A Gum for Gavin

[Watto]

I went along to the Illawarra Bonsai Society exhibition last weekend and I was quite impressed by the quality of the bonsai on exhibition.
While I was there I noticed a Eucalyptus on display and Gavin immediately sprung to mind (I know, its a worry) so here is a photo of the tree. It is a Eucalyptus punctate (grey gum).

[Rory]

If that’s punctata I’m jealous.
I gave up on them. ..... Possum fodder.

They make wonderful Bonsai though.

More people should grow them.

[Watto]

Thanks Rory, I like to see a few gums on display these days just to see what is being done and species people are using.

[Boics]

Looks great.
Not quite capturing an image of significant age (for me) but definitely looking like a tree in a pot = bonsai.

Love it especially the random right angle branch lower down.

[GavinG]

So how come I get blamed for all this?

Thanks for posting, I like the sinuous movement in the trunks. They are vigorous and rewarding, but I must admit I haven't worked out branch structure yet. Leaves reduce, but they're not small.

Rory, they bulldozed everything in sight in our new suburb ten years ago, so no possums - you might like to think about that. Nothing alive except the magpies for 18 months, then the snails came back...

Gavin

[Rory]

They are vigorous and rewarding, but I must admit I haven't worked out branch structure yet. Leaves reduce, but they're not small.

Rory, they bulldozed everything in sight in our new suburb ten years ago, so no possums - you might like to think about that. Nothing alive except the magpies for 18 months, then the snails came back...

Gavin

Hi Gav....I agree. For that reason I feel gums only look really believable as big bonsai. I don't recall seeing a small gum look realistic.

As far as the possums go, I sprayed one with the hose on full jet the other night to hopefully deter it from coming back.
My main Eucalyptus crebra has been mostly stripped about 12 times this year thanks to these fat ferrets.

[Watto]

Gavin, you can have a few of my possums if you like. I will even deliver free of charge!
I'd like to grow a reasonable looking Eucalyptus so I take a photo of any I see on exhibition. I thought of you because you are the gum man!

[GavinG]

Watto, PeterH has some great old gums, I've only been growing them for 7 or 8 years - I'm still just starting. I just talk about them a lot.

Rory, E. crenulata and E. bridgesiana have small leaves that reduce, and there are others. I'm aiming for a shohin E. cren. around 15cms. One day. Neither may like your climate, but there must be something...

(Chilli spray on the cerebra to put them off? One try should discourage them significantly.)

Gavin