AusBonsai

All ,I collected this Melaleuca Golden Gem a while back, it's not ready for working yet but i'm always thinking about the right direction to take it. The upright section is a bit broken and weak plus it's a little boring, so because the lower sections are very healthy i am thinking about using that part for the future design, .
I'd be interested to hear what people would do with this stock, comments and virts welcome ,.Thanks

This is one possible idea?? What do you think??

Lovely find
Love the Virt as a Semi cascade too. I reckon that is the way to go with this one. Quite sparse foliage and the tail i woud leave as Jin

Ken

Nice material Craig

Love your idea because of the strength of the lower portion of the trunk line you selected, and the way it uses the loop in the growth. Great call mate. Not sure where that foliage comes from low down on the left, but you may be able to use it as a crown. The only thing that may stop your design would be if the roots enable the change.

Love to see the outcome.

Tony

Thanks Ken and Tony, i wasn't totally convinced before but now i can see i'm heading in the right direction. Ken are you saying that you wouldn't have any foliage under the bend or just the lower ends ? Tony this tree was originally planted way deeper than it currently is, i probably cut off some roots that would of served purpose with the new design but thats unfortunately how it goes , I'm sure it will grow new roots for me if i ask nicely when i change the planting angle this spring, no worries. The loop has some expose natural deadwood you prob can't see too well in the pic and the growth you refer to for the crown is on the part earmarked for removal but again being Melaleuca it will no doubt put some new shoots off somewhere up top Thanks Guys ,, ,,,,

Good find Craig,I like your game plan too,but my only worry is the persistent nature of natives to reach for the sky,look forward to its progress Craig.
cheers Anthony.

Thanks Anthony, should be a good mission getting this one going, Cheers mate

Craig
Great material. You've certainly chosen the strong, natural lines of the trunk in your selection of where to go.

The back-budding on the old wood is fantastic. It can take courage to cut off a large branch, leaving no leaves. But with the right species, such as this M. bracteata 'Golden Gem', it results in abundant new shoots, probably more than would have been the case if you had left some green leaves on.

The 'upright' growth can be an issue, but this species seems to respond well to intense pruning when it comes to forming the crown, after the main trunk/branches have been developed, so shouldn't be a problem, no matter what style of a canopy you go for.

Look forward to seeing this tree develop.

Roger

Thanks Roger, much appreciated mate ,i'll keep you posted

Very nice material indeed Craig!!! One of the better mel out there for sure. However in your cascade form i believe you have lost the power in this tree If it were mine i would be tilting it 25 to 45 deg to the left, pushing the weight distribution of the canopy in that direction also, as the lower trunk already does. The deadwood to be then sitting somewhere above / behind the Apex. I believe this tree to be more powerful and credible an image. Im sure you will turn it to gold which ever way you decide good luck and i look forward to seein more of it !!! If some one wants to do the tilts maybe at 25, 35 and 45 deg i will give a virt a crack !

tilt the original tree to the left, i'll do that for you Ant,,

Craig wrote:tilt the original tree to the left, i'll do that for you Ant,,

Yes the original Craig, bring it on

These ok

Does that mean this is not doable???

This is only one way of styling the canopy but the cat may be skinned various ways. What i like is the trunk line but AW AW may not!

Thanks Antonio, that's very doable, gives me something else to think about now. I actually like what your thinking here, very interesting indeed.
Cheers for taking time for the drawing , Talk soon

P.s- this idea is growing on me , i'd love some other people to get involved, What do you think??/

Hey Craig,

Your a lucky man to have such great material to play with. I like what you had in mind for it but think a cascade would be harder to get branching to match & keep in shape due its natural growth habit as a few others have said.

Antonio's drawing is what I saw when I originally looked at it yesterday however, I would have a branch coming from the first bend on the right & again coming out just below the jin formed when the branch on the left is removed....

Look forward to seeing this as it progresses whichever way you go.

Matt