Gday team!

Had a few spare minutes on ly hands, so I thought I'd take the time tto post the most recent pic of my Angophora costata (Cletus), last seen here and in post #32. This photo is from one week ago, and you can see by the scarlet new growth that Cletus is bolting after his Winter doldrums.

Okay... So there are a few problems yet to be sorted - like the fact that some (most?) of the leaves are larger than the considerable trunk. That does not concern me at the moment, and may not for a few years yet. Notice how much both the left-hand branch and the new leader on the right have thickened since the last photo shoot. Previously, the new leader was somewhat thinner than the first branch, but is now almost twice the diameter of the latter. Gotta love that!

I have done some wiring of the lower branches and trunk, as well as thinning of the canopy. I'll get pics the next time there's a bit of sunlight here.

Thanks.

Fly.

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hi Fly, thanks for the great article, my first tree was an eucalyptus gunnii? that was planted right against the house as a food source for my mackays spectre stick insects (queensland natives i believe) that i kept as a boy. Once the stick insects where gone the tree very soon got out of hand but i was still a bit disapointed when eventually it succumbed to my mum and dads attempt to kill it. since then i briefly tried a e. gunnii bonsai forest around 1995 which was a lot easier to kill! anyway, thanks to your article i,ve been looking again at growing eucalyptus as bonsai. it turns out there is a large nursery specialising in hardy types for northern european climates about 20 minutes from my home in north wales. check it out if you have time; http://www.eucalyptus.co.uk . some of their field grown mature trees grown in root control bags look promising, however my experience with other species grown in this way is the incredibly dense rootball, do you think a eucalyptus would ever take a savage reduction and if so what type would be best. anyway thanks again and happy growing, andrew

Thanks for the great article FlyBri.

I was kinda surprised to read somebody posting that Dorothy and Vita Koreshoff had passed away. I live fairly close to Koreshoff nursery and go there frequently. Although Vita has passed away Dorothy is still very much alive and seems to be working quite actively on her private collection these days rather than serving in the nursery.

Gday all!

Sorry about the delay in my reply - it's Spring DownUnda, and I'm more than a little busy with my trees.

Andrew - I've had a look at eucalyptus.co.uk and it would appear that they are doing something right - check out the tiny rootballs on the 'Semi-Mature Trees'!!! Earlier in this article, I mentioned that I am of the belief that nursery grown Eucs are better suited to Bonsai than collected specimens. This is because Eucs in the wild tend to have large, sparse root systems which are very difficult to collect intact. Looks like the folks at Eucalyptus.co.uk have worked out a way around this problem. I'd be interested in seeing one of their rootballs exposed, just to know how much of that mass is thick, woody roots, and how much is fine feeder roots.

With regards to the species they have for sale, I only have first hand experience with a couple which they list. Eucalyptus citriodora and E. nicholii are two which I have had some (temporary) success with - E. nicholii is particularly good in that it's leaves are match the scale of Bonsai generally. Any of the species listed as 'coppices well' should be workable depending on leaf size, internodal spacing and bark texture - all of which are extremely variable in the Eucalyptus genus.

Floyd - I'm sure Mrs Koreshoff and her offspring will be pleased to know that she is still alive and kicking! Do you know if there is any way of viewing their nursery and collection on the Net? NSW is a long way for me to drive for a single nursery visit!

Thanks fellas - updates soon!

Fly.

Fly I thought this pic of a "Bananna Gum" would be appropriate here as there are just not enough pics of good Eucalyptus around. I think this is now the best I have seen.

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Gday Brett!

I've seen that picture before - I think it was in Jennifer Wilkinson's "Bonsai" booklet. If I remember correctly, this is one of Ted Poynton's Angophora costatas. And I agree that it is a great example of what can be done with good Euc stock over time (although I would like to see more movement in that first branch...). That ramification and leaf reduction is superb!

Thanks.

Fly.

I have just spent the last hour or so reading this thread and I must say –very informative and inspirational. Living in Melbourne Oz (and being new to bonsai), I always wondered why Eucalyptus where not used as bonsai specimens more often. I always thought they made poor bonsai due to the leave size and vast natural root system. But after reading your posts and seeing the pics I am now inspired to give it ago. I have ordered Vita and Dorothy Koreshoff book on Bonsai with Australian Native Plants and I cannot wait to get it. Armed with the book and following this thread, I feel more confident to give it ago. In fact, although not of the Eucalyptus species, I bought a few Melaleuca styphelioides (Prickly Paper bark) seedlings and they have since quadrupled in size. Hopefully these should also make reasonable specimens in years to come.

Keep up the good work and I hope this thread doesn’t die through lack of interest. I for one will be an avid reader and hopefully (once I gain some experience) a contributor in the near future.

Gday Stephen!

Thanks - Melaleuca should make excellent Bonsai. From what I have gleaned, it is much more tolerant of root-pruning than Leptospermums. I've got a M. linarifolia (sp?) in training to be a Literati (someday) - I'll try to get some pics soon.

I won't let this thread "die through lack of interest", though it certainly has slowed of late. I've been busy renovating to make room for our upcoming kiddie, so about the only Bonsai related activity I've had time for is maintenance watering... Never mind - I'm on holidays now, and hope to update with an Angophora prune and repot soon!

Thanks.

Bri.

Good luck with the new arrival and I hope all goes well. Just think you are about to take possession (and responsibility!!) for an already bonsaied human May its roots be strong and its branches reflect its nurtured environment. I already have 4 and they have grown into fine specimens…
I intend ‘hitting’ the local nurseries over the holiday period looking for more potential natives for bonsai.

Seasons greetings to you & yours..

I have just received my copy of 'Bonsai With Australian Native Plants', Dorothy & Vita Koreshoff. Small publication but lots of useful info. I beleive there maybe a companion book so I will investigate and post details if I am successful. In the mean time back to scouring the local nurseries for stock...