Who is growing/has grown/has any experience growing Callitris Preissii as bonsai

[Patmet]

I'm on the hunt for any knowledge, pictures, experience etc.. on developing Callitris Preissii (Rottnest Island Pine) as bonsai.

I have found some older threads on here with a couple of pictures and bits of info here and there but nothing too much.

I feel as though they are under utilised as bonsai? Being Western Australia's only native conifer i am extremely curious of their potential. There are a lot around the place in the wild and suburbia where i live in the Southwest corner of WA. They seem to take on many shapes and forms as they age, and grow in very harsh conditions near the ocean.

I have three of them i am starting to experiment with, but it would save a lot of set-backs if anyone knows how they respond to wiring and pruning with backbudding and the like. If not i'll just trial and error to find out.

Very much appreciate anyone out there with anything to offer

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[greg27]

I bought one of these as tubestock about six months ago. It put on a decent amount of growth over autumn/winter - I'd say it's doubled in size since I bought it. I repotted it about a week ago and took off about 50% of the roots and it didn't seem to care. Obviously very early days for this one though.

[Patmet]

I bought one of these as tubestock about six months ago. It put on a decent amount of growth over autumn/winter - I'd say it's doubled in size since I bought it. I repotted it about a week ago and took off about 50% of the roots and it didn't seem to care. Obviously very early days for this one though.

Nice, that's good to know. Hopefully it keeps powering on. I have found them to grow vigorously and quite fast as well. I have two tubestock and one larger nursery specimen.

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[Patmet]

Went out to look at a local national park today and found these old Callitris Preissii amongst many younger ones. The foliage was a brilliant vibrant green. Much more vibrant than my specimens here at home.

These are growing down in a gully on the edge of an inlet. Interesting to see them take more of an open tree form in a sheltered area. I'm used to seeing them grow short and bushy unprotected on the coast where i live.

Appologies for the relatively poor photo quality they were hard to photograph well with my phone and the light.

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[boom64]

Lovely Tree Patmet ,with age those big old branches start to go on there own journey plus all the deadwood how could you not love them. Great example to aim for . Cheers John.

[Matt S]

Great colour in those trees, plus heaps of deadwood which seems to be a feature of so many natives.

[Kedron Brook]

@patmet has this project continued? I'm curious to know what was the outcome.

[Patmet]

@patmet has this project continued? I'm curious to know what was the outcome.

So out of the 3 I had two are now planted in the garden as windbreaks to shelter my bonsai area. My collection was getting out of control and those two weren’t showing much potential. I still have one that is doing okay, but hasn’t thickened much and has suffered some branches dying off. I think it’s mostly due to needing a repot quite badly. I will try and do that soon and see what happens.