Eucalyptus Sargentii - Salt River Gum

[Patmet]

Since I got this gum from a nursery, I've always had a specific design goal in mind. As opposed to the mature gum thriving, growing in a big open fashion, I want to tell the story of an old gum that is a straggly battler. I see these Eucs often in nature. They will have branches that sag right down from the weight of the foliage, and then grow back up at the ends.

I had to get some wire on it again now as the lower branches were sagging down and losing all their vigor. Now I've pointed all the growing ends directly up.

I'm looking forward to where this one goes. I have several options still to cut back to and change the leader to one of the lower branches, or leave as is with the main leader. I'm happy to just leave everything as is right now as one of my current goals is to keep thickening trunk and branches. That's why I've left everything long to keep growing strong. No pruning yet.

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Before work

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After

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Typical leaf size without any reduction yet. Good characteristics I think.

[Patmet]

I just wired most of the branches on this again. I'm not planning on keeping all of it in the long run but my strategy is to use all the current growth to help develop and thicken the trunk. I've put movment and interest into everything that's currently there so I have lots of options to choose from when the time comes. I'll then remove what I don't need or use some as interesting dead wood features.

I'm excited for the future I really like this species and feel very optimistic about it.

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