I was 4wding along the coast at West Cape Howe national park, which contains the southern-most edge of Western Australia. A species that grows there caught my attention years ago before I started practicing bonsai, and once again this time.Hibbertia Cuneiformis or Cut-leaf Hibbertia.
I think it has very good characteristics and potential for bonsai. It immediately reminds me of Gardenia, particularly Gardenia Radicans, not so much the flowers but the small glossy dark green foliage.
It's a species that flowers profusely with bright yellow flowers. It appears to ramify well judging by some of the savagely wind pruned specimens on the coast. It seems to be quite hardy and adaptable growing as a shrub or developing one or multiple trunks. Aged plants have rough fissured bark. I'ved bought one from the nursery to start testing as bonsai and I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes.
I've attached some pictures below of the habit and environment.
Cheera, Patrick
Ramified wind pruned specimen on the West Cape Howe Coast.
The coastal environment on the southern ocean. You can see everything gets pruned flat by the wind in open areas.
The coast line
The bark on a garden plant on someones property
A flower on my bonsai starter.
Hibbertia Cuneiformis - A native alternative to Gardenia
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Patmet
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Hibbertia Cuneiformis - A native alternative to Gardenia
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treeman
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Re: Hibbertia Cuneiformis - A native alternative to Gardenia
Very interesting and looks like a good candidate for bonsai. I have a H. scandens going but this looks better.
Mike
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shibui
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Re: Hibbertia Cuneiformis - A native alternative to Gardenia
That one seems to have much better trunk than our local species. Similar flowers but ours only ever grow to small straggly shrubs.
I'll be interested to see how you get on with root pruning and whether they can be cut back up top.
I'll be interested to see how you get on with root pruning and whether they can be cut back up top.
http://shibuibonsai.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Patmet
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
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- Favorite Species: WA natives
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- Bonsai Club: Albany Bonsai Collective, Bonsai Society of Western Australia
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Re: Hibbertia Cuneiformis - A native alternative to Gardenia
Just gave it it's first cut back, so we shall see how it responds. I am aiming for a roughly shohin sized tree.
Before
After
Before
After
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