AusBonsai

Melaleuca micromera

I stumbled across these pretty things from Erina Wildflower Nursery today.

This species at first glance appears very pretty and aesthetically pleasing with its tiny foliage and twisting growth.

Does anyone have any experience with them or is anyone growing them as Bonsai?

All I could find was a reference that Neil was trialling them yonks ago. How did you go Neil? Do you still have them?

This was a quote from way back in 2011 in this thread...

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10307

shibui wrote:My mels are experimental, mostly less than a couple of years old......
Plants in pots but less than 1 year here:

M. microphylla, M. micromera

Please excuse the sideways photos if they come up that way.

Gosh these are beautiful. So far they all appear to have survived a root prune, foliage reduction, and a repot.

However one of the specimens has morphed into a less appealing look.

The growth on the micro leaves have 'opened up' and it now looks like any other ordinary Melaleuca with small leaves.
This particular specimen was grown in lower sun levels than the others over winter, and it changed during this period. It is now in stronger sun with the rest of them, but this one specimen has now turned into just an ordinary looking Mel and continues to put out this new growth.
I'm not sure how to trigger it back. I was thinking of waiting for a year then maybe defoliating the new growth area back to the old micro growth and see if that helps.

Hey Rory,

Got an updated photo? Could the larger leaves be a result of the low light conditions where the trees put out larger leaves in order to absorb more sunlight?

I'll give you one guess which nursery I will be visiting this weekend in search for some treasures...