[soda] Kunzea ericoides

[soda]

Kunzea ericoides
Bayside Community Nursery
$4
About 40cm height



They offered another one due to the deformed trunk
Trunk chopped and put in the ground about 3 months ago. Will post another image shortly.

[soda]

Very basic plan



Grow like mad, pinching and shaping around the central branch. The right leader is already gone, the left will be sacrificial to get thickness into lower trunk.

[soda]

Update and images.

This has been in the ground as previously mentioned in an attempt to get as much growth as possible. I am leaving some sacrificial branches as shown, and plucking to achieve a tighter bunch of stuff to be later used. It is planted in my frontyard which is in the 'dry river bank' style with lots of rocks. This makes it very hard to get photos of the trunks shape and structure, however this is all shown in the original images at any rate. The curves must have resulted from the seedling falling over in the nursery I would suspect, as all the other ones on sale were very straight. I alternate weeks of watering in seasol and liquid feed. I always wanted one of the Kunzea/Burgans as they are indigineous to this sandbelt area and are currently in flower at all the local golf courses.

From a fantastic book I have on Sandbelt Flora and Fauna I know the Kulin people used Kunzea for fighting implements and boomerangs, so worst case scenario the kids may get some toys! It will be a hard call when I collect and get into a pot If I can't get enough in the truck I may leave it or even put it into a pot as a means of completing the comp and then put it back in the ground. Thanks for reading. Soda

[nealweb]

Love the last shot of the 'dry river bank' garden. Looks great!!!

[soda]

Thanks nealweb we are very happy with how it turned out. It looks great after rain,

[soda]

Feeling pretty stupid posing images after the AMAZING CASUARINA post.

Anyhow, I removed this tiny sucker from the ground for its first root prune. It has gone back into the ground and I will get it into a pot later in the year (which may indeed kill it ). It may even pass to small tree heaven in the next week or so.

I am thinking of utalising the lower branches now and likely windswept design as opposed to informal upright. The lower truck is too long for my original plan.

prior to dig
after

[soda]

Ok so I bit the bullet and got this small project into a Bonsai pot for the first time. I have taken a bit of a gamble having only done root work some 2 moths ago, so I tried to limit the work in getting it into the pot. I haven't really got much change in trunk size to date, but reasonable happy where this little one is at.

I had intended only using the (top of three) possible leaders, but have since then changed my mind to leaving the lower two for the time being, as otherwise it would be approaching a literati (a possible option) .

It has quite a few options and at the same time quite few things we like to avoid such as crossing elements and straight sections combined with dramatic curves. But hey its a native and I am ok with its current native dramatics. I have part jinned two of the ends to add some character to what may still be considered a seedling .

Apart from a rough clip there has yet to be any wire or clipping for style done. I hope to get as much growth as I can in the remaining months and then work to refine its style.

It could be a great little tree with a 1inch trunk, so I may return it to a grow pot or ground after the comp winds up.

[soda]

Not a great deal to report, but starting to move towards the outcome of this small tree. One branch lopped, one to go. Leaving one at this stage to lever the leader into a more open curve as shown. Wiring the very fine branches for shape the next job. It did lose a lot of green through two root works, which wil hopefully be resolved come spring.

[soda]

This little puppy is now starting to resemble the original intent. Tiny buds forming will hopefully fill the canopy out somewhat prior to the final. I have selected a smaller pot which I think suits it and the style better. I think it will be a nice little tree with 5 years of pinching! Resonably happy with the result from a cheap seeding.

[soda]

Final



This has been a fun exercise and congratulations to all the wonderful trees submitted. I am happy with where I got this seedling to over the competition timeframe. It still looks very young, but with a few years pinching to get it quite dense, I think it will be a nice little one hand tree or accent for something bigger.

Other angles






And here is the inspiration, some Melaluca lancelota at Torquay foreshore.


Thanks to Steven and all else involved.