AusBonsai

I don't suppose anyone has any experience with Melaleuca pustulata as bonsai? I was given one in a little tube pot last July that came from the forestry nursery.

About the only information I can find on them is that, unlike most of our Melaleucas, they come from drier areas and only from a very limited area in Tassie.

It's growing vigorously, and I thought it might have some potential.

Thanks,
Brett.

Gday Brett,

I picked up a few from the spring ANPS sale in Canberra last year. I was late to the sale and these were the only ones really left but I'm glad i grabbed them as they seem very interesting. All of mine have been going nuts, ive already started to add a little movement into them while they are still young. I think I've cut them back twice since I've had them as they get out of control.

They look like great potential. They get a beautiful yellow flower, they back bud fairly well and have small foliage. i haven't touched the roots yet so ill see how that goes in spring.

Keep us updated how you go with you trees

Hey Keels
Good to hear there's some others around

They certainly seem to grow well. When I got it in July I took it out of the 50mm tube pot and put it in 90mm pot.
In the middle of Jan I was away for a couple of warm days, and unfortunately the thing blew over and dried out. After about a week or two the leaves on the end of a few branches dried up. I pulled off the dead leaves, kept it well watered, and on each of those branches between 6-12 new branches shot out in all directions and put on a crazy amount of growth. I've trimmed it back a little since, but not done a lot as when it was given to me I wasn't sure if it was going to go in the ground or become a bonsai. But bonsai it will be.

I was holding off until after winter to touch the roots, but I slip-potted it up to a shortish 130mm pot to make it more stable, and there's roots coming out the bottom 2 weeks later.

Fantastic Brett. Nice little tree. I always put a saucer under my natives so they never dry out. It might help you as they can get thirsty.

I was researching a little more bout this type of Melaleuca and i found this from multiple sources.

Melaleuca pustulata is declared a rare species under the Tasmanian government Threatened Species Protection Act (1995).

I think thats pretty cool.

It is pretty cool, particularly as a Tasmanian
I hope yours do well.

This little tree has been doing well. It had been slip-potted from 90mm to 130mm early May, and I put some wire on late May.
On the weekend I repotted into a 180mm squatter pot and trimmed the roots a bit. The roots were coming out the bottom of the last pot within a couple of weeks of slip potting, so by now it was pretty full. The wire was also starting to bite in so I removed it. It grew pretty well through winter. I trimmed the top very slightly, now I'll just see how it recovers.

Deciding on the future direction of this tree.
I've trimmed of a few branches to open it up a bit, but held back "till I come up with a plan. Sometimes I think just jumping in would be easier than overthinking
As it is now: Trying to decide whether to totally remove the left branches, or leave some.
Some quickly edited options: Always open to other thoughts too.

For what it’s worth… I like the first image of the edited options you posted the best, but I’d be looking to build the apex a little more over the foliage on the left. As it is, the apex is sitting right over the base of the trunk and I think this subdues the “movement” you would otherwise get.
Just my thoughts…

Thanks for your thoughts Ryceman. I like your thinking on this.
Whichever option I take I'll need to work on the top a bit. And it may not end up going like I plan anyway

Brekel wrote: ↑November 6th, 2021, 10:07 am Thanks for your thoughts Ryceman. I like your thinking on this.
Whichever option I take I'll need to work on the top a bit. And it may not end up going like I plan anyway

Don’t thank me too much… I actually just re-looked at your original post and in fact it is the MIDDLE image I like the look of, not the FIRST image like I originally posted.
Apologies for being an idiot, and because it’s a life long condition I’m sure it will happen again so I apologise in advance for that too.
The rest applies though. Good luck with it!

If you were really feeling brave enough & with disregard to sentimental attachment - this could be a new starting point.

Keep Calm and Ramify wrote: ↑November 6th, 2021, 2:29 pm If you were really feeling brave enough & with disregard to sentimental attachment - this could be a new starting point.

Hmm, that's quite different but certain an option. Gives it more of an aged/weathered feel.

While it has some sentimental attachment, as the first tree I've started from scratch as a young seedling, I've only had it a bit over two years and it does grow rapidly.

You've given me something to think about, I do like the look of that...