Eucalyptus Ficifolia - Red flowering Gum

[Pup]

It make perfect sense to me you are going to try some other method of development.
Of the LT as I have said like you. As I have only just started with Gums I am open to any new ideas, but as I have more than enough tree's I cannot see my self starting any new ones. I do have a few of my favorites under development at the moment.
So I will pass the buck as they say.

[kcpoole]

Thanks Boys

Fly, As the tree is only a yong Euc, I will replant this weekend alittle deeper in the pot as you suggest.
If I lose it then we learn something,
If it grows roots from the tuber then it will probably look better than it does now, ( the roots under are aweful actually),
If it does not root from there then I willl keep it clear of shoots as it is always shooting from the tuber, and hope I can make the trunk section under it look better after a couple of years, or Layer it off above and start the llower section again

I will update this when it develops some more
Ken

[FlyBri]

Fly, As the tree is only a yong Euc, I will replant this weekend alittle deeper in the pot as you suggest.
If I lose it then we learn something,

That's the spirit Ken! If you do lose it (and I doubt you will, unless you were unduly rough with the repot or the Akadama doesn't breathe well) I'll replace it with one of my layered, lignotuberless River Reds at my own expense. How's that for an insurance policy? Now, step away from the Roundup.

If you are concerned about re-repotting so soon, you can easily build the soil up by cutting the upper 2-3cm off the top of a standard nursery pot and placing it inside the rim of your existing pot. Looks to me like you only need to add another centimeter or so of soil to cover the lignotuber to the fattest point. I suspect that the lignotuber will not throw roots until such time as the roots beneath have grown as much as they can in space provided.

I look forward to your results, and hope not to be sending a River Red your way...

Thanks.

Fly.

PS: I just remembered that I have a large-ish RR on which I have raised the soil level to try to eradicate a teardrop effect where it meets the soil. The soil around the trunk is now about 3-4cm deeper than previously, and it has been in place for a number of months now with no ill effects. (Admittedly, I am unaware of a lignotuber on this specimen.) Anyway, if it makes you feel any better:

RR_For_KCPoole_2C.jpg

[bodhidharma]

Hi Ken here are the photos of the tree in my Bonsai area. Whats the i.d.

[kcpoole]

Dunno what it is but I love the bark

Thanks fly I will raise the soil level, or pot deeper on the weekend

Ken

[FlyBri]

Hi Ken here are the photos of the tree in my Bonsai area. Whats the i.d.

Gday Bodhi!

I'm no expert, but looking at your location and the flaky bark at the base of the trunk, my best guess is E. leucoxylon (Yellow Gum). What colour and size are the flowers?

Thanks.

Fly.

[bodhidharma]

Hey Fli. They are red and look like a small bottlebrush quite profuse.

[FlyBri]

Hey Fli. They are red and look like a small bottlebrush quite profuse.

Thanks Bodhi!

I'll stick with my initial guess. I'd love to get a Yellow Gum in training, but have yet to come across a suitable specimen...

[bodhidharma]

fly, i have collected a whole lot of seedlings from this tree as they seed in my pots underneath. I know, only seedlings, but your welcome to some of them.

[EdwardH]

Hi Ken,

how is your red flowering gum progressing?

[kcpoole]

Dearly departed I am afraid
Not having much luck at all with eucs
Any I have put in bonsai pots have not survived
Not too sure why but have some more on the bench

Ken

[EdwardH]

Sorry to hear that your euc is no more. I'm going to buy a few today to play with, nicholii, pilularis (blackbutt) and a turpentine just to see how they go.

[dennismc]

Hi Ken

Hope the season went well with you and your family.

Interesting discussion here. Firstly most Euc. produce lignotubers (even if not obvious). It is their great survival mechanism in our fire/drought prone environment. With a bit of imagination they can however contribute to trunk design, since Eucs. are generally slow to develop good nebari.

Secondly, it is not uncommon for gumtrees to fail within a couple of years. This is avoidable. Over 35 years of experience in growing gumtrees as bonsai has demonstrated that the secret of keeping them alive long term is to keep them WET for approximately 3 weeks after each re-pot then reverting to normal watering patterns. This may seem contrary to what we have been taught but has been learnt through long often frustrating experience.

The gumtree in my picture here is approximately 34 years old and has always been maintained the way.

regards
Dennis Mc

[kcpoole]

Thanks Dennis
Usually after repotting they are fine, but slowly decline:-(

I have 2 self sown Eucs in training pots now and they have both died back to trunk after trimming. Slowly recovering, I also have i in the ground that I will lift next year and that has been trunk chopped severly several times and goes on without missing a beat!

Ken

[PeterH]

Hi Ken,

Just an update( although this one has died) the experts have moved this variety too Corymbia(If you didn't already Know) . Also on the point of re-potting(Not sure of your regime). A common mistake I find is that 1st, the time of year and the 2nd, the after care. Full sun after re-pot not as exotics, shade.

Maybe the symposium in March may shed some light on the subject.

Regards,

Peter