AusBonsai

Hi All,

Not sure if this could be considered an exotic as its native to NZ

I got these Corokia a few months ago, I've just been pruning and shaping, still got a long ways to go.
I've always liked their contorted branch structure, it reminds me of the Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (I recently found some mature nursery stock of these, I was gonna purchase one but the leaves are huge, might do more research before purchasing).

Anyways does anyone else have one of these?

Elias

I didn't know this variety of cotoneaster but it does look interesting.

I have a Corylus avellana 'Contorta' of about 1.20 m. in height that I've kept for almost ten years now in a big blue glazed pot (60 cm high, a little less in diameter). It stays on my terrace, I heard most people say that it is not suitable for bonsai not only because of its leaves, but also because you can't really control its shape.

I might try to airlayer a low branch though : the catkins hanging from the bare branches in late winter are a wonderful sight. And some bonsai are interesting only for a few weeks, or even days in a year, aren't they?...

I had one for several years and it suddenly decided to die. There's not much info about them and most nurseries don't seem to stock them. I now have another "starter" which I got from Ray Nesci so he has some in stock.
Penny.

G'day Alain,
Thanks for the comments, I've read similar comments regarding the leaves and branch structure of Corylus avellana 'Contorta', but as you said when they have the catkins hanging they look awesome, do you have any photo of your tree you could post?

Penny, its always a sad occurence to loose a tree, I have a couple of tiny guys that I've kept alive for 3 years at the nursery and I've had to repot twice(both times the tree showed signs of chlorosis on leaves and recovered well after repot), they seem to be vigoprous if grown in the right spot.

Elias

i have one of these.....a cascade. does anyone know when its 'supposed' to flower?

MasonC wrote:i have one of these.....a cascade. does anyone know when its 'supposed' to flower?

spring...

Bought one once for $30-00 in a $90--00 pot. Took it out of the pot put it in a $10--00 pot sold it for $30--00 not bad.
Still have the Pot with a very nice cascade Rottnest Island Pine in it.

Pup cheers

I've killed a few....(2 by giving them to my parents to "mind" while I waited for a bit of growth to occur, they don't seem to need repotting that often.

AlainK wrote:I didn't know this variety of cotoneaster but it does look interesting....

It isn't a Cotoneaster, but a Corokia (Maori name Korokia) - species name cotoneaster due to a similarity of leaf. Like a number of NZ natives, it doesn't like it's roots to get too dry, too much dry causing toe-curls (and leaf curls etc.)
They typically all (numerous variteies of C.cotoneaster) have a 5 pointed, star-like yellow flower, 6 - 10 mm across, and in NZ the majority of flowering is now tapering off.

Hi Elias,

This is a photo of a corokia I purchased a few months back along with its flowers. It needs constant wiring and maintenance to keep good shape. As this is my first posting of photos, I hope it works.

Cheers Cactuscandy