AusBonsai

Some years ago a bloke named Hoog brought this Clarettop to the Bundaberg Bonsai Group. It took a long time to convince him it needed some work. The group started about 20 years ago when the Bundy Bonsai Club sort of imploded. The club met monthly and most of the time was used up with minutes, who has paid his dollar, etc.
A few of us decided that we wanted to do bonsai so one Saturday we met at my place and next week we met at Gavin's - no monthly fees, no meetings, no BS - we just did bonsai.
I seem to remember that Brian Smith from South Africa was more than impressed. Some weeks we had 14 of us, some only two but we did bonsai. More about Bundy later.
Attached is Hoog's tree before we got stuck into it. Sorry it is small and of poor quality

Brian

Will post the after photo tomorrow/ Definitely worth the look. We like to think we did some good stuff up there

Brian

A couple of years later it was a 1m high showstopper

that is a ripper tree brian

the foliage is tight aswell, love it

and to get it from that first pic to where it was a year later is amazing, just goes to show how strong natives can grow

great work


jamie

Hi Bingh, may I ask (Since I don't know anything about about Melaleuca's ....but they ARE growing on me) , is the botanical name for this tree Melaleuca linariifolia 'Purpurea' ??

Great tree by the way.

Mate as I am not a native person you should ask Fli or Rod

Brian

bingh wrote:Will post the after photo tomorrow/ Definitely worth the look. We like to think we did some good stuff up there

Brian

Damn right you guys did some good stuff up there!!! got to be one of the best i have seen! only one little gripe considering everything is so good; The pads are just a little to prim and proper for my liking. Thankyou for sharing, I'd like to see more guys like your self post the big guns here.

I have to agree with you mate but after we did the initial job Hoog took over - still a pretty good result in a short time

Brian

bingh wrote:I have to agree with you mate but after we did the initial job Hoog took over - still a pretty good result in a short time

Brian

No doubt about it mate!

Jester wrote:Hi Bingh, may I ask (Since I don't know anything about about Melaleuca's ....but they ARE growing on me) , is the botanical name for this tree Melaleuca linariifolia 'Purpurea' ??

Great tree by the way.

Very close Jester! Good to see you could tell it was linariifolia. Something interesting about cultivar names, is that man made cultivars have names that are in english, or whatever the person who names them speaks. Where as natural existing cultivars have latin names generally. I dont know much about Melaleuca linariifolia 'Purpurea', but its name implies it is naturally existing.

The name of this tree is Melaleuca linariifolia 'Claret Tops', though it is usually sold without the species written, so the tag just says Melaleuca 'Claret Tops'. Therefore this tree is most likely not found in the wild.

Hope that helps!
Joel

Nice one Brian (and Hoog)!

That is a great short-term result! It looks as though the tree has received much-improved horticultural care in the time between the two photos.

Like Antonio, I find the pads a little contrived and 'poodly', especially the dome at the apex. However, at this new stage of development, the tree is (was?) a great candidate for thinning and 'naturalizing'. I'd love to see it with maybe ⅓ - ½ the foliage (and corresponding small branches) removed, so that the movement below could be echoed above.

Do you know if Hoog still has this tree in his possession? Are there any photos of the tree as it is now?

Thanks for sharing!

Fly.

PS: Makes me want to get out and get stuck into my M. armillaris again...

I haven't seen Hoog for some years but I believe the tree is no more

Brian

Thanks for posting this one Brian we had a real challenge styling this one, it was a good move hiding the trunks behind each other you would never know. I agree with the poodle comments that part was out of our control at the time, It would have looked heaps better with more refinement. The tree is no longer with us I have recently talked with the owner , he lost interest in bonsai and lost a lot of trees.

To lose that much interest, and such a nice tree is sacrilege. It seems though it is happening more and more.
My cousin whom 2 years ago was pestering me and a very good friend to sell sell. Has now lost interest and has asked me to get rid of some tree's.
The friend I visited yesterday who was the leading woman grower in the state, has now lost a lot of interest and a lot of nice tree's.
Quite a few were natives she was a great help to me when I started my Bonsai journey. It is this reason we keep in touch when she needs help we give it. So if you know someone who is losing interest try and encourage them.
That tree would have been worthy of the National collection would it not Grant. With some modification to the foliage pads.
Its is a great pity to see this happen, to such a nice tree.

Pup

Joel wrote:

Jester wrote:Hi Bingh, may I ask (Since I don't know anything about about Melaleuca's ....but they ARE growing on me) , is the botanical name for this tree Melaleuca linariifolia 'Purpurea' ??

Great tree by the way.

Very close Jester! Good to see you could tell it was linariifolia. Something interesting about cultivar names, is that man made cultivars have names that are in english, or whatever the person who names them speaks. Where as natural existing cultivars have latin names generally. I dont know much about Melaleuca linariifolia 'Purpurea', but its name implies it is naturally existing.

The name of this tree is Melaleuca linariifolia 'Claret Tops', though it is usually sold without the species written, so the tag just says Melaleuca 'Claret Tops'. Therefore this tree is most likely not found in the wild.

Hope that helps!
Joel

Hi Joel, sorry mate I need to clarify something are you saying that for this particular tree the Common Name and Botanical Names are Identical? If not, what in your opinion is that exact botanical and common name?

Thanks

John