Hi everyone. Just wondering if anyone has had success growing NZ Chrissy tree as a bonsai (in Adelaide preferably)? I've got an old tree in the yard I've only just started appreciating and there's some branches with great movement and craggy old bark I'm considering layering off. It grows plenty of new shoots out of the trunk, but it seems quite brittle and has a tendency to die off around the top. Any input would be appreciated
My in laws have one in a barrel pot growing vigorously. Never been root pruned though. I should think it would be possible to bonsai and after seeing theirs I want to try too. It’s the one with red dandelion like flowers isn’t it?
Last edited by Beano on December 7th, 2018, 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
There have certainly been a few threads about NZ Christmas tree but unfortunately when you search those words you get lots of other stuff coming up. Try pohutakawa as Beano has suggested but also meterosideros which is its real name.
As far as I'm aware they are very amenable to bonsai. Easy to strike as cuttings and layers, tolerate root pruning and shoot back really well when pruned.
I'm in Brisbane, and have one that I root pruned heavily last year, then cut back hard after it flowered. It's bushing up nicely again, and just starting to flower now. I believe they're fairly easy as bonsai, they certainly seem to be here in Brisbane.
I have one in Melbourne - not hugely differently from Adelaide - albeit that is a debatable comment on a number of levels. Anyway....
It is flourishing - loves to be cut back; the act of trimming new growth as it hardens off seems to push new growth on old wood. I got help re-potting and root trimming last summer and the tree responded magnificently. Here’s a thread that shows that tree. It is early in its life (with me) and I hope to do more with the aerial roots and to develop something of quality over the next decade or so.
Sorry - I don’t have enough knowledge to discuss the merits of layering etc ...
Hi guys, just looking for some advice on this air layer. I've got some nice, fat roots under that foil, but it looks like a flower is breaking out on that top trunk. Any advice on what to do about that flower without wrecking my bark? Also, any advice on when to chop this guy off and stick it in a pot? Weather looks mild over the next week or so or should I just hold out for autumn?
If you have good roots I would take the layer off and pot it up. Leaves feed roots so leave plenty of leaf on the layer so it can continue to grow more roots after potting but some layers are just too big for the new roots so I normally reduce the top a bit to match (I know there's nothing concrete in that statement but I don't know how to quantify it, just experience and gut feeling?). Even if there is still too much leaf trees are usually pretyy good at self regulation and will drop a few leaves to match the available water supply.
Don't try to remove any sphagnum at this stage. New roots not attached very well and will drop off with just small movement so pot up with the current root ball as is. Sphagnum can be removed later when roots are stronger.
New tree needs plenty of light but keep it protected from strong sun and hot wind for a few weeks until it adjusts. Good moisture levels at all times. I find that a saucer that will hold a little water under the pot helps a lot with summer transplants.
Like most Kiwis, Metrosideros are pretty tough so don't be too worried about this procedure.
re flower: My old eyes can't make anything out from that shot you have posted but I would not worry about any flowers. You can pick it off when iot gets bigger or leave it. One flower won't affect this to any great degree.