AusBonsai

Thanks Guys. The base lets it down a little in the pics but with all the roots now sorted and the flat pot it has no choice but to improve. It looks great in the flesh till then
Not really sure what I am doing now I have to start working on pinching the foliage so any advice will be welcome. I know how to trim it back but don't really have any plan!

It's coming along very nicely Bretts. Can't wait to see how it finishes.
Please keep posted.
DK

Bretts wrote:Thanks Kvan.
I have recently heard that people are having trouble collecting these? I wish they never said anything as I have had no trouble yet

Pick me!! I have tried a couple now and lost them all. Have no idea what I am doing wrong. Just glad I have been taking trees from the "right" places and not just killing trees from the bush.

dont worry graeme i have had the same prob! the one that I have been able to keep alive is a small sapling that I collected from the side of the road a while back, I got my cousin to come and get a few bigger ones, they came from a creek bed that was growing in sand, it came out easy with some good fine roots, I soaked it for around 2 weeks in water and seasol, then potted it up, decided to play with it a little to early and now its deadwood!

so dont go to work em too soon! and a good soak does wonders

Mate. I can't get them to the work state. They come out of the ground, into a pot and then into the bin, but one day ..................
Used to impress me no end seeing the things they collect in Indonesia. Trunks up to 2 foot across, all chopped up and stuck into the worst potting mix imaginable and the bloody things thrive. Yup I admire anyone who grows those things, but I still have a few self sown ones to kill so wont give up yet.

Several months ago I collected some that had been cut down and ripped out of the ground
Posted in this thread here viewtopic.php?f=96&t=4463&p=65331&hilit ... own#p65331

The 3 big stumps are all growing well . The Small Mel looks like it has gone

As noted in the thread, the Casaurina was almost just a stump with very little roots left and no soil on it at all. Has Several shoots popping out so ATM looks promising if it survives over summer

Ken

I have stated some where (not sure if it was in this thread) that it has been suggested that people having trouble transplanting casuarina may be using the more difficult species. I can't think of the name at the moment but it starts with B I think.
The river and Cunningham,( are they the same ) I have had no trouble repotting.
This one did scare me a little this year after repotting as it was taking forever to bud out but then one day it clicked. I plucked those needles back much further than they are now. It didn't back bud but was growing agian none the less
Here it is today.
I would love to get in and pluck the tree agian but I think patience is a virtue at the moment.

Hi Brett, i like it, going to make a great bonsai good work mate,,,Craig

Hi Brett,
Really like the development of your casuarina. Re the different types of this species there are two main types.

1. The casuarina equisetifolia, which has two sub species 1. Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equiseitfolia and 2. Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. incana. The 1st subsp. is a large tree found in the north of Oz and asian countries, Africa and Hawaii. The 2nd subsp. is found along the eastern Oz (QLD and NSW), Vanuatu and New Caledonia and is a smaller tree growing to only 12m. It is also known as the Beach she -oak, beefwood or horsetail casuarina. Relatively short lived tree with few lasting past 50 years. Often used as a wind break but is seen as a pest in a lot of countries too.

2. The Casuarina Cunninghamiana or River she-oak is also known as Australian Pine and is native to Australia but has been introduced to many other countries. Longer lived than the equisetifolia and grows to around 35m and is typically found along rivers and streams.

I know that some banksias from West Oz simply turn up their toes when brought over to NSW due to different climate. Perhaps that is why some people are having probs with their casuarina's, wrong climate for that type of tree? Food for thought

Anyway keep up the good work on that tree,
Andrew

Thanks for the effort Andrew. Belah was the one I was thinking of that I have been told does not take the root disturbance as well as cunningham. I have acquired some hybrid Belah called Cristata x Cunningham. So far the saplings have recovered well after being repotted in Autumn which is the wrong time of the year as I understand. They dropped some leaves/branches(technically ) but set new buds that boomed come spring. Last I looked there was no death among the twenty or so I have.

Hi Brett, your tree is coming along really nicely, you must be very pleased with its development. Their are a couple of other very species which make very fine bonsai not mentioned in former posts. Torulosa and littoralis are both great candidates for bonsai and both species root prune very easily if done during the warmer months. I have been working on both species for some years now and my preference is tipping in favour of littoralis, its bark cracks nicely but is quite hard unlike torulosa whose bark falls off with the lightest touch, also littoralis develops much finer foliage so seems to be easier to ramify.
Craigw

Personally I think A.littoralis is the best looking of the casuarinas but haven't been able to find one to play around with. Any ideas Craig?

I think your right Waltron I am becoming more and more impressed with them. I have quite a lot of young ones here if you want but nothing with any size to it yet.
Craigw

I will have to keep an eye out for that species if I can remember the name I seem to have real trouble remembering natives names and I guess the more I tell myself that the longer I will have the problem
I am about as confused about pruning this guy. Figured it was time to try some branch pulling today. I find pulling any more than one branch at a time becomes difficult. Also once they get any age on them they are difficult to separate. I would love to just get the scissors out.
I have kept in mind Craigs advice that each branch should have a main leader(Fault most obvious from the top) but at the moment I am happy with any growth. I am keeping an eye on secondary branches and will reduce them in time.

This tree is going great and I love how Youve styled it.
What time of the year did you collect it?

Hugh