banksia aemula (close to serrata var.)

[Stewart_Toowoomba]

Hi everyone

I have just repotted up a B. Aemula and i can't find this particular variety as a topic. It is very similar to the B. Serrata (Wikipedia... )so forgive me anyone who feels this tree does not belong here.

Hopefully I'll be able to post some further developments in the next few months, subject to longevity .....

2012-08-19 14.31.31 CX.jpg

2012-08-19 14.34.25 CX.jpg

2012-08-19 14.36.10 CX.jpg

2012-08-19 14.40.17 CX.jpg

2012-08-19 14.40.32 CX.jpg

2012-08-19 14.59.01 CX.jpg

I have probably done this too early, but i needed to get out and about in my trees after a long winter.

Cheers

Stew

[anttal63]

Should be good as gold in your area Stu Great start !!!

[kcpoole]

Close enough to serrata for me
Nice Chop and start to life and it already starting to get the "Fat rolls" on it

Ken

[bodhidharma]

Looks exactly like my Serrata Stu. Looking forward to watching its progress.

[Stewart_Toowoomba]

Hi Ken, Ant and Bodhi

Thanks for the encouragement . I appreciate you taking the time to reply and respond! I have a few more Banksias to play with but will wait till it gets a bit warmer i think....

Cheers

Stew

[shibui]

Banksia aemula - Wallum banksia. Very similar to, but smaller than, B. serrata.
Treat it the same as for B. serrata
It should cope with the root pruning ok but might take a little longer to recover at thsi time of year. I'd try to find a warmish area for it in the meantime.

[Stewart_Toowoomba]

Thanks shibui

I have it on my north facing wall of the house, soaking up the rays and free of the cold westerlies.

Stew

[Tony Bebb]

G'day Stew

I don't know about the other guys, but the problem with root pruning Banksia here is trying to get them without fresh shoots as they always seem to be punching out the growth. You may want to do the others now as they will most likely be starting the new growth soon, and they are best done here without fresh growth on them.

Tony

[Stewart_Toowoomba]

thanks Tony

I'll get into my few others this weekend, as it has started to warm up just in the last day or two and the nights are clearly warming up too

hope you're well

Stew

[shibui]

I have been doing some repotting trials with young banksias over the past 2 years. They do not miss a beat when root pruned in the warmer months, whether they have new growth or not. Banksias repotted in Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb with up to 3/4 of the roots removed grew on strongly. The ones repotted in March sulked until the following spring then grew back but very slowly. All had shoots pruned back when roots were pruned. (to save the data miners the effort this info already passed on to Roger)
I find that the banksias very quickly fill the pots with roots which causes problems with water during summer and i am considering the need to repot every year - with young stock anyway.

[Stewart_Toowoomba]

Great to hear your experiences Shibui. thanks for the feedback.

I have really enjoyed my few banksias and when club members say "natives as bonsai?" i can point to them.

Excellent.

Stew