AusBonsai

While on my morning walk today, I was impressed with a few of the trees that I saw, but confess to not knowing what they are.

Can anyone help. Here is no 1 with a close up of leaves.
And here are a pair of Paperbarks - My question is - are they the same?
While the leaves look large, do they reduce and do they make good bonsai?

Jon

Identification solved

by pup confirmed by melaquin.

second tree melaleuca quinquinerva

im thinking a type of chinese elm on the first question but not 100%

Jon I am pretty sure the Paperbark is Quinqueneriva. ( common name broad leaf paperbark ). It is a common species on the East coast.
It is found from just north of Sydney to Cape York.
Close to the coast or no further than about 40 klms inland. It is a water loving tree and or scrub.
I have yet to try this species my self but have seen some nice specimens.
The leaves do reduce much the same culture as for Oak trees. Which is take of the big leaves and leave the small it also produces more and better ramification.
I did see some in a nursery just recently at $ 10--00 but they were very ordinary so I will have to go to the other native nursery.
As for the other one Ant might be right.
Hope this of help it is no good saying the flowers are white as most of the Mel"s have white flowers. Pup

Hey thanks for the reply Pup. I realy like the look of these weeping trees and am keen to get one. Can they be air layered (with such thick bark) and do they shoot back from old wood if I were to get a nice thick trunk?

Antonio - No It isn't a Chinese Elm (don't you hate it when someone asks and then says no you are not right). It gets yellow flowers and quite large seed pods.

Jon

Jon Chown wrote:It gets yellow flowers and quite large seed pods.

Do the seed pods and flowers look similar to these?
Steven

Jon Chown wrote:Hey thanks for the reply Pup. I realy like the look of these weeping trees and am keen to get one. Can they be air layered (with such thick bark) and do they shoot back from old wood if I were to get a nice thick trunk?

Antonio - No It isn't a Chinese Elm (don't you hate it when someone asks and then says no you are not right). It gets yellow flowers and quite large seed pods.

Jon

G, day Jon no prob. Yes they shoot back on old wood.We have them planted as street trees around here and when they lop of the branches, they reshoot quite quickly. As for air layering I would think it would not be a problem as they self layer well.
Just cut right back to the heart wood. Plenty of medium around the cut. I have used Clay with success on them. Not this one though.
Good luck I would love for you to have success. So then you can pass on what you know works. Pup

Do the seed pods and flowers look similar to these?

No Steven - The flowers are bright yellow and the seed pods are thinner. For some reason Pepperina comes to mind but could be wrong.

Jon

Hi Jon!

If you could provide us with more pics of the unknown one, i'm sure I or somebody else would be able to help you.

I doubt it's one of these, but check out the "walnut" and "water locust".

I think pepper leaves have thinner leaves... Good luck with your search!

JayC

The top one is probably a Peltophorum (pronounced PellToffrum) pterocarpum, which is native to SE Asia and is planted as a street tree around Brisbane. It's also known as Yellow Poinciana and Yellow Flamboyant. Try a Google search to see good images (There's a great one on Wikipedia)

The leaves on the second image are definitely not a Schinus (Pepperina). I'm pretty certain it's Cupaniopsis newmanii (Long-leaved Tuckeroo)

If you have time, Jon, you might be able to check the trees again, to see whether they match the descriptions of the species I have provided?

Hey Hector, Good to see you here, I'm sure your knowledge will benefit us all.

You got me realy excited with your suggestions as to identification of this tree, and I went straight to google to look them up. Unfortunately it isn't Yellow Flamboyant as the leaves on this species (while similar) are rounded and the leaves on the tree in question are more pointed.

Cupaniopsis newmanii (Long-leaved Tuckeroo) does not match either as the leaves are much bigger than the tree in question.

Thanks a lot for your assistance Hector. The tree can be seen in the Minnippi Park at the southern edge of the pond, just near the bridge.

Jon

The lower photos are definitely Quinquenervia [named because the 5 leaf veins resemble nerves]. They shoot back on old wood incessantly. I just stripped 90% of the growth off my Mela Quin because most of the branchlets were not in 'harmonious' locations [a centimetre can make such a difference!] and within a week buds are bursting all around the trunk... still not exactly where I was hoping but you will always be removing adventitious buds with this tree so I am keeping my fingers crossed and might do another strip later on in the season. The leaves will reduce but not enough for a very small tree. In Sydney the plant provides dinner for far too many insects so spraying frequently is necessary. They have a voracious need for water and will dehydrate in quite moist soil. I found it absolutely necessary to keep one largish melaQ in a deep water tray. My current one [much smaller to suit an ageing artiste] is not in a tray but keeping the water up to it is a twice a day necessity. This is NOT a tree you will kill with overwatering. This is not a tree for an area with strict water restrictions. Mind you, I use a very open soil mix.

The problem with water trays is the moss that develops on the paperbark. But better moss than a wilting tree. They are robust growers and refining is a constant job... but it keeps us off the streets and out of prostitution so what the hell... look for a stout trunked Quin, cut it back hard and grow on.... great fun. I am hoping at some stage to get mine to flower even tho the proportions won't be the best. But I have a while to go and a lot of development before that can happen.

You think I like Melaleuca quinquenervias??? Where do you think I got my call name???

Thanks for that info MelaQuin, it will be most helpful as I attempt one of these as my next project.

Jon

MelaQuin wrote:... but it keeps us off the streets and out of prostitution so what the hell...

ahhhhhhhhhhh, speak for yourself...

Jon,

How big is the pinnate leaf on the second photo? It looks to be about 30cm long?

Also, is it possible to get a closeup of the leaves on the top photo? I'd go down to Minnippi and have a look at them but I'm having a little trouble getting around at the moment.