I've been really keen on trialling this species Eucalyptus Megacarpa for bonsai. I really don't know anything yet about how it's going to respond other than it absolutely loves water, and now that it's settled in the pot is growing very fast.
These trees grow in wet depressions and have similar bark and orange colour to the massive Karri trees, hence a common name for them is the Swamp Karri. They have a very nice colour to the leaves which are quite large. It's going to be interesting to see if they will reduce much or at all
I'll let it keep powering on for a while longer and then start experimenting. Whether it works out for bonsai or not, good times ahead
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I'm a newbie to bonsai but have seen these large leaf eucalyptus around our local area and have wonderred the same thing. I look forward to following your progress so keep posting.
Does this species have large leaves as an adult? Many eucs have vastly different juvenile and adult foliage and I'm pretty sure the leaves you see on the seedlings will be juvenile.
E. megacarpa is a species I did not know until you posted here. I just checked online and adult foliage is around the same length at 7-14 cm long but narrower and lanceolate to falcate in shape.
The species is described as a robust mallee which sounds promising for bonsai as mallees typically have no problem throwing new shoots from bare stems or from the lignotuber which means we can prune and expect a good response with plenty of new shoots.
Leaf size could be an issue so I'd be trying a larger sized bonsai, at least for a start. Larger trees not only suit larger leaves but are also much easier to manage branching, etc.
Look forward to seeing updates as this one grows and develops.
Yes that’s correct, I bought this one as a pre-tubestock cell some time last year can’t remember when now. It’s got the wide juvenile leaves. I also read that about growing as a robust mallee which excited me. I agree with the idea of going for a Larger specimen. My plan for now is to keep potting it up and try to keep the explosive growth happening to get some size. I haven’t had the chance yet to study them out in the environment, so I’m going out for a drive this arvo to see them in the wild and take some photos. There are plenty of spots with them all around where I live.
Just went for a little drive and found a large number of them growing in large tree form on the sides of the road. Interesting to see in nature. Mature leaves aren't overly huge there's potential there. Cool trunk colours.
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This is a six month update. It's looking a little rough, it has been constantly getting blown over in strong winds over the months. I'm going to get it into a bigger pot soon which should make it more stable. The foliage also got hammered pretty hard by something like sawfly, but I've knocked that on the head for now. It's got lots of new shoots right now, just need to keep up the water it sucks it up very quickly.
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Looking good, how are you finding the foliage size? Can it be reduced have you found yet? It’s what always puts me off growing gums but I have some unknown seedlings I’m trying in the background at the moment
In the blue darkening sky, the moon paints a pine tree.
TimS wrote: ↑September 1st, 2022, 10:20 am
Looking good, how are you finding the foliage size? Can it be reduced have you found yet? It’s what always puts me off growing gums but I have some unknown seedlings I’m trying in the background at the moment
Leaf reduction is still an unknown at this stage. I am yet to do any pruning on this species. I will do some cut backs once this one gets a bit bigger and I will update with the response. It still has juvenile foliage which is very wide. The mature foliage is much narrower and lance shaped, wikipedia saying 70-140mm long so we shall see if that can be inched down a bit
It looks very healthy in your care, but with respect, you aren't being as greedy as you could be! With leaves this size, you'll need a tree about 80-100cms tall in proportion, so you could put the tree into larger pots over time, grow it long to get it thicker, cut back hard to get some interesting angles, and watch the bark get seriously interesting! Only leave a couple of growing tips each year, because the longer it grows, the quicker it will thicken. It looks to be a nice little bush now, but if you spend the next couple of years fairly aggressively making a trunk, the foliage will develop very easily after that.
Because we keep pruning, it's likely that it will always have "juvenile" foliage - it's not a matter of the age of the tree, but how far the branch has grown. It can be a factor when you choose which species to grow.
What kind of country does this Etc. usually grow in? Do you have photos?
GavinG wrote: ↑September 2nd, 2022, 4:50 pm
It looks very healthy in your care, but with respect, you aren't being as greedy as you could be! With leaves this size, you'll need a tree about 80-100cms tall in proportion, so you could put the tree into larger pots over time, grow it long to get it thicker, cut back hard to get some interesting angles, and watch the bark get seriously interesting! Only leave a couple of growing tips each year, because the longer it grows, the quicker it will thicken. It looks to be a nice little bush now, but if you spend the next couple of years fairly aggressively making a trunk, the foliage will develop very easily after that.
Because we keep pruning, it's likely that it will always have "juvenile" foliage - it's not a matter of the age of the tree, but how far the branch has grown. It can be a factor when you choose which species to grow.
What kind of country does this Etc. usually grow in? Do you have photos?
Best of luck,
Gavin
Thanks Gavin,
I hear what you're saying. That has pretty much been what my plan is. I haven't done anything to this so far except water and feed. It is definitely time for a bigger pot though. I am pretty new to growing Eucalypts so that's interesting to hear your thoughts on growing and the foliage. Although my plan is as you have said to grow size and interest, I've been wondering what/if I should do anything at this stage in order to start getting a bit of movement into the trunk before it gets big. I suppose a good strategy might be to choose a main trunk and put a cut in there to change direction whilst leaving some sacrifice branches growing unimpeded?
The Bullich grows in swampy areas, near rivers, and in forest. You can see photos I took of some further back in this thread growing in a swampy roadside near the southern coast.
Ah yes. Them photos right there... It does look promising.
Sacrifice branches are useful with pines and junis that you can't cut back past the green bits, but for Eucs I just grow long, cut back. Side branches at that stage are just a distraction. The Eucs I know will shoot back wherever you cut them. In the early stages I expect 1-2 metres of growth a year, on a single trunk line without many other distractions - the longer it gets, the more girth it puts on. Then cut back each year quite close to last year's cut. Every cut is an angle, and you grow your movement into it. No need to wire. The more shoots/trunks/branches there are, the less any of them will grow. there's plenty of time to develop branches later - they shoot all over the place.
An update on this one. Still just up-potting and growing the trunk. I'm thinking of it becoming a multi trunk tree. We'll see what comes about as it grows. It's doing well though and in good health.
There's a long drooping branch down the bottom that will get cut off.
I also ended up getting another Bullich tubestock I've been growing. This one will probably be a single trunk. I'll attach some photos of it too.
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This is the angle with the widest view of the base.
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You can see that big low branch that has naturally cascaded below the pot rim.
This is the younger one I started growing.
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