Allocasuarina Torulosa

[rayfam5]

HI folks I have this Allocasuarina Torulosa (corky bark) which I think is about 12-15 years old. has a great trunk but would love some comments and suggestions on when and how to prune it? Advice and/or opinions on it. I'm in Melbourne so its Melbourne conditions its under.

bonsai 012.jpg

[bodhidharma]

Hi Rayfams,
you can finger prune the tips weekly to stimulate back budding. They make admirable Bonsai but i have found they are quite thirsty and like a feed regularly.

[rayfam5]

Wiring the branches is very difficult due to the delicate corky bark, but you notice one branch jutting out. I would like to prune it back but it would leave a nasty cut at the top of the branch, and suggestions please.

thanks

[bodhidharma]

Hi Rayfams,
yeah the one branch on the left hand side i would cut to the first secondary and then gently wire that into place. You can wire them into where you want them if you just do a little bit every day. Even if they break they still heal and set. the only problem i have had with mine is that the scars left from big branch removal dont heal well mine havent after 2 years. Maybe i need to be more patient.

[MelaQuin]

I hacked into mine in a Do or Die episode since it had been sitting on the bench for several months and doing sweet FA. Within a short space of time the tree was budding everywhere and within months I had the future shape and it was filling out like crazy. I have lately potted it for the first time and since I bare root it had a tough month but while there is a lot of foliage dieback the budding is intense so in a month there will be no indication that the tree was 'attacked'.

I have not had enough experience to comment on slow healing of scars but I would cut back, feed up and then once the buds developed into branchlets start working on your style and cut more to the new buds.

You can wire on new branching and slowly on older branching. it is a lovely species. I'll post a photo of mine once the spring growth sweeps away the repotting dieback. I found the ideal pot at Bonsai South... oval with the drum studding but ochre/green colouration, matt glaze... suits the colourations of the tree ideally.

I'm being optimistic but I am hoping to send it to Canberra in November for the All Native Show. It was a 1.5 metre tree last November. I cut it back hard and it had two or three spindly branches when I started in November. This is how well it develops. Once I started shortening the existing foliage it seemed to take the bit in its teeth and get on with it.

[bodhidharma]

looking forward to seeing it melaquin. at 1.5 metres it must be an impressive tree. I think i am jealous