Banksia Littoralis - WA Swamp Banksia

[Patmet]

Banksia Littoralis is a local species I have been interested in as bonsai potential. It grows as a gnarly, often contorted tree with great bark character. They grow in wet areas hence the common name swamp banksia.

According to my photo records I've been growing this one from tubestock since around mid-late 2021 somewhere. In the last 6 months it's really started to grow rapidly. I'm growing it to be a larger bonsai at this stage as the leaves are really long. I'm sure they will reduce down the track it will just be a matter of how much. At the start of this year (2023) I started putting movement into some branches while they are still flexible and picked a rough front, but nothing set in stone of course I'm still wide open to things changing.



September 2021 (earliest photo)

In between stages below





Current state below March 2023 from various angles









Young shoots



Lower trunk

Cheers, Patrick

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[melbrackstone]

Looks good Patrick, you've got a great tree in the making there. Only suggestion I have is to try to make each trunk section a bit shorter each time, or at least a different length to the previous. The same same lengths can detract from the overall view.

[SquatJar]

Nice progress, looks ready for a larger pot to keep that trunk thickening

[Patmet]

Looks good Patrick, you've got a great tree in the making there. Only suggestion I have is to try to make each trunk section a bit shorter each time, or at least a different length to the previous. The same same lengths can detract from the overall view.

Thanks Mel, appreciate the feedback. I agree. I wasn't very onto it at the time with this and a couple of the other tubestock I've been growing along with it. I did cuts etc here and there without too much thought.

[Patmet]

Nice progress, looks ready for a larger pot to keep that trunk thickening

I just potted it up to the next size after these photos it certainly needed it. Was very snug in that pot.

[SquatJar]

I just potted it up to the next size after these photos it certainly needed it. Was very snug in that pot.

It looks like it's another species of Banksia that loves to fatten up in pots, could be onto a winner, and seeing as its a swamp banksia it might be one that handles the extra humidity of the eastern states too.

[Patmet]

It looks like it's another species of Banksia that loves to fatten up in pots, could be onto a winner, and seeing as its a swamp banksia it might be one that handles the extra humidity of the eastern states too.
[/quote]

I was thinking that too, it could potentially be alright over there. Hopefully someone will try it if it's available in nurseries anywhere.

[dennismc]

Hi reduction of leaf size in Banksias is generally quite easy. Simply cut any over size leaves in half. They will yellow and then fall off. Usually to be replaced by smaller ones. This can be repeated occasionally. Dennismc

[Patmet]

Hi reduction of leaf size in Banksias is generally quite easy. Simply cut any over size leaves in half. They will yellow and then fall off. Usually to be replaced by smaller ones. This can be repeated occasionally. Dennismc

Thanks, I will give it a try.

[Patmet]

This guy has been on my radar recently to get some wire on, while the new branches are thin and flexible. I've pruned a couple of times since spring to dense it up.

The first photo is the front I've been working off to date, but lately I've been considering flipping it 180°. I can see more interest in the flip side with a nice sweeping branch at the top, that starts angular and transitions to flowing movement. Kind of reminds me of a dragon.

I'm planning to wire it out over the weekend. I'll update with what I do.

Screenshot_20240125_075036_Gallery.jpg

The front to date

Screenshot_20240125_075042_Gallery.jpg

The flip side

[GavinG]

Yes, I prefer the flip side, as far as I can tell from the photos. There's a lovely whippy movement in the leaves that matches the branching and trunks - best of luck!

Gavin

[Patmet]

So I've flipped it 180 and wired every branch up with that as the new front, with a tilt. I'm happy with how it's progressing. I've kept all the branches drooping downward for this tree, as is common for very old specimens of these out in nature.

It's looking a little silly right now with that little top leader, as I'm still growing the top on to become a taller tree. There's also a few low branches that will end up going, but I've jsat left them to help keep thickening the trunk for now.

20240128_145214_1.jpg

Before

20240128_174909_1.jpg

20240128_175003_1.jpg

After