Melaleuca Styphelioides

[jimmi]

Hi, I purchased these around 3months ago, the first one had a pretty good upright formal shape, it had a few lanky branches and a few crossing over branches so I cleaned it up a little and reduced the hight and shaped it and put it into a bonsai pot, it has in the past few weeks starting to produce new growth, I'm going to let it fluff up at the crown and lower canopy and then pinching it back into shape, I would like to try and keep it looking natural.
The second and third ones were tube stock and were in pretty bad shape, picked them up for a 1$, took them home and re-potted into to larger pots, they have all started to put on a heap of new growth, I've put some wire in the second one and bent the trunk a little and just let it go to see what it's going to give me, I've got a bit of and idea for it, the third one is a bit of a bush at the moment not to sure which way I should go, some thoughts and ideas on both would be appreciated .

[jimmi]

So sorry about the large pics, once I got photobucket sorted it was to late to edit and put in smaller ones .

[Jarad]

I like how the first one is coming along. I would remove that vertical branch between the two main trunks.

I would also get some wire around the trunks and get some more movement into them, they are a little to curved for a formal upright and a little too straight for an informal. Try to keep the movement of the main and secondary trunks to be in harmony.

::EDIT::
With the other two, wrap them in wire and bend the crap out of them while they are still flexible.

[Steve B]

I hate to be that guy....

but are you sure it's a Styphelioides?

The leaves look a bit big and "soft" for a styph. Most of the ones I've run into around Sydney have quite a short, stumpy and decidedly sharp leaf. I'm guessing that's how they came labeled, so maybe I've been under the wrong impression.

[jimmi]

I like how the first one is coming along. I would remove that vertical branch between the two main trunks.

I would also get some wire around the trunks and get some more movement into them, they are a little to curved for a formal upright and a little too straight for an informal. Try to keep the movement of the main and secondary trunks to be in harmony.

::EDIT::
With the other two, wrap them in wire and bend the crap out of them while they are still flexible.

Yeah I was thinking about getting rid of that branch at the back, it is a bit of a distraction, I'll see if I can get some wire on those trunks, they are quite stiff though.
Will do on the other two .

I hate to be that guy....

but are you sure it's a Styphelioides?
The leaves look a bit big and "soft" for a styph. Most of the ones I've run into around Sydney have quite a short, stumpy and decidedly sharp leaf. I'm guessing that's how they came labeled, so maybe I've been under the wrong impression.

They must of had the apprentices doing the labelling, I should of known also, the street trees that I have come across in Melbourne have been the Styph's and Linariifolia's.
I'm pretty sure the first one is a Linariifolia and the second one is a Styph but the third I haven't quite got around to looking into.
Cheers.