[ID] Neighbours street tree please

[Paulneill]

This tree keeps catching my eye as I drive past my neighbours house .
It has a huge tapering base .with old bark
I want to find out if it responds well to cutting back/collection before trying to convince them to sell it to me .
Thanks

Paul

[Josh]

Any photos. I find photos are easier to ID from than guessing

[Paulneill]

[Meegs]

Ceratopetalum gummiferum - NSW Christmas bush?

[shibui]

That's what I would say too Meegs.

[Paulneill]

You are spot on meegs thank you.

[Steve B]

I've had a bit of an attempt with these - big fan of the look and flowering and they should make a cracking bonsai in larger sizes. Found cuttings took quite well, although the tree I dug didn't make it in the end and the cuttings themselves haven't really flourished. Suspect it's my aftercare rather than the species though. I took the cuttings at the same time as some Mels and Callistimons and used similar aftercare, which was into standard potting mix and plenty of water. Not sure if they prefer less water perhaps? I've cut the feeding back also because they are so slow, so that could be an issue. I planted one of the cuttings into a garden bed last summer to see if it would improve, but it's barely done anything.
I'd be very interested to learn more about how to treat them as they seem like a no-brainer for Sydney based bonsai given how well they grow in the area.

[dennismc]

Hi Steve

NSW Xmas trees are a little on the difficult side. That said, u can increase your chances of rapid growth by keeping the root zone shaded and with the top fully exposed to the sun. Generally that is the way they grow in the bush. Good watering but not excessive will help.

regards
Dennis Mc

[Meegs]

I recently found one in my local garden centre, very unusual here in WA. Haven't done much to it yet, but I don't think it likes what I'm doing because its dropping its flowers

[Steve B]

Hi Steve

NSW Xmas trees are a little on the difficult side. That said, u can increase your chances of rapid growth by keeping the root zone shaded and with the top fully exposed to the sun. Generally that is the way they grow in the bush. Good watering but not excessive will help.

regards
Dennis Mc

Thanks for the insights Dennis, I'll adjust my regime to suit. Are they particularly sensitive to growing medium? Contemplating repotting one into a Ken's mix diatomite/zeolite combination - might address overwatering?

[Jan]

Haven't tried it but have heard that they respond well to having sandstone in the mix.

A friend who grew one in her yard had a series of failures until an old nursery man told her about using sandstone when planting - she broke up sandstone and added it to the soil and included a few decent chunks of it around the roots/surface and it thrived.

I've seen them growing wild in the NSW Blue Mountains and they were usually in gullies, growing in the rubble at the foot of cliffs or rubble carried by the water courses.

Maybe some crushed sandstone in the mix might help?

Jan.