CJR rainbow eucalyptus

Cajunrider

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My quest for a rainbow eucalyptus bonsai. The roots have been trained to be shallow since it was a seedling. Previous failure showed me it doesn't like its roots to be disturbed too much. I also learned the large leaves will go small real quick so I'm not concerned. I also found that the trunk has to be 3" in diameter before it show colors. I wired it briefly when young to have a little movement for fun. Right now it is all about the trunk. I am giving it max sun & max fertilizer: )

I also found that it back bud readily. In the spring I will cut off its baby top and start developing side branches to get taper.

My goal is to have about a foot of trunk with color.20181027_105551.jpg
 

Cajunrider

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Other things I've learned on this species:
  • Mature tree is hardy to 29F but the branches less than 2" will die. In pots they must be brought inside when temperature goes below 32F.
  • Branches larger than 1" are brittle and break easily.
  • Don't expect fantastic color until it's about 15 yr old.
 
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Leo in N E Illinois

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Nice E. deglupta. One of my study group, AAC, has a rainbow eucalyptus. The trunk of his sized up rapidly, might not take as long as you projected. Let it run wild all summer. Prune short to get it to fit indoors. Prune for shape when you put it back outdoors in spring. They seem to do okay with winters indoors. Better than I expected.
 

GGB

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huh, very cool. Seems like good attributes all around
 

Cajunrider

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Other than slower growth and sporting much smaller leaves as expected, the tree doesn't seem to mind being inside on a east facing window. After staring at it for a long time, I now have an idea where I will cut to make a new apex.
20181208_082935.jpg
 

Cajunrider

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@Cajunrider
Nice E. deglupta. One of my study group, AAC, has a rainbow eucalyptus. The trunk of his sized up rapidly, might not take as long as you projected. Let it run wild all summer. Prune short to get it to fit indoors. Prune for shape when you put it back outdoors in spring. They seem to do okay with winters indoors. Better than I expected.
Leo,
Do you happen to have a picture of the rainbow eucalyptus in your AAC group? I'm curious as to how it turns out. There are few pictures of rainbow eucalyptus bonsai on the internet, none in mature state with colors on the trunk.
 
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Leo in N E Illinois

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Leo,
Do you happen to have a picture of the rainbow eucalyptus in your AAC group? I'm curious as to how it turns out. There are few pictures of rainbow eucalyptus bonsai on the internet, none in mature state with colors on the trunk.

The color of small trunks is nearly plain, but not totally plain. Much like rain trees, the bark exfoliates after a period of rapid growth. I get pictures when I can, may take a few days to search my archive. If I don't have one, it will take a month or two because the group is taking a break for the holidays.
 

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Based on the slower but continuous growth I am seeing with the tree inside & supplementing grow light, I decided to air layer the top I plan to chop in the spring. Air layer of rainbow eucalyptus usually take only a month in warm weather. I give this two months. Come March 1st I will harvest the air layer and wire a new apex in time for the spring growth. 20181231_123430.jpg
 

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Tree moved outside last week. As expected it back budded and formed lots of shoots. I trimmed away most of the old leaves to give room for the young leaves. The air layer has some roots already. It will be removed in 8 weeks. The branch behind the air layer will be the new apex. The trunk starts the bark peels and got some colors. I'm stoked.

I know that I should not have two branches at one spot in the bottom set of branches but I think I might trunk chop it further and turn one into an apex and the other as the first branch. I'm not sure yet.
20190222_095027.jpg
 
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Hyn Patty

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Wow, love your thread! I had thought about ordering one of these and hesitated - except that I already over winter a lot of tropicals that do pretty well. With our high rainfall here I am thinking one of these could do very well up here with winter shelter. Please do keep us posted! Looking like an excellent start. I probably won't get one but I like the trees with peeling bark and will keep an eye on your progression.
 
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Leo in N E Illinois

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The images by @LanceMac10 are of the tree I was speaking of, belongs to Kevin ''Beer City Snake''. The gray crackle glaze pot he got from me. It is over 10 inches in diameter and holds over 1 gallon of potting media - the pot is bigger than it looks.

Right now Sheffield's Seed does have Rainbow Eucalyptus seed in stock, get 'em while you can.
 

Cajunrider

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The images by @LanceMac10 are of the tree I was speaking of, belongs to Kevin ''Beer City Snake''. The gray crackle glaze pot he got from me. It is over 10 inches in diameter and holds over 1 gallon of potting media - the pot is bigger than it looks.

Right now Sheffield's Seed does have Rainbow Eucalyptus seed in stock, get 'em while you can.
For those of us who wonder. The seeds are really easy to germinate. Mine was from seeds as well. I actually grew 40 from seeds and planted them in my yard. They died from the 2017 freeze except for the one left in this thread.
 

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The newly chosen apex is ready to take over once the air layer is removed.20190308_094839.jpg20190308_094811.jpg
 

Cajunrider

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The cool weather in the past week has slowed down the growth a bit but it is still coming along. I am thinking about taking that air layer out in April. I want the new apex to have a full season of growth.
 

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Mother nature told me I had to collect my air layer! It's a bit early. I hope it survives.
20190414_080709.jpg
The basket and potting soil were the material at hand.
20190414_081324.jpg
 
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