AusBonsai

Hi, I bought this pine from the flea market this morning for $8. It's too tall (~2m) but could be chopped down. Just don't know what kind of pine it is and if it's any good.

no pine here kev, looks like a cypress of some type, maybe juni. the growth is to leggy and too course for bonsai. imo

kvan64 wrote:Hi, I bought this pine from the flea market this morning for $8. It's too tall (~2m) but could be chopped down. Just don't know what kind of pine it is and if it's any good.

Callitris glaucophylla, so called White Cypress Pine from drier areas of NSW and Victoria etc.

Don't bother trying to dig up large ones in the wild, just get seedlings or nursery stock.

Can make a good bonsai with the right care.

Close up of the rough bark on just a 12 year old seedling.

That's interesting Grant there are plenty around here and I was encouraged to try collecting them when chatting at the recent bonsai school summit.
I was wondering how they take Bonsai practices
Do you know how they take layering techniques?

Bretts wrote:That's interesting Grant there are plenty around here and I was encouraged to try collecting them when chatting at the recent bonsai school summit.
I was wondering how they take Bonsai practices
Do you know how they take layering techniques?

Difficult to dig up large ones as the roots run a long way to get moisture unless you are lucky. Can be done but takes practice alledgedly. There used to be an expert in Wagga but I believe he has moved on.

Take bonsai practices without a problem when you start with small root trained nursery stock or wild seedlings. Foliage is beautiful and easy to compact.

Don't know about air layer.

Thank you for the info about the species and some inspiration. This one seems to have unsuitable shape but I will just do the usual chop and see how it goes. the nebari and roots look alright at the moment but I don't know about the future growth/development.

Thanks Kindly Grant I might have to experiment with them a bit

yes. exactly right on the species! theres literally thousands around the roads where I live and i have heard that they don't respond well to being dug up. I have seen a few bonsai and they look pretty good in the right care. good luck

There are a few varieties of Callitris around Australia and they all seem to make good bonsai. There is one in WA.

Some have deep fissured bark and dark green foliage, some are almost bright blue.

You can see some most years at the Native show in Canberra. Next year it is in March I believe. Check the CBS website for info.

In case anyone still looks at this string...
My experience with digging from the 'bush' has been mixed. When the trees were dug from very sandy soil, there were almost no successes. The trees had strong tap roots, even when the trunks were still less than pencil thick. There were no surface roots, so cutting the tap root meant losing all the functional roots.

However, when others have dug them from heavy soil, there are tap roots, yes, but there was also a good development of surface roots. So, if a good root ball of soil/root can be collected with roots of that tree, the trees had a good chance of survival. Nonetheless, as Grant says, you are best to start with seedlings and grow on.

I've grown my seedlings on and then planted in the ground for a few years. Good trunk development. You need to watch that they don't just produce strong tap roots and no surface roots. Also, they need regular pruning in the ground. Don't let them drop lower branches as they are very reluctant to shoot new buds from old wood. New buds are produced for about 4 years, then only seldom or not at all. Budding around the bases of branches is common, even with some older branches.

Good luck with yours.
Kunzea