New to Natives - What to start with

[archie1979]

Hey Ausbonsaists,
Well after meeting up with Matt and Steve to collect my medium purchase I saw that those two are both quite into the native Australian bonsai. It made me realise that me being a pretty Australian sort of a fella I need to get into some Natives.
Problem .....
I know absolutely zero on natives apart from figs.

Where do I start what would be something easy to start with, all of my soil mixes are for juni's maples etc and would need some help.

Gums ? I dont know.

Any advice would be great, there is a tree in the back yard I have thought about bagging and layering but its not quite time for it yet.

Suggestion welcome.

Cheers All


Archie

[Jamie]

gday Archie,

obviously you have seen lots of melaleuca as bonsai, and ofcourse aussie figs, which are great to work with too another native that isnt used nearly enough as bonsai is Clerodendrum, like my avatar, and Rods avatar. they are brilliant to work with and reduce well, have great bark and character, if you can find some that have been grown as a hedge they will be great, if you cant send me a pm and i will see if i can help ya

jamie

[techpetal]

Try some tea-trees,

They are quite forgiving.

Tech

[MattA]

Hey Archie,

Was good to meet you yesterday. Glad to see we converted you to the aussie cause, Steven has got some nice natives hasnt he... That Callistemon has soo much potentialhttps://www.ausbonsai.com.au/360/Callistemon_sp_sh/.

Most of the commonly seen natives are fairly easy to work with. Callistemon, Melaleuca, Casuarina & Allocasuarina being amongst the easiest & quickest to grow from nursery stock and transplant fairly easily too. Other than the natives I am experimenting with pure Akadama, I grow all mine in a 50/50 mix of gravel (bluemetal, crushed brick, river gravel 5-7mm) and any standard potting mix.

One of the biggest things to realise is that most of the above natives LOVE water and feed. I use tree pellets (dynamic lifter pressed into a block) on top of the pots, some people use a native slow release fertilizer in the mix as well. They all respond well to being watered with seasol as well

When your back on your feet I will dig a little casuarina I have in the ground to get you started with them. The layer you were talking about on the Callistemon should work. Flybri has posted a good technique for airlayeringviewtopic.php?f=104&t=438&hilit=layer+red+gum. I think it would be a really good one to use on yours.

Matt

[archie1979]

Hey Matt,
Likewise mate it was great to meet you both yesterday and I really cant thank you enough for the offer of the native as long as I dont kill it I will be happy. Seems like you and steve got rid of all the deliveries no probs.
Jamie has also offered to help me in the native department trust me mate I will need all the help I can get with the natives. I guess If i can keep azaleas and junipers elms etc alive I should be able to keep a native alive seems how I am well an Aussie.

Again mate it was great to meet ya and hopefully we will meet again and be able to have a few beers next time.

Archie

[anttal63]

torulosa & black sheoak + serrata and coastal banksia... cant go wrong!

[kcpoole]

Hey Matt,
Likewise mate it was great to meet you both yesterday and I really cant thank you enough for the offer of the native as long as I dont kill it I will be happy. Seems like you and steve got rid of all the deliveries no probs.
Jamie has also offered to help me in the native department trust me mate I will need all the help I can get with the natives. I guess If i can keep azaleas and junipers elms etc alive I should be able to keep a native alive seems how I am well an Aussie.

Again mate it was great to meet ya and hopefully we will meet again and be able to have a few beers next time.

Archie

Native are mostly quite easy to look after
Melaleucas, Callistimon, Baeckea, Callistimon, Leptopermum, Syzygium ( lillypilli). Are some nice varieties worth trying

Ken

[Makkanan]

All of the ones mentioned in the post above (and sheokes) are great for 'going native'. I found that Syzygium (lilly pilly) is maybe the best to start with... it shoots from hard wood and seems much more tolerant to different soil mixes and watering realities than others such as melaleucas.... On second place I'd vote for the banksia (Craig suggests, I believe, avoiding ericifolia)