliaton and trim.jpg

Matt.

[jessepap]

Thanks for sharing. I love seeing these gums in these forms. Amazing.

[dansai]

Lovely tree Matt. Stunning bark colour too.