[Pearcy] Melaleuca

[Pearcy001]

Hi all,

Picked up this Mel a couple of months ago. No idea what it is but that doesn't bother me, although if you want to have a guess feel free (sorry no flowers to show).

Its put on nearly a foot of growth in the last 3 months I've had it. I slip potted it recently into a bigger pot as it was beginning to topple over in the wind.

The steam on the fresher growth when I first got the tree was a red colour, before hardening off and turning the creamy bark colour as the foliage opened up. Sorry only photo I had was at night and the flash is shining back off the red so may be hard to see properly. Could it have been red due to the cold winter weather? The new growth (stem) from this spring is green



The local possums LOVE the foliage on this one so the lower portion has received multiple "trims" thanks to them. When this years spring growth fired up there was no budding on old wood at all, only from the tips so I don't know how far I can go cutting back. Although on closer inspection on the trunk today I think their may be a single bud pushing at the base of the bottom branch?

I have never worked a Mel so thought I'd throw it out there for ideas on what to do with this one, more so to see if what I was thinking is on the right track.

Thanks in advance,
Pearcy.







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[Pearcy001]

Bit too sunny for a proper photo of the trunk line right now so here's one from when I purchased it, pre possom (doesn't look that different in the photo but I assure you they had a good old feed).



Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Steven]

G'day Pearcy,

Looks like a M. armillaris to me.

Regards,
Steven

[Boics]

Yep.
I think Armillaris as well.

[Pearcy001]

G'day Pearcy,

Looks like a M. armillaris to me.

Regards,
Steven

Yep.
I think Armillaris as well.

Thanks guys looks like you're right, knowing the species will help with figuring out how I can treat this guy.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Pearcy001]

As far as Style goes I see probably two main options. Either way the current trunkline has a long straight section going into another long straight section.

Option one would be to chop it at the second right branch. This would only reduce the first straight section slightly, but it would give me more movement after that with a sub-branch I could then use as the next leader coming back across.



Another option could be for a bigger tree, chopping the second section about half way up.



The problem with option two would be most the lower branches have foliage too far out, and an apparent lack of back budding would leave me in a pickle.

Option three would be to let the tree grow freely in order to thicken as much as possible before doing anything, while also keeping the lower foliage in check for future use.

If people can see better option in it feel free to share your thoughts.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Boics]

What about the bottom right right angular branch?

[shibui]

I'm pretty sure M. armillaris should back bud on old wood if you cut it. I've seen these cut down to stumps in the garden and grow back as a mass of shoots from the base. It probably won't back bud while there are green shoots above so you will need to cut it all back at the same time to get a result.

Can anyone else confirm budding on old wood in a bonsai before Pearcy does cut please?

[CraigM]

Cannot confirm budding on old wood, keen to see replies as well.

In terms of options, would personally go for option two or three.

[Boics]

I can certainly confirm that mine have backbudded extensively but I don't think that I ever taken them back to complete bare wood
I find that if you hack everything back to the nearest green it is often enough to promote back-budding which you can keep chasing back lower and lower over time.

[Steven]

Proceed with caution Pearcy. I have several M. armillaris and have not had success with back budding on older material.
I have chopped branches back beyond growth and the branches have died. Note: I haven't trunk chopped and what Neil has said makes a lot of sense.
I do have some younger ones in development for future shohin and they seem to back bud readily.

2015 December A.JPG

2014 March (a).JPG

Regards,
Steven

[Pearcy001]

Thanks for the info everyone.

I might see what comes out of this post before my next club meeting on November 7 then go from there.

PS Steve - Absolutely love the group planting, looks like you've managed to show off the depth/distance well especially with the centre tree. Tree two is looking a little sparse on the foliage side of things, she still kicking? Great pot too.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Jarad]

What size tree do you see in it/want it to be?

How brittle are they? Can you wrap some wire and raffia and bend the f#@k out of it to get rid of the straight bits?

If it was mine, and if I was certain it would survive a hard chop (I know nothing about this species) I would trunk chop it a bit above the first left branch. Instant taper and direction change. Smaller branch so it would be more malleable.

I'm not the nicest person to my trees... Some of them don't like it or should I say didn't

[Steven]

Thanks Pearcy,

Yes, the second from the left is deceased. I've left it there as I like the look. This photo was taken last year so the [living] trees have developed more since then.

As mentioned earlier, I'm growing on several little ones and may use one of them to replace the dead one in the future.

Regards,
Steven

[Pearcy001]

This guy got himself a substantial haircut at the start of November. He was trunk chopped and all branches were cut back to try induce some back budding to bring more foliage in toward the trunk.


Before.




After.



I have roughly wired the main branches but left all secondary to grow freely, resulting in a still scrappy looking piece of material haha.

3 weeks on and no dieback or branches lost from the work done. There is visible new growth, but it only really appears to be growing from the tips still and not back down the branches.

The only bud I got on a branch can be seen here, showing a large gap in the foliage toward the tip on the second right branck.



I also got additional buds at the base of the bottom right branch. I may either let them both run as sacrifice branches, remove both the buds or leave 1 to grow as a secondary branch.



I have gotten lucky, 3 buds have popped on the main trunk in the first section. 1 directly to the back and 2 aiming toward the back left which I will be able to use to fill the void that currently exists.



'Unfortunately' I am going away for a somewhat substantial holiday starting this weekend. I will remove the wire to assure it doesn't leave scars while I'm away, as I don't believe they can really be grown out of Mel's. Hopefully 4 weeks is enough time to have somewhat let the branches set..

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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