Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Incana, Lanceolata, Linariifolia, Rhaphiophylla, Styphelioides etc
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Jarad
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Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Jarad »

I bought 4 of these guys to do some experimenting with as I wanted a shohin style group planting of paperbarks. One had a big chop and root prune, one had just a chop, another just had a root pruneand the last was relatively left alone.

I have read that dwarf varieties are the best for Bonsai, but I thought why not give it a go. The victims:
Mel-LPC01-04 - 170115.jpeg
Victim No. 1: Cut back and root pruned.
Mel-LPC01 - 170115 - Cut.jpeg
Mel-LPC01 - 170115 - Roots.jpeg
Victim No. : Cut back.
Mel-LPC02 - 170115 - Cut.jpeg
Victim No. 3: Root pruned.
Mel-LPC03 - 170115 - Roots.jpeg
Victim No. 4: Light trim.
Mel-LPC04 - 170115 - Control.jpeg
I will revisit these guys in a few weeks to see if they have survived.
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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by zimzallabim »

I like this idea

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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Rory »

Jarad wrote:I will revisit these guys in a few weeks to see if they have survived.
months.

I have also experimented with their stock of this same material Jarad, from Ourimbah Big Flower nursery, and you may find they take more than a month before they shoot back. Initially I thought they'd died, as all the foliage died off. Then mine eventually shot after 2 months of lying dormant following the root prune and trunk chop. You need to be careful though with the after care, and keep up the watering in this heat at the moment. I did mine in early spring, not in a heat wave.
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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Bougy Fan »

I agree about the aftercare. I have never had a bare rooted mel survive for me that hasn't been kept in a tray of water. Since I started keeping them in trays I have not lost any. I also apply seamungus and then daily seasol for at least the first week after bare rooting. Good luck :fc:
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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Jarad »

Cheers Zim.

Thanks for the tips Rory and Tony. I'll grab some water trays and apply seasol this afternoon.
-Jarad

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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by zimzallabim »

Noob question

Why not plant them straight into a group?

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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Jarad »

That is one way to do it, but I want the trees to look good individually before I put them together. It's easier to style a tree when it's by itself.

Also, I'm sure some will die so I would end up having to replace them anyway.
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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Lane »

Nice one, if one doesn't die you may need to purchase another one to keep the group in odd numbers.
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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Jarad »

Thanks Lane.

I was originally only thinking about planting 3 in the group... But I like your idea of buying more trees.
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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Jarad »

One week on and there are buds appearing on all of the tips except for the control tree. Where they live gets sun from about 11am till sunset. They have been watered every day. I haven't got around to giving them seasol just yet and I still haven't purchased the water trays.
Mel-LPC01-04 - 170121 - Buds.jpg


I'm stoked that they have reshot, but I will be waiting patiently to see if they will continue to shoot. If they are still healthy in a few weeks time I will grab a couple more and give those harsher treatment :twisted:
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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Jarad »

Approximately three weeks later and all of those new buds have popped and lengthened. There are also numerous new buds popping and lengthening below the cuts I made on the trunks. I have a feeling that the shade cloth these trees were kept under at the nursey provides enough light to keep them alive, but not enough to keep them vigorous. They are behaving similar to another Mel. Linariifolia that I have posted on here previously. The control tree (LPC04) has also reshot below a cut that was made before I purchased the trees.

These guys have been getting plenty of sun and water and are definitely healthy. I assumed I was going to lose at least one of these guys, but seeing as I haven’t, I will have to get a few more and be A LOT more aggressive when cutting them back.

Here are some photos of those new shoots:
Mel-LPC01 - 170214 - New Shoots.jpg
Mel-LPC02 - 170214 - Sucker.jpg
Mel-LPC04 - 170214 - Control.jpg
It would appear that when you trim the top, you should also trim the roots, as the tree that was cut back and had a root prune (LPC01) appears to be more vigorous than the tree that was only cut back (LPC02). LPC02 also has a sucker sprouting out of the soil and I'm not sure why. I will be leaving them alone for the time being to make sure they survive.
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Re: Melaleuca Linariifolia Purpurea Compacta

Post by Jarad »

Time for an update. They have all survived my abuse and I have found that the most abused tree (chopped and root pruned) has come back the strongest (the one in the orchid pot MLPC01). I'm not sure if I got the other ones names right as I never thought to write names on their pots :palm:

They have been neglected, apart from the occasional fertiliser. Not sure if I will be going ahead with the shohin group planting anymore, but could maybe make an interesting group with my other Mel Lin found here: https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/forum/view ... 87&t=19721
MLPC01 - 200202.jpg
MLPC02 - 200202.jpg
MLPC03 - 200202.jpg
MLPC04 - 200202.jpg
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