AusBonsai

I posted this recently at BonsaiTALK looking for some opinions so I thought I'd do the same here. This B. Integrifolia needs a make over and I'm wondering if anyone has some ideas:

I'd layer the top section and then cut the bottoms section just above the first branch. You will then have 2 Banksia to play with
Do you mind updating your profile TeeJay to let us know which state you are from?

Regards,
Steven

Thanks Steven that was precisely what I was looking for. You're the second to have recommended a cut above the first branch and now it's probably gonna happen. I considered layering the top section but I was concerned about inverse taper in that area, but if I'm gonna cut it anyway why not layer.

Oh and sorry about profile I must have missed that question.

Cheers.

Profile updated.

what is the best time to give these a major haircut with minimal impact to its health?

I generally chop 'em hard up top whenever they stop growing, although it's probably best done in mid spring I think as they take a while to get going. Mine sulk until early summer.

Hi Teejay
In my experience, Banksias are summer-growing species. They don't really start to produce top growth until it warms up (whenever that is for different grower's conditions). However, once they get going, they will continue through summer and into autumn in what seem like conditions comparable to spring when they weren't doing any growing.

During the growing season, they seem to grow in spurts, that is put out a flush of new growth, stop for awhile, then put out another spurt. I'd like to know if this periodic growing is common elsewhere in the country too.

Root growth also seems to be sporadic. I can't access my data just now so can't report what I've found out, but I will get back to it at some time, I hope (computer problems, but data safe).

I've pruned in late winter (Aug here in Canberra), but have no growth until very late spring when it is really warmed up, so there is not advantage to early pruning unless that is the only time you available.

With hard pruning, it depends on the species how well it will react. Also, there is variation within species such that some individuals will shoot back readily on old wood while another of the same species will die if cut beyond the last green leaf. So experimenting on side branches can be useful if you don't want to rick a whole plant. Banksia integrifolia seems to be pretty good at budding back all over, as does B. serrata.

As for styling, the suggestions so far sound good. I look forward to seeing the tree(s) develop. I've some interesting photos of mature trees, but they also are in the safe keeping mode noted above. They'll come out some time later.

Kunzea

I have a native Tasmanian banksia [name unknown] and after a sluggish spring it swooped into action and has not stopped growing since October and is still increasing my pruning level trying to keep it in shape to fit its pot. Therefore I concur that they grow in the warmth.

Thanks Kunzea, in my short time playing with banksia I've observed a lot of the same behavior. Mine do nothing pretty much right through spring and even into early summer, yet when they get going they power on. So I've been pruning mostly around mid spring and potting at about the same time, it's worked for me, but I'm always interested to here when people prune and pot natives as there are always a few differences.

As for back budding, the above integrifolia has budded all over the trunk beneath the first branch since I've air-layered (still in progress) further up, so yeah, they appear to have no problems in that area.

Just letting you all know how she ended up. I slipped it into a shallow plastic pot and started pulling bits and peices into desired locations. I'm currently contemplating shortening the leader by half (where the branch is in the middle of it currently). It shot a new shoot from near the base and a gum branch fell on it knocking it off! Then a new one arrived and I bumped that one off!

But all's well as I've got another on the way in the same spot.

I ultimately want a tough looking little banksia, so I'd love some more buds to break along the trunk, especially below the current leader, it's a bit sparse over there.

MelaQuin wrote:I have a native Tasmanian banksia [name unknown] and after a sluggish spring it swooped into action and has not stopped growing since October and is still increasing my pruning level trying to keep it in shape to fit its pot. Therefore I concur that they grow in the warmth.

I believe the only Banksia native to Tasmania is B marginata. B integrifolia occurs narurally on some of the Bass strait islands but not on Tasmania itself and B serrata not at all.

Nice work Teejay! Did you try layering the top?

Grant Bowie wrote:I believe the only Banksia native to Tasmania is B marginata. B integrifolia occurs narurally on some of the Bass strait islands but not on Tasmania itself and B serrata not at all.

Excellent info Grant, thanks for sharing!
S.

Nice work Teejay! Did you try layering the top?

I did try but out of the five air-layers I did over the summer this one was the only one that didn't work, it calloused over. After I saw that I just gave up.

Never mind.

It's had a pinching to encourage branching, and a limb removed, but here it is today:

Nice one TJ, I'll chop my soon after the airlayer sets enough roots. Please keep posted.