Melaleuca Incana Nana - Dwarf Grey Honey Myrtle

[Patmet]

I've just finished pruning and wiring out this tree so I decided to look back on it's progress over the last four years.

2019 I purchased from a nursery. Worked on restoring health and progressively cutting back to pull growth in closer to trunk. Eventually cut out the middle of the three forked trunk and started styling. 2022 went into bonsai pot for first time. It was a fair squeeze so it was potted up quite high. 2023 repotted back into same pot and lowered to sit better. I also tilted the tree slightly so the main trunk isn't coming dead straight out of the ground. I've now meticulously wired almost every small branch to have movement and kept a "full" look. This will probably be the last time it is fully wired like this as it will be near on impossible to get my hands in there.

This tree is currently 28cm from top of pot to apex, and 28cm at widest point of canopy.

It's a very well suited species to bonsai cultivation, especially small trees as the leaves have excellent small proportion. It will look great when it flowers now that I'm not needing to prune it so hard anymore.

Cheers, Patrick

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July 2019 as purchased from nursery

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2019 first cutback

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Jan 2020 getting healthier and bushier

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2021 cutting the centre fork and styling begins

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2022 starting to take shape

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2022 potted into first bonsai pot a bit high. Mossed to protect surface roots.

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Repot July 2023 roots

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Repot July 2023 root prune

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After repot July 2023. You can see the lovely weeping habit of this species.

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After a light prune and full wiring July 2023

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Branch structure

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Hand for scale

[melbrackstone]

What a lovely result in such a short time!

[legoman_iac]

Only this week have I discovered the Grey Honey-Myrtle, such a lovely species and a great result/inspiration! I've picked up a few, though mine are much younger/thinner. If in 8 years I have half your tree, would be super excited!!!

Nice work!

[Nate.bonsai]

Great work.

I would have totally rejected the tree as it was originally. But, in a short time and with a bit of vision and skill, you’ve turned it into something really nice.


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[Patmet]

Just gave this a spring clean. It was getting very dense so the interior was weakening.

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Before

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After

[Patmet]

This was in full flower a couple of weeks ago. It's the first time it's been able to flower properly since I started working on it. After another repot this year I've got it sitting down nicely in this small pot now. It needs yearly repotting due to the vigour of the roots in such a small pot.

Currently sitting at 25cm from top of pot to apex. A bit bigger than shohin.

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[PWC]

Nice work indeed, the progression from it's starting point when you first acquired it is a testament to your skill. I probably would have walked right past it at the nursery. Long term where do you see it going size wise ? will you be able to keep it at these dimensions or will it develop int a larger tree.

[Patmet]

Nice work indeed, the progression from it's starting point when you first acquired it is a testament to your skill. I probably would have walked right past it at the nursery. Long term where do you see it going size wise ? will you be able to keep it at these dimensions or will it develop int a larger tree.

Thanks PWC for the compliments. To be honest these days I would probably walk right past it too I was less fussy with buying stock back then in the early days.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep it this size in the long term due to lack of experience refining trees over many years. I'll just keep playing it by ear and do what needs to be done to keep it staying healthy. Will see what happens.

[Rory]

Personally I think they look best when they're grown bigger and allow a lot more for the natural weep of the branching. It creates a much more aged look and older tree. Each to their own, nice work Pat.

[Patmet]

Personally I think they look best when they're grown bigger and allow a lot more for the natural weep of the branching. It creates a much more aged look and older tree. Each to their own, nice work Pat.

Yes I agree they do look good like that. I like this best when it's a little bit over grown and gets that weep.