Dwarf Lilly Pilly (Acmena Smithii ‘Allyn Magic’)

[Patmet]

This is the progression of a dwarf form of Lilly Pilly - The ‘Allyn Magic’ cultivar. It was purchased from a local garden nursery in March 2019. I chose it because I could see potential in the stout little trunk it had developed, knowing that I should be able to cut the top right back and start building a tree from there. This is one of my projects that I have kept a fairly good photo record of over each phase of development to now. I’ll try my best to put dates to each photo.

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April 2019 - The earliest photos I have. This was after the first cut back. I was very conservative with cutting it back in several moderate stages instead of one trunk chop, as this was my first year in bonsai and I was very much testing the waters.

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Later in April 2019 - This was the second cut back.

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December 2019 - Another small cut back happened before this

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December 2020 - Starting to fan out branches with wiring to start a ‘broom’ type design.

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April 2021 - After some root work, and back into the same training pot again with a fresh mix.

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April 2021 - Looking nice and lush after repot. There’s 3 colour changes with this Lilly Pilly throughout the seasons, yellow green in summer, red new growth, and lush green in autumn/winter.

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July 2021

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October 2021 - Before work.

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October 2021 - After work.

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January 2022

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April 2022 - Before work

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April 2022 - After work

[Patmet]

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May 2022 - After Tony Bebb and my local bonsai group critiqued and helped me pick a front view. Tony also gave me advice on getting a custom bonsai pot made.

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August 2022 - About to go into a pot custom made by Brendon AKA Bad Swan Ceramics.

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Roots before

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Roots after

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Fresh in the new pot

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January 2023 - Still got a lot of work to do refining this, but it’s been a fun and rewarding journey so far. I will update as it progresses.

[tgooboon]

Looking great, styling very realistic. Must be a great cultivar for bonsai

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[Patmet]

Just did a repot on this and lowered it further into the pot now that the roots are getting used to the smaller space.

I also just removed a substantial branch at the back that wasn't flowing with the rest well. Once it recovers from the repot I want to keep working on improving the structure and open it up some more.

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Where branch was removed at rear of tree. I've already moved some forward and side branches to start filling in the hole.

[Albo]

Very nice. Great to see the progression.

[Trimmy]

Have to love the way lilly pillies keep growing through winter while everything else sleeps.

[Patmet]

Just did a partial defoliation on this tree to let light and air back in to interior, and also to be able to see and appreciate the branch structure again.

It took a few hours - it’s deceiving how many leaves are hiding everywhere on a relatively small tree. It currently sits at 28cm from rim of pot to apex, and 35cm width of canopy.

Soon I want to commission Brendon AKA Bad Swan Ceramics to make a new pot for it, the same as the current one, only a little bit shallower. I’ve been told by a few people that it’s a tad bit heavy for the tree depth-wise, which I tend to agree with. Other than that it’s great for the tree.

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Before

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After

[Kedron Brook]

Nice progression! It's inspiring.

The trunk seems very fat for something which never had a sacrifice. Do you reckon the cultivar generally thickens up so much in a pot? Most lilly pillies have edible fruit, so did you try any from this little tree?

[TimIAm]

I like how the variety of colours in the pot compliment the colours coming through on the leaves. Think it would be a great choice to get a similar colouring if you go for a new pot

[melbrackstone]

That's a beaut little tree, good result so far! I have a couple of lilly pillies, they really are forgiving, aren't they?

[Patmet]

Nice progression! It's inspiring.

The trunk seems very fat for something which never had a sacrifice. Do you reckon the cultivar generally thickens up so much in a pot? Most lilly pillies have edible fruit, so did you try any from this little tree?

Thanks, I'm happy to hear you find it inspiring.

I'm not sure about the thickening being to do with the cultivar. When you say never had a sacrifice, the way I see it is the whole top when I bought it was sacrificial. All that original branching and foliage that was growing straight up contributed to the size of the trunk, and then was gradually cut off by me and started again.

I think also because there was a very short section of single trunk before it split into multiple trunks, maybe that thickens faster than a longer single trunk where the thickening is more spread out.

[Patmet]

That's a beaut little tree, good result so far! I have a couple of lilly pillies, they really are forgiving, aren't they?

They are. Such a great native species. I often forget they are native to Australia - (Certainly not my neck of the woods). I get more of an exotic feeling from it.

[Kedron Brook]

Sorry mate that post had some typos. You answered my questions well.

[Patmet]

Sorry mate that post had some typos. You answered my questions well.

Oh yeah I missed the bit about the berries. This one hasn't flowered or produced fruit the whole time I've had it. Probably due to the constant pruning. One day hopefully

[Patmet]

I got Brendon (Bad Swan Ceramics) to make a new pot for this. I wanted it to be much the same but a bit shallower and less heavy to set the tree off a bit more.

Repotted into this late Feb. Roots have gotten fine and compact enough now to fit into a pot of this size.

Also worked on this with Tony Bebb recently. The advice was to selectively cut out some of the extra bulk branches that weren't needed or flowing well with the rest. Also to try create some more subtle irregularity in the silhouette so it doesn't become too boxy or topiary looking as it gets really dense. I think it looks much better already. Often less is more.

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At repot time

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Before and after