Progression thread: Banksia marginata 1
Banksia marginata 1
This lovely specimen was purchased from Bonsai World for $30
They need fast drainage, and don't like having wet feet. You will rot the roots if your drainage isn't good.
I add washed river sand to the mix to give it excellent drainage.
You MUST keep a lot of foliage on them at all times and try to ensure all the banching gets a lot of sun otherwise the shaded branches will decline in health fairly soon. Even when you do a trunk chop, try to do it and leave foliage on the tree as well.
I only do rootwork when its growing strong in the warmer months and putting out new growth. But wait till the new growth is a little hard before touching the roots, (in my experience).
The branching takes a long time to harden, so you they are easy to style. They look really good with the clip-and-grow method instead of wiring.
I have just trunk chopped this tree after waiting a good 4 years before it was bushy enough. (Bonsai requires patience). Otherwise I knew it would sulk if I had trunk chopped it without a lot of foliage below the chop. Besides, I was also giving it many years to hopefully produce shoots above the first junction of branching that I could keep as the new leader(s), but it never produced anything so I eventually trunk chopped, which was done about 3 months ago. I have trunk chopped B. marginata before and had them die back, so I was very keen to not have to trunk chop without shoots on the trunk, but I had no other choice. It proved successful. I probably could have trunk chopped years ago, but I prefer to take zero chances and take the long road with good material that I like.
About 3-4 weeks after the trunk chop (and a slight worry), it finally produced a tonne of new growth. Now... I do not remove ANY of the new growth for about 6 months normally. If bugs or damage or falling branches knock off the new growth, you can easily get die-back. Again, I do not subscribe to the school of 'choose a few branches and remove the rest' philosophy. I maximise my options for as long as possible. Marginata takes a long time to bulge, so there is no drama like you would get with say... Casuarina torulosa or Banksia integrifolia.
20Sep2017
20Feb2020
03Mar2021
Banksia marginata 1
- Rory
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 2809
- Joined: January 23rd, 2013, 11:19 pm
- Favorite Species: Baeckea Phebalium Casuarina & Banksia
- Bonsai Age: 24
- Location: Central Coast, NSW
- Has thanked: 22 times
- Been thanked: 459 times
Banksia marginata 1
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Rory
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
Central Coast, NSW
Bonsai: Casuarina Leptospermum Banksia Phebalium Baeckea Melalueca Ficus
Growing Australian natives as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=289480#p289480
Buying and repotting Native nursery material: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=30724
Growing tips for Casuarina as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=244995#p244995
How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
Central Coast, NSW
Bonsai: Casuarina Leptospermum Banksia Phebalium Baeckea Melalueca Ficus
Growing Australian natives as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=289480#p289480
Buying and repotting Native nursery material: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=30724
Growing tips for Casuarina as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=244995#p244995
How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
- Rory
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 2809
- Joined: January 23rd, 2013, 11:19 pm
- Favorite Species: Baeckea Phebalium Casuarina & Banksia
- Bonsai Age: 24
- Location: Central Coast, NSW
- Has thanked: 22 times
- Been thanked: 459 times
Re: Banksia marginata 1
They aren't super fast to grow in my area, but also depends on the conditions. If you get a lot of sun, have fast drainage and you keep the water up, they can power on.
I haven't done much with this either except allow it to grow and cut back.
You know that race of the Hare and the Tortoise. This guy is the tortoise.
10 Jan 2022
I haven't done much with this either except allow it to grow and cut back.
You know that race of the Hare and the Tortoise. This guy is the tortoise.
10 Jan 2022
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Rory
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
Central Coast, NSW
Bonsai: Casuarina Leptospermum Banksia Phebalium Baeckea Melalueca Ficus
Growing Australian natives as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=289480#p289480
Buying and repotting Native nursery material: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=30724
Growing tips for Casuarina as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=244995#p244995
How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
Central Coast, NSW
Bonsai: Casuarina Leptospermum Banksia Phebalium Baeckea Melalueca Ficus
Growing Australian natives as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=289480#p289480
Buying and repotting Native nursery material: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=30724
Growing tips for Casuarina as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=244995#p244995
How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227