Prickly leaf paperbark

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Asus101
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Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by Asus101 »

Well i picked this little tubestock up for a dollar. it was pushing roots through the pot into the ground, hence the bad pot up job. Still its gone crazy, and seems happy.
I have been pinching back once a week and its produced more branches which is what im after.

ok, so its got no taper, and is about the thickness of a pencil. My first thoughts is airlayering that top off, and superfeeding the second part to thicken the trunk. It shoots off old wood which is a good point. Get two shohin trees out of the one tube stock. Again, any thoughts?
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Last edited by Asus101 on December 21st, 2008, 12:59 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Jon Chown
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by Jon Chown »

Hi Asus, I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that what you have with this tree and the other post with the Melaleuca is perhaps the main reason that many people do not use Aussie Natives for Bonsai. I guess it doesn't matter if you specialise in Exotics or Natives good trees can only be produced from good stock, and while these are indeed natives, they are perhaps poor stock choices. To create a good bonsai, the first requirement is an interesting trunk which at present neither of these trees have.

From here, your options as I see them are to reduce the height of these trees dramatically. Frankly, i would cut back to the first foliage on both of them and feed to see if they will back bud - if they do, cut back again. This will create trunk taper and you may well be able to provide some interest in the trunks.

Sorry to be negative - it's just the way I see it. Others may have differing opinions.

Good luck on your journey.

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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by daiviet_nguyen »

Hi Asus101,

If I remember it correctly from reading bonsaitalk.com, you have graduated from high-school around 4 years ago.

You have a lot of times ahead.

I would take time with these small trees. If you like to grow them big, I would just shape the main trunk into the
shape that you like. When the time is right, transplant them into a wide shallow pot. And develop branches from
there.

It will take times, but you will have a chance to observe the growing pattern of the species. And how they respond
to your treatments. These are valuable observations.

I start most of my pines similar to these. I learn a lot from small trees.

Just my 2 cent, but I do hope this helps a bit.

Regards,

Viet.
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Asus101
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by Asus101 »

Jon Chown wrote:I guess it doesn't matter if you specialise in Exotics or Natives good trees can only be produced from good stock, and while these are indeed natives, they are perhaps poor stock choices. To create a good bonsai, the first requirement is an interesting trunk which at present neither of these trees have.
Ah, but the good thing is here it is young. It wasn't picked as potential bonsai stock, more so as starter stock to be produced into potential bonsai stock.
Its been left for about 2 months to start getting healthy, and since it has, its time to get started with that.
Tubestock is tubestock, its all poor stock, but you cant collect so thats the only sub.
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by aaron_tas »

hey asus,
i have one of these but not sure exactly what mel it is...
did you a tag on that one :?:
do you reckon you could help us out on the name :?: :?:

and if you're reading pup...
does this one let you have the branches past the horizon :?: :?: :?:
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by AshBrown »

To me it looks like a Melaleuca styphelioides (Prickly Paperbark. These have ovate slightly twisted leaves up to 1" long with a sharply twisted point
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by Pup »

[

and if you're reading pup...
does this one let you have the branches past the horizon :?: :?: :?:[/quote]

I am reading or have read. I have not worked with this one . I have just had a look at my book on Melaleucas.
According to them it is a very hardy scrub or tree it is frost hardy will tolerate dry but really takes off when watered.
As for past the parallel I cannot say. So when that is the case I try. I do watch it though for any weakening. I
f that happens I stop. As in the past I have lost branches by persisting.
This is an Eastern tree it is not native to the West probably why I have not come across it. Pup :)
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by aaron_tas »

cheers pup,

well i've been playing around with this one for about 3-4 months now, all i have done is wire and trim once in mid sept (early spring just kicking in down here).
mel1_edited-1.jpg
as you can see by the angles of the branches, i hadn't heard of nothing under horizontal for mel's...

this one may be an exception though.

it is actually over 10 years old, and wasn't too healthy when i had it given to me late august this year, it has been under my irrugation and liquid fert feeding once a week, it seems to be pretty responsive :!:
mel1foliage.jpg
needs alot of backbudding, i think i might hard prune next spring.
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by MelaQuin »

Two months ago I bought a $47 prickley leaf, 2 metres tall reduced to $12. Picked one with a jig in the trunk, found lots of interest under the soil when I lowered the level 10 cm, cut it back to 30 cm and it is starting to put out growth. Yes, I have a way to go to develop branches and foliage pads but I'm starting with a thick trunk, interesting bark and a good price. Far better to nursery crawl, particularly now when so much is reduced, and find large stock to reduce than work with such slender new stock. And get a dog... walking the dog around your neighbourhood can bring up some interesting garden specimens... like the Claret Top in a local garden I have my eye on... have yet to see a claret top with such a nice thick trunk. Now it is just getting up the courage to knock on the front door...
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by aaron_tas »

MelaQuin wrote:Now it is just getting up the courage to knock on the front door...
:lol: :lol:

yes, i taught myself to be a doorknocking salesman looking for a bonsai...

got one of my oldest junipers this way :D

just do it... im so and so, this is what i do, seen this tree in your yard i want, and can replace it with something i saw on jamie jurie last nyt... you'll love it... :D
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by MelaQuin »

Guess I better walk Bryn that way again and take another dekko at that claret top.....
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Re: Prickly leaf paperbark

Post by aaron_tas »

:arrow: go get it :!: :D
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