anyone seen an Acacia Cambagei (Gidgee) bonsai?

[Ces]

I'm wondering if anyone has seen/owns/tried Acacia Cambagei (Gidgee tree) as bonsai?

I couldnt find any with a quick search. The tree has some significance in my childhood and now that i've got bonsaitis i thought it might be nice to have one in my garden... but who knows?

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated

[GavinG]

Sorry, you'll have to do it for yourself and find out. And tell us.

I started Acacia aneura (mulga) last year - they shouldn't be too different. It's been slowish, I suspect arid-zone plants don't grow crazy fast, but it already has some bark texture on two-year wood. Cut back to the last couple of leaves, it shot back a bit further, but I don't think you can take it back to bare wood. Most advice seems to be to repot like a juniper (no bare-rooting) in the warmer months, probably after flowering. Roger suggests a gentle dose of lime.

Best of luck, keep us posted. Are there plants in the wild that have caught your eye?

Gavin

[Ces]

Hey Gavin,

Thanks for sharing you r experience with mulgas. I reckon they would be fairly similar in their needs and training methods too. Have you attempted repotting any of your collected plants? If you have, what sort of mix have you put them in?

There are 1 or 2 wild plants that I am thiking about... but they are on a friends property that I tend to visit only once a year (its about 13 hours from home base). Might ask him to mail me some seeds and do it the really long way. could be easier as I usually go there in April. 'There' is about an hour north west of Louth NSW and in April the days are still hot but the nights are very cold. Maybe not be the best time to dig up trees.

I'll give it a go and let evryone know in about 7-10 years

[GavinG]

I'm only twelve months ahead of you, but here goes.

I have no collected plants, just tube stock from a Forestry nursery. Most arid zone plants won't survive digging up, as their feeder roots go all the way to China. If they grow near a water course or in bog you might have half a chance, otherwise it's unlikely. My mix is 50/50 pumice and native potting mix. Repot as the buds swell, or after flowering.

Tube stock from a nursery by mail order might be quicker than seeds.

I asked about plants that had caught your eye in the wild not because I thought they'd survive digging up, but because photos of wild trees taken by bonsai growers tell us what we need to know about how to shape them. There's some wild and wonderful shapes and textures out there that we don't see.

Post some photos when you're up there next, please.

Best of luck,

Gavin

(EDIT) I've just looked up Louth on GoogleMaps - I DEFINITELY want photos when you go there next!

[Ces]

righto Gavin,

I'll post some pics after i have taken a few bonsai appropriate ones. It is really great country out there. Black soil flood plains as far as the eye can see, drive away from the river awhile and red sandhill islands appear on the horizon. love going out there.

thanks again for the info.

[Ces]

so i've been looking at where to get tube stock but i cant find any online at the moment. A few places that sell seeds but nothing else.

any ideas where I might get some? Gavin, where did your mulgas come from?

[GavinG]

They were $1 throw-outs from Dubbo forestry nursery...

No idea where apart from the obvious places. The Acacia Study Group might be able to help. Good luck!

Gavin

[kcpoole]

Have you tried the forrestry commission nursery?