It looks like Melbourne is in for another 2 weeks of lockdown and I thought it might help my Covid blues to share a little about my new bonsai project.
If you're reading this and live in Melbourne, you might be familiar with the many beautiful Eucalypts in Albert park. There is one variety in particular that I have been eyeing off for a while. They have dark brown/black deeply furrowed bark, blue-green leaves, bright red twigs, a weeping habit and for the last month or two they've been covered bright red blossoms. I admit they're one of the first Eucalypts to make me realise how beautiful Australian natives can be.
So naturally enough, I couldn't stop thinking about what great bonsai they could make! I had a bit of a look around the internet and I'm 95% sure they're E. Sideroxylon or Red Ironbark.
A week or two ago, I went out and picked some of the older looking nuts from the trees, choosing ones that hadn't opened yet. I let them dry out for a few days and then tipped the contents onto some soil in milk cartons I had cut in half. I covered the seeds with a thin layer of vermiculite, waited a few days and before I knew it I had tens of little gum trees popping up! I still can't believe how many germinated.
Anyway, I think in a few months I will be trying to give most of them away. Let me know if anyone is interested.
I'm interested to hear if anyone has had much luck making these into bonsai. I've seen a few pics around the forum but more are always welcome. Any tips would be welcome too, as I'm new to Eucalyptus as bonsai.Cheers,
Harley
