Wollemi Pine

[Grant Bowie]

Hi everybody,

Anyone done any serious work on a Wollemi Pine yet?

I would be interested to hear of all successes and failures please.

Any big ones (more than 50mm trunk) been hard cut back for instance? Cut back to 1 year wood, 2 year , 3 year etc. Budding down trunk or only at apical cut off point? Anything you have tried.

I will share what I have learnt in the last few months with some pics but I have found them to have good potential.

Lisa has sent me some photos and I will share those as well

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Here are some photos.

The first shows two similar Wollemi, the one on the left the control and the one on the right has been cut back by about 20cm into last years growth. It was cut flat accross the trunk and not sealed. This was done mid December.

Control on left and Cut back on right.jpg

The second shows a close up of the new growth that resulted. Many new buds broke out at the cutting point but just two elongated and produced very strong growth to replace the removed apex.

New bud growth at apical cut off point.jpg

The third shows lovely soft new growth on one of the lowest branches where the current years growth was lightly shortened.

New tip growth on lower branch where cut off.jpg

[Asus101]

Do you think this could be treated similar to yew? Foliage wise that is, when creating pads?

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Grant,

There is a person who seems to have done it as soon as it was released from the labs:

http://www.bonsaiexotique.com.au/page/t ... onsai.html

I have no opinions on the above site. I just think it might be of relevance.

Best regards.

[Grant Bowie]

I am after current information and experience from as many people as possible.

Grant.

[Asus101]

I don't think you will find too much, every time someone asks, they don't ever update.

Hopefully someone has better info.

[kcpoole]

I have one a specimin tree in a large pot but will not be going to trim it or try to Bonsai it. I have had it since they were first released Several years ago
I will take some cuttings and try to stike them though. These I will try to work

Ray Nesci did style one though but I have not seen or heard of it for a while. I Must ask him about it

What I have learnt tho is that they will Shoot from old wood ( They do this in their Native state from Roots or Low trunks), so cutting back hard should not be an issue.
The leaves do not reduce it seems.
They Like any type of soil and are easy to care for.
Get burnt in full summer sun

A friend of mine is the National Park Ranger that is responsible for the trees in the wild ( Went to school with him), so I have a soft spot for the trees myself

Ken

[Grant Bowie]

Do you think this could be treated similar to yew? Foliage wise that is, when creating pads?

It certainly looks like Yew (Taxus) and the new foliage when it burst on the lower branches is very soft, smaller and easy to pinch out when extending. The apical growth is strong and coarse.

The trick looks like it will be learning to control the very strong apical growth and redistributing the vigor to the lower portions. Sounds like a Black Pine problem but I don't as yet have any specific answers on technique yet.

I am intending to cut the same plant back harder next summer and see how it responds from older wood.

I saw some 2 mtr high Wollemi in pots yesterday at the open day for the Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens(of which the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection is a part) and they needed cutting back to stop them from getting too big. The trunks were however not huge so I think it may be a while before we see a large trunked, aged bonsai specimen of a Wollemi but it will be a good challenge.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

I have one a specimin tree in a large pot but will not be going to trim it or try to Bonsai it. I have had it since they were first released Several years ago
I will take some cuttings and try to stike them though. These I will try to work

Ray Nesci did style one though but I have not seen or heard of it for a while. I Must ask him about it

What I have learnt tho is that they will Shoot from old wood ( They do this in their Native state from Roots or Low trunks), so cutting back hard should not be an issue.
The leaves do not reduce it seems.
They Like any type of soil and are easy to care for.
Get burnt in full summer sun

A friend of mine is the National Park Ranger that is responsible for the trees in the wild ( Went to school with him), so I have a soft spot for the trees myself

Ken

Thanks Ken,

Lots of people have killed multiple Wollemi but I agree with you, they seem to be easy to care for in my experience and I am looking after 3.
I think we will be able to reduce the leaf size with the correct techniques and I have been plucking the new growth like a Spruce(Picea) and it stops them from elongating.

Grant

[mudlarkpottery]

That seem more like the behaviour of the growth on Dawn Redwoods.
Penny.

[Grant Bowie]

That seem more like the behaviour of the growth on Dawn Redwoods.
Penny.

Yes I suppose it buds back in a similar way, from where you pinch out the growth rather than actual buds, but of course the leaf size is much smaller to start with with the metasequoia.

Have you had any experience with the Wollemi?

Grant

[mudlarkpottery]

Hi Grant. No experience with Wollemi Pines but I've got a couple of Dawn Redwoods.
Penny.

[Grant Bowie]

Hi Grant. No experience with Wollemi Pines but I've got a couple of Dawn Redwoods.
Penny.

The Dawn Redwood is a lovely tree and is also a much underused tree in my opinion. Taxodium is more commonly used.

Grant