Mel quinquenervia pictures - please share!

[lackhand]

Occasionally I run into a tree that blows my mind. Happened yesterday while at SeaWorld in California with the family. I've been enjoying all the Aus natives down here already, there are quite a few, and many different than I've seen in Phoenix, but these guys stopped me dead in my tracks. Everybody fussing about Shamu the killer whale, and I'm taking pictures of trees, I'm sure people thought I was nuts. Anyway, here are some pictures.

image.jpg

image.jpg

Hard to see scale, but the trunks on those are nearly a meter in diameter. So now I want one on my bench, but it will be hard to find around here. I know they are considered an invasive weed in Florida, but that's on the other side of the country. Anyway, if you've got one of these growing as a bonsai, please share a photo and any experience you have with them. I've searched the forum and found far more mention of them than pictures, so thus the request. I'd just like to make sure they're worth the hunt before I spend months tracking one down only to end up with a mediocre tree years later.

Thanks!

[Rory]

The bark is what makes these trees a stunner. Yeah, a metre in diameter is big. I have a few growing, but haven't put in training yet, only purchased as 5 year old nursery stock and decapitated them. I thought they looked so nice, I went out and purchased seedlings to start as well. They are very hardy, and the bark is so soft and peely... is peely a word? Anyway, even unstyled it is nice to look at for what it is. They shoot back from the base too, so no worries about cutting back hard, ... but they do love their water. The plus side is, even quite thick branches can be bent with gradual applied pressure easily.

[Jason]

Love these tree's. They are the predominant street tree in my area, and there are some beautiful specimens around. If I remember, I'll try and take some snaps of my favorites (my missus finds it hilarious that I have 'favourite' tree's in our neighbourhood ) and post them up for you

The bark is by far the most awesome feature on the tree, although it also does have a really nice flower show around autumn/winter too

If you searched the forums, you may have already seen mine... so I won't post that tragedy again lol Am planning on getting some more once I get back to my local nursery... but have a few other things I need to pay for first