Lemon scented gum

Messages
67
Reaction score
109
Location
Amarillo, Texas
USDA Zone
7
Hi all, I was given a pack of Corymbia citriodora seeds from the girlfriend as she loves the smell of it and was wondering if anyone has had any luck with them. If so, I’d love to hear about what works best based off past experiences.

cheers
 

Shibui

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
7,545
Reaction score
15,209
Location
Yackandandah, Australia
USDA Zone
9?
C. citriodora is not frost hardy. Happy down to around freezing but will die below that. Larger garden trees can tolerate a few deg below freezing when they get a little bigger. In our garden they manage down to 6C below freezing. i suspect they will be a challenge in Nebraska.

They are a challenge as bonsai. Long nodes and largish leaves make larger sized bonsai more viable. Budding after pruning is hit and miss. Branches will often die back to a nearby fork and shoot from the joint so be prepared to restyle regularly.
Repotting appears to be safer in warm weather as for most other Aussie natives so I repot late spring and early summer here. I've never had to keep one inside so I can't offer any advice on overwintering in a colder climate.
 

penumbra

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
9,377
Reaction score
15,841
Location
Front Royal, VA
USDA Zone
6
Mine is still early in the training stage, about 2 years. It takes wiring well but grows so fast that you have to keep an eye on it. It held the curve well. Internodes are a bit long but it still has potential for a larger bonsai. Back budding on mine has been very vigorous. Leaves on mine are not terribly large, about the size of some of my ficus trees.
 
Messages
67
Reaction score
109
Location
Amarillo, Texas
USDA Zone
7
C. citriodora is not frost hardy. Happy down to around freezing but will die below that. Larger garden trees can tolerate a few deg below freezing when they get a little bigger. In our garden they manage down to 6C below freezing. i suspect they will be a challenge in Nebraska.

They are a challenge as bonsai. Long nodes and largish leaves make larger sized bonsai more viable. Budding after pruning is hit and miss. Branches will often die back to a nearby fork and shoot from the joint so be prepared to restyle regularly.
Repotting appears to be safer in warm weather as for most other Aussie natives so I repot late spring and early summer here. I've never had to keep one inside so I can't offer any advice on overwintering in a colder climate.
Thanks for the reply. I think my plan will have to be to keep it inside for much of the year, save summer time.
Mine is still early in the training stage, about 2 years. It takes wiring well but grows so fast that you have to keep an eye on it. It held the curve well. Internodes are a bit long but it still has potential for a larger bonsai. Back budding on mine has been very vigorous. Leaves on mine are not terribly large, about the size of some of my ficus trees.
Fast growth is an exciting thought for me. I’m wondering if it might be better for me to forego wiring, for these initial plants anyway, and just focus on a cut and grow method. Whichever way I choose, I’ll have quite a while to figure it out before I take an action 😋
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,253
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
I used to have a C. citrodora, lemon scented gum. Kept it going maybe 5 years as a outdoors for summer, indoors for winter bonsai. Lost tract of it during a health issue 12 years ago. No longer with me.

They are easy. I would hold the seed, dry and in refrigerator, and start it in late spring when you can start it outdoors. But you can start it now if you want. I would winter mine under lights, with my orchids. It was a fast growing, tree, that would not branch much, at least initially. It does bud back well when pruned. Long narrow leaves reminded me of a willow. But growth habit would say it is NOT a candidate for weeping style, this tree will want to be upright.

I see no problems as bonsai, except "going big" somewhere near 3 feet tall would make it easier to get proportions right for leaf size and long inter-nodes.
 
Top Bottom