Melaleuca lanceolata - Moonah

[Boics]

This thread is to attempt to gain some ideas and experiences people have with this particular species.
It is my belief that this might be a fantastic specimen to work with due too:

1. Small foliage.
2. Flowers
3. Fantastic warped trunks.
4. Fissured bark on older specimens.

I've lifted the following from our Wiki template to get people thinking of the information areas to share.

Growing notes:
some details of the growing conditions - eg Typically position in full sun
some details of the growing conditions - eg How much to water - Need a tray?
some details of the growing conditions - eg Temperature ranges - tropical, temperate, humidity, Frost
some details of the growing conditions - eg Fertilizer requirements
some details of the growing conditions - eg Repoting Times Spring, Summer Autumn, Winter
some details of the growing conditions - eg Species can backbud on old wood.
some details of the growing conditions - eg Can be hard pruned in winter to reduce leggy growth.
some details of the growing conditions - eg Hard pruning after leaves have dropped is ok.

Training notes:
some details of the training requirements - eg Can it be wired and when best
some details of the training requirements - eg Clip and grow
some details of the training requirements - eg Pruning times

Propagation/ Collection Notes:
some details of how to propagate - eg Sow seeds in spring.
some details of how to propagate - eg Tree removal/collection in Spring has yielded results.
some details of how to propagate - eg Air layer in Summer
some details of how to propagate - eg optimum time to collect

Pests and Diseases
if there are any specific pests and or diseases that affect the species,
Any treatments for the above

Styles:
What styles suit these tree's?

Inspiration:



Apparently 600+ years old:



I understand that some parties may have been privy to a recent discussion in Melbourne that I unfortunately missed?
I'd love to know what was covered please?

[Elmar]

Awesome idea, Mr. B.,
Do you have one in a pot of some kind? I'd like to see the leaves that you speak of...


Cheers
Elmar

[Boics]

Good to see this thread is going off like a frog in a sock!?

Am I mistaken and no-one has attempted to practise Bonsai culture on this magnificent species?

Pic from Portsea Victoria:



Closeup of flower / leaf structure:

[Jarad]

Now they are some cool looking trees!

[CraigM]

I have one in training, was lucky enough to win one of the demo trees in the silent auction at the Vic Native symposium couple months back. Will send a pic when I have a chance, still has a way to go but initial framework is there. During Vic Native symposium, Quentin also created a group planting of five trees in a large container. When last I heard trees had recovered, and he is looking to add additional smaller trees in the rear of the planting.

Really looking forward to working on this species, have some tube stock as well that I have just planted, so that will take time. Will probably never achieve the character in the pictures, but worth trying anyway.

My initial observations, the tree is very hardy. The tree was bare-rooted for the demo (roots were wrapped in plastic to keep moist), but a lot of the foliage had dried out over the weekend. Planted the tree once home at the end of the weekend, and has started to bud back all over.

[CraigM]

Managed to find a couple pictures of the group Quentin assembled at the Vic Native Symposium

[Pearcy001]

How's the learning going Boics?

I've located a local nursery 5 minutes away that grow these and plan to pop in to check them out.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Boics]

Where is this nursery you speak of Pearcy?
I don't have any lanceolata unfortunately...

I was trying to gain some information for the wiki but it seemed that few had worked on this species!

[Pearcy001]

Hi Boics,

It's the Newport Lakes Native Nursery. They don't have a website but do have a FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/NewportLakesNativeNursery/

Went down today and picked up a couple of 6inch pots of Leptosperm laevigatum and some tube stock of Meleauca lanceolata. Unfortunately tubestock was the biggest for the Mel's.

On their FB page in the photos is a stock list if you're wondering what's there. The majority was tube stock but. If you have questions you can either call them or they respond to PM's on FB within a day or two.



Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Pearcy001]

Also Boics let me know what you're planning on getting if you do go. I'm not too familiar with what natives can be used well for bonsai, so I didn't know if anything else was worth getting.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Gerard]

Image 2.jpg

A recent picture of the group Quentin assembled at last years symposium

[Boics]

Looks wonderful Gerard.

Has he really captured the essence of Wild Moonah forest?
I'm not 100% convinced.

I do love the setting nonetheless and will check out that Nursery Pearcy as it's just up the road for me too.
If I recall last time I was there I may not have purchased the Moonah as they were too small.
I think I got my current Lepto Laevigatum from there too.

[Pearcy001]

A recent picture of the group Quentin assembled at last years symposium

Looking good Gerard, maybe I should purchase a few more tube stock and plan for a future forest?

If I recall last time I was there I may not have purchased the Moonah as they were too small.

Yeah I was considering not worrying about it too, but figure I may as well give it a try as I still have another 40-50 years in me (hopefully). I'll probably just leave them on the back burner after I pot them up a bit in spring and come back to them in a few years haha.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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