Banksia praemorsa as bonsai?

[Max Jenkem]

Anybody had any experience with growing Banksia praemorsa as bonsai? I bought this with the intention to plant in my native garden but looking at its small leaves, relatively short internode length, and low branching made me wonder if its worth training?
Perhaps Grant Bowie, Pup, or CraigW might have tried once upon a time? (if they're still active in these forums? It's been about a decade since I frequented here. Lost my email address for my original account

Untitled210_20211002161921.png

[Keels]

I haven't seen anyone creating bonsai with this type of Banksia. Everyone's into marginata, integrifolia or serrata. I did find an old ausbonsai thread that might help you.

viewtopic.php?t=26901

[Patmet]

Yes they have very good potential for bonsai from what i have seen. They are native to where i live in Western Australia. I am in early stages of trialling a couple of them for bonsai but have seen some one elses that is more developed and looking quite nice. Leaves reduce well and look great imo.

[Rory]

I trialed B. praemorsa last year and moderately cut back the roots in Summer. They powered on and did well initially.
But eventually they both died within 8 months of the repot. Hard to say why they died.
It was disappointing as I liked the whorls of twisting growth that mine developed.

This is just my own meanderings, but I feel there are Banksia that are quite hardy, and those that are just temperamental with bonsai conditions. I never found stock that was inbetween. With Banksia species it seems you can have really hardy material, or really painful material.
But more likely its just that the species is better suited to certain areas I presume.

Because with root prunes, I have never had any great issues removing roots from Banksia stock. Its normally not enough sun or needing fast drainage that can be a problem for a lot of Banksia.

Touching on what Shibui said in a different post, ... a lot of the dwarf Banksia would really suffer if you didn't have good sun for a good month after repotting for the first time. That certainly was a factor that I noticed many moons ago with Banksia varieties.
The new foliage begins to really suffer if it doesn't get strong sun. So much so, that it sometimes would be a slow death sentence if I repotted them in Autumn with the weaker and lower levels of winter sun that ensued.

[shibui]

WA has so many incredible banksias but we've found that very few of them like the conditions over this side of the continent. Praemorsa is one that grows for a while then suddenly just dies. Doesn't seem to matter if it is in the garden or in a pot.

[Max Jenkem]

Bummer. This was the only one I could find so guess I'll put it in the garden then and stick to B.serrata, B.aemula, and B.integ then.

[Rory]

Bummer. This was the only one I could find so guess I'll put it in the garden then and stick to B.serrata, B.aemula, and B.integ then.

If you're in Sydney, try your hand at the following Banksia which are quite hardy for bonsai conditions (don't use liquid fert though):

You can get all these from Plants Plus Cumberland state forest nursery at Pennant Hills:
Banksia integrifolia 'sentinel'
Banksia marginata
Banksia ericifolia 'little eric'
Banksia paludosa 'little pal'
Banksia spinulosa
Banksia cunninghamii x spinulosa

With Banksia though, personally I now recommend using only slow release fertilizer pellets, especially on any of the dwarf variants.
I have lost or badly set back many Banksia after using liquid fertilizer, even after a significant root reduction and removal of proteoid roots.

If you do try your hand at more WA Banksia varieties though, one thing I did notice was that they appeared drought sensitive. Perhaps their roots extend quite far into the ground normally and can withstand the extreme heat better, but in a pot they would always die if I left them too long inbetween waterings.

[GavinG]

Slightly off-topic, but WA Grevilleas also seem to be dodgy over this side as well. I'm thinking of trying them out in a super-free-draining mix. Or maybe it's just political...

Gavin

[Grant Bowie]

Some WA Banksia will live in Canberra because it is hot, dry or low humidity most of the year. They did not survive in the southern highlands of NSW, so I imagine they will not survive in any state capital except Perth.

There is Banksia aemula, it is a coastal tree that looks like serrata.

Grant