Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

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Rory
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Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by Rory »

Progression thread : Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

This was purchased on 27.08.2016 in an 8inch pot from the Big Flower, at Ourimbah for $9.95
These have been one of my most rewarding projects. The bark, foliage and flowers are equally beautiful.

Tips for growing:
-Leave a lot of foliage on them at all times.
-Don't allow them to get bone dry. (although this subspecies has remarkably better drought tolerance than most people think. The only time I've lost them is from too much root removal, not by being left to dry out. And I have let them go bone dry before, but they eventually recovered.)
-Avoid wiring, clip-and-grow produces wonderful movement.
-They can grow okay in a heavy mix, but for best results I'd recommend a medium drainage mix (one that requires watering within about 48 hours on a partly sunny day), and I just use slow-release osmocote fertilizer.
-Best to avoid any root work when its below about 7 degrees overnight temps.
-They love water and don't seem bothered by having wet feet.
-They grow very well in both shade, semi-shade or full sun. But for me, best results were from semi-shade.
-Do not remove a lot of roots or foliage in one go ; do it slowly in stages, over a 5+ year period
-Do not use a strong spray hose/jet on the roots, as it can damage the outer layer of the root.
-When doing root work (removal), make sure you remove the flowers/buds straight afterwards.
-For the first ever root work you do, I would actually recommend just easing the roots apart and untangling them. Don't remove much root at this initial stage. You can then simply reduce the rootball over the years that follow.
-You can cut back branches hard, but I recommend cutting back half of the branching in one session, then next year cut back the other half. This ensures you have foliage for good health all year round. They shoot back really well from all areas right up to the cut. However, being only about 3-4 year old stock that I've trialled, I can't concur if they readily shoot back on old wood.

I probably wouldn't recommend this species to a beginner. They aren't too difficult, but you really have to resist the temptation to work them hard.


This photo was taken 20.09.2017
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This photo was taken 23.09.2019
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by Brekel »

What time of year would you recommend is best for cutting back major branches on these?
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by Rory »

Brekel wrote: May 16th, 2020, 11:12 am What time of year would you recommend is best for cutting back major branches on these?
If you’re in Tasmania, when it is warm and when the tree starts putting on strong growth... so probably never, hahaha

Seriously though, about November or December I’d say. When the tree is growing strong. Leave a lot of foliage on it afterwards though. And never remove a lot of the roots in one go.
Mine are all starting to flower now. Absolutely beautiful species.
These guys grow well in winter too, and don’t mind low traveling sun in the sky. I’d imagine these will grow really well in Tasy.
Enjoy them. Once you have then settled in and only chip away at the roots and foliage slowly over time, they become quite hardy and are in fact the most resilient to myrtle rust of all the scopariums I’ve trialled.
I’ll update this thread in about September each year with a new pic. It has put on solid growth since the last photo and I adore it.
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by Brekel »

Rory wrote: May 17th, 2020, 8:58 am If you’re in Tasmania, when it is warm and when the tree starts putting on strong growth... so probably never, hahaha
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Thanks Rory.
I picked up an L.scoparium from a nursery last weekend. It's not a burgundy though, its apparrently pink. Just a small one but with an interesting trunk. For $5 its worth a shot :-)
As we have L.scopariums growing natively in Tas the conditions should be good for them, although the nursery cultivars could be a bit different.
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by Rory »

L. scoparium pink cascade is the most common used in the nursery trade of the scopariums. It’s also the hardiest one I’ve trialled. But on the flip side I find it the most ‘plain jane’ of them all with it’s bright pink growth. If it’s thick at the base, resist the temptation to heavily untangle the mess of roots. A better strategy with older stock is to just encourage the surface roots more and leave the lower root mass on to keep it healthy after it’s first root prune. Then slowly chew away at the lower mess a little each time, while still keeping the surface roots in check. Do not underestimate the advantage of leaving a lot of foliage on the tree. If you are going to perform heavy cut backs, do not combine this with great root disturbance.

Pink cascade is very hardy when they’re young, but trunks greater than about 1-2cm at the base are temperamental.
It requires a high degree of patience to succeed with these species’, but well worth it. They aren’t difficult if you just do removals in small baby steps.
Rory
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by Brekel »

It was labelles as a "Pink Star", but not a lot of info on it. I've heard scoparium can be touchy, so I'll take it easy.
20200516_153445 (2).jpg
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

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This photo was taken 20 Sep 2017
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This photo was taken 01 May 2018
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This photo was taken 24 Jul 2019
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This photo was taken 15 Jan 2021
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Rory
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

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L. scoparium 1-01 20Sep2017.jpg
20 Sep 2017
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

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L. scoparium 1-02 01May2018.jpg
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

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L. scoparium 1-03 24Jul2019.jpg
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I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

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L. scoparium 1-04 15Jan2021.jpg
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by boom64 »

Hi Rory , thanks for the extra work and posting the updates. Love the movement in this one ,plenty of options. Will be stunning in full flower. Have a few small ones , definitely need to exercise a bit of self control .Learnt the hard way by going to hard. :palm: Cheers John.
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by Rory »

boom64 wrote: March 2nd, 2021, 7:29 pm Hi Rory , thanks for the extra work and posting the updates. Love the movement in this one ,plenty of options. Will be stunning in full flower. Have a few small ones , definitely need to exercise a bit of self control .Learnt the hard way by going to hard. :palm: Cheers John.
Yeah I did the same with L. scoparium for many attempts before I finally learnt how to maintain them. Even though... the species can still be temperamental. I acquired 4 more burgundy queens about 2 years ago or so, and attempted a super careful transplant without removing hardly any roots, and only seperating the roots, but 2 died and 2 survived. If you can pass the initial root seperation early on, its usually all good from then on, as you slowly eat away at the roots over time. But it is not an easy species to go full hog on.

Ive got an L. scoparium 'red cascade' in development now, and wow, they are gorgeous. But again, I lost 50% of my initial 4 attempts at 'red cascade', even with very minimal root reduction in the first attempts.

Yes when it flowers it is very impressive I agree. And they are really profuse! For me they also flower all the way from about early July right through till March!!

However I think the splendour of small leaf varieties of Backeas just prior to the flower buds opening, and their gnarly ropey trunks beat the double petalled scopariums for aesthetic beauty.

I'll now continue to update and put up the rest of the progression threads and new ones that I've got and just upload the pictures directly into the threads, as its too hard to try and host elsewhere as you can't then edit the historial link if the host site changes the address.
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by Rory »

These guys really love to flower. Slowly, very slowly chip away at the root ball over time, and gradually build the trees structure with partial cutting back of the branches each time.
L. scoparium 1-05 10Jan2022.jpg
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Rory
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Re: Leptospermum scoparium 'burgundy queen' 1

Post by Rory »

I didn't repot or cut back any roots this year. I've only cut back the growth. I will wait till Spring next year to do any rootwork. Patience.
There isn't enough foliage on it to warrant touching the roots yet. (this is not a hardy Leptospermum, and knowledge and restraint should always be adhered to with this variety)

I realize its not quite yet 01.01.2023, but its easier to post that its 2023, so looking back people can easily distinguish that its a year apart. Its only 1 day before the actual date.
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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

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How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
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