AusBonsai

Hey everyone!

So I have a juvenile linarifolia which, are one of my favourite trees. I wanted to know if they backbud on wood? Mine is young but very leggy and only putting new growth into the very top. I’m wondering if I cut the top off and leave a branch or two if it’ll survive and backbud if so, I’ve attached a photo and am wondering where I should give to the chop?

I’ve just put it out to get more sun as to I didn’t realise how little it was actually getting.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Here is a picture!

Melaleuca linarifolia is incredibly hardy. Yes, it will backbud wherever you cut it back to.

Ah awesome, thanks for the reply Rory. I greatly appreciate it

I've previously tortured one of these by cutting all of the branches off and carved a little out of the remaining stump. It loved It! Still rubbing unwanted shoots off. Very generous with the back budding. Go hard & give it plenty of sunshine.

Hahaha I love it! Ok I’ll give it my best shot! Is there a “best time” to chop it? Perhaps leading up to spring or will it be fine if I did it say, tomorrow?

Tomorrow sounds good. Again give it as much sun as possible. Mine also lives in a shallow water tray which it seems to enjoy.
I'm going to be trimming mine again this weekend, as once cut back hard they are almost like hedging material.

I am chopping away at natives now, including M. Linariifolia. Providing it is healthy and producing new growth you should get good results cutting back now.

Awesome, thanks for the replies. Last question, do I need to leave a little foliage or would it just sprout and go for gold if I chopped it all off? The tree just has no low foliage and was considering chopping it riiiight back.

I have cut back to bare trunk and had the tree produce plenty of budding with this species. Not the case with all Mels, but this one seems to be fine with it.

Okey dokey, nervous but, I’ll do it. Thank you and everyone else for your help!