Melaleuca inspiration

[Rory]

Wonderful inspiration for our Melaleuca bonsai:

These trees are enormous. I love the gnarled growth at the base of the Octopus.

I like to copy the natural look of long wavy branches on Melaleucas like these.

Sometimes in the bonsai community, people get focused on ramification and wiring, and forget about this type of natural sweeping look.

mel1.jpg

Mel2.jpg

[treeman]

Magic trees Rory!

[MJL]

Excellent inspiration - cheers Rory.


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[Pat.G]

That’s awesome!
I’ve been noticing the swampy paper bark trees lately. Beautiful natural clump styles!

[boom64]

Very impressive Trees ,Rory. Will have to work pretty hard to get that beautiful movement . Cheers John.

[Rory]

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[Rory]

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[Rory]

Very impressive Trees ,Rory. Will have to work pretty hard to get that beautiful movement . Cheers John.

It’s quite appropriate that you say that, because I have a few Melaleuca halmaturorums that were gifted to me by one of my favorite stylers, that might be attempted in this manner.

Melaleuca linarifolia has the most gorgeous bark, but the small leaf size of halmaturorum makes them so perfect to depict large Mels like this. It’s hard to do it with a lot of Mels becasue their leaf size doesn’t reduce as well to get that enormous Mel depiction for bonsai that the tiny leaf Mels get.

I’ve tried probably about 40-50 different Mel species and I’ve narrowed it down to Melaleuca micromera and Melalueca tamarascina are the only other varieties that respond so well for bonsai and have minutely small leaves. Tamarascina is the bomb. Incredibly hardy! Now that I’ve stopped the possums, the best Mels for bonsai in my opinion would be:

1. Melaleuca tamarascina
Needle like leaves and beautiful pendulous growth that tolerates swampy conditions. Foliage almost like huon pine but thinner

2. Melaleuca halmaturorum
Very hardy and minute leaves. Gorgeous little trees.

3. Melaleuca micromera
The most interesting of all the Mels. Like a gnarly conifer and growth is naturally twisted and contorted.
Absolutely tiny leaves. The flowering is like wattle.

4. Melaleuca linarifolia
The workhorses of Melaleuca bonsai. Very hardy, tolerates a lot, and develops that gorgeous ripped paper bark look.

5. Melaleuca thymifolia
This is all about the flowers. Still makes a lovely specimen.... but when these guys flower, it’s magic.

[Ryceman3]

Very impressive Trees ,Rory. Will have to work pretty hard to get that beautiful movement . Cheers John.

It’s quite appropriate that you say that, because I have a few Melaleuca halmaturorums that were gifted to me by one of my favorite stylers, that might be attempted in this manner.

Melaleuca linarifolia has the most gorgeous bark, but the small leaf size of halmaturorum makes them so perfect to depict large Mels like this. It’s hard to do it with a lot of Mels becasue their leaf size doesn’t reduce as well to get that enormous Mel depiction for bonsai that the tiny leaf Mels get.

I’ve tried probably about 40-50 different Mel species and I’ve narrowed it down to Melaleuca micromera and Melalueca tamarascina are the only other varieties that respond so well for bonsai and have minutely small leaves. Tamarascina is the bomb. Incredibly hardy! Now that I’ve stopped the possums, the best Mels for bonsai in my opinion would be:

1. Melaleuca tamarascina
Needle like leaves and beautiful pendulous growth that tolerates swampy conditions. Foliage almost like huon pine but thinner

2. Melaleuca halmaturorum
Very hardy and minute leaves. Gorgeous little trees.

3. Melaleuca micromera
The most interesting of all the Mels. Like a gnarly conifer and growth is naturally twisted and contorted.
Absolutely tiny leaves. The flowering is like wattle.

4. Melaleuca linarifolia
The workhorses of Melaleuca bonsai. Very hardy, tolerates a lot, and develops that gorgeous ripped paper bark look.

5. Melaleuca thymifolia
This is all about the flowers. Still makes a lovely specimen.... but when these guys flower, it’s magic.

Maybe you’re right... but...
M. Ericifolia, M.Cuticularis, M.Armillaris, I’m having trouble finding faults with these.
M. Stypheliodes also is more than worthwhile, and I’ve also seen leaf reduction already in the very young M. Rhaphiophylla I have.
Wouldn’t give up on any of these, much too much potential at least in my neck of the woods, and I’m sure there are plenty I haven’t mentioned. I’ll take bark over flowers in general so it’s horses for courses in many respects... there are a multitude of possibilities. Heaps!

[boom64]

A quick pic of two halmaturorum i potted up today. My favourite Mel at the moment. Have taken note of your picks Rory. Cheers John.

[Rory]

Very nice john. That reminds me I need to repot mine.
What beautiful bark yours have.

[MJL]

Pretty sure Curly is the mini me to Rory’s first pic. Excellent foundation you have with these two trees John.


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