Sannantha (Baeckea) back budding?

[dansai]

I may have an opportunity to collect some awesome garden plants of Sannantha virgata (looks like dwarf variety). One with an amazing thick twisted trunk and a few with multiple thinner twisted trunks. The big problem is the foliage is a long way from the base. I have read that they bud back on old wood, but nowhere I have been able to confirm wether they will back bud on BARE old wood. To get the most out of these I would need to remove all foliage. Will this kill the tree? Or will it spring back to life?

[SteveW]

My guess is that they will back bud heaps.

If not, it is no worse than not trying to dig them up for bonsai. Either way you don't have bonsai.

[kcpoole]

Yep they definitely do back bud. I have several I grew in the ground and dug
Cut back hard and they shoot well

If you are unsure, cut back initially leaving some green, the after shooting back lower, then cut back further

Ken

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

[dansai]

Thanks Steve and Ken. I'll definitely follow up and post results. Some amazing trunks, but hard to see branches at the moment.

Ken, so they transplant well? And what season have you had success? The site is for sale and will be developed, so at the moment there is no rush as I don't think it will sell fast, and when it does it will take some time to be developed.