Some NZ Native projects

[SpOoNzL]

Hey all just posting some of my far from bonsai NZ native projects going on, mainly so I can have a reference and watch them develop. All have come from nursery stock and have basically just been repotted and given abit of styling to start them on there way as a try hard bonsai.

1. 7 Kaihikatea forest
2. Totera
3. Corokia - Little Prince
5. Tea Tree - Leptospermum Martini
6. Kowhai prostrata
7. Hebe Waikera

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nice projects.
Love to see the ones that bloom, in bloom.

 

[SpOoNzL]

Went out today an brought 4 more projects from a local native nursery. Already trunk chopped the Mountain Beech and reported it into a bonsai pot but was to dark to take a photo.

Plants are:

Kahikatea - Thinking of just potting this up and not trimming anything to let it fatten up more.
Podocarpus Cunninghamii (Mountain Totara) - unsure what to do, quite a lot of low branches to play with. (any suggestion on a style for this?)
Fuscospora Cliffortioides (Mountain beech) - already chopped.
Libocedrus Bidwillii (Mountain Cedar) - thinking I might style this one like a Dawn Redwood/Bald Cypress flat top. Has similar bark texture and the older trees of this lose there lower branches.

I plan to pot the rest up in the new few days. Will take some pics.

 

[SpOoNzL]

Managed to pot the Cedar (Libocedrus Bidwillii) today. Turned out quite well I think. Ended up cutting about 50/50 Roots and foliage off hopefully it will survive, you can see in the pic how much root is left on (hope its enough).

 

[BrianBay9]

Anybody there working with Metrosideros sp? I don't know the common name. They're used as street trees here. I started a bunch from seed a few years back and they're starting to bulk up pretty good. But I haven't worked them at all yet so I was curious about anyone else's experience.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

Anybody there working with Metrosideros sp? I don't know the common name. They're used as street trees here. I started a bunch from seed a few years back and they're starting to bulk up pretty good. But I haven't worked them at all yet so I was curious about anyone else's experience.

I have not worked with them but I’ve got a bunch just outside my front door and which I pay attention to. They tend to form a lot of surface roots, which’s seems to be a desirable trait for bonsai. They also backbud naturally from old wood. The only less desired trait is that ramification seems to be a bit coarse. So better plan for a larger bonsai? Other that I believe they a regular broadleaf tree and should be treated as such

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Anybody there working with Metrosideros sp? I don't know the common name. They're used as street trees here. I started a bunch from seed a few years back and they're starting to bulk up pretty good. But I haven't worked them at all yet so I was curious about anyone else's experience.

Hi Brian,
I am trying to work with this species. Below is the Southern Rata (Metrosideros Umbellata), which has great small leaves. I haven’t got a thread going yet as I am waiting for this to flower (maybe in the next few weeks).

As per the others I have a few cuttings started of the Metrosideros excelsa, which is the classic NZ Xmas flowering tree (known as Pohutukawa), which maybe what you are seeing lots of. I am unsure if the leaves reduce much to be any good long term.
Also to note from my nuerseryman’s background that the Metrosideros family doesn’t flower from seed until they are at least 15 years old, so by taking cuttings from adult trees you will get flowers after a few years etc. And cuttings root pretty easily with mist and IBA etc.
Also
Hope my slight hijack here is helpful,
Charles

 

[SpOoNzL]

As promised a couple of pics of the Kahikatea and Mountain Beech/Totara. Also added in 2 more native projects, A baby Kowhai (dragons gold) and today I planted some 100ish Bog/Mountain Pine (Halocarpus bidwillii) seeds onto a concrete slab I made a month ago. Also an update to my Kahikatea forest its started to green up a little.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Hi,
You have a fantastic start here with all your natives, and nice surface roots (nebari) forming.

I am not really qualified enough at year 3 in my journey, but I will say this - I think you have been a bit too hasty getting these into bonsai pots. The trunks won’t thicken much as their root run will be restricted. If you are happy with your trunks and their girth then after their root recovery, chop most of them to the first or second branch and start the next trunk section.
I have learnt from here that grow boxes/ground growing/large nursery pots work wonders for trunk increases in girth.
Anyway, you have some great projects there and certainly food for thought for me going forward too.
Charles

 

[SpOoNzL]

@KiwiPlantGuy Your right I have been abit hasty putting them in bonsai pots I guess for 2 reason I've done this is 1 because I like the look of a bonsai pot over a big grow box, and 2 bonsai pots take up less room witch I'm running out of lol. Also I think I underpotted a lot of my trees to give them room to grow for 2 maybe 3 years?. Some of the trees that I'm not happy with the trunk thickness (like the big Kahikatea) I've left all its foliage on so it can thicken. Some other trees that I'm not happy with the Taper of the trunk I plan on letting lower brunches grow long whilst keeping the top short. Its been quite a hectic month for me potting up about 20 trees and trying to select the best pot for the tree has been hard.

 

[SpOoNzL]

Went out yesterday to Mitre10 (New Zealand equivalent of a home depot) and of course I couldn't come home without a plant or 2. Ended up getting a Metrosideros Umbellata (Southern Rata) and a Pseudopanax Crusader. Im guessing the only style that will suit the Pseudopanax will be a literati. Probley going to leave them untouched till mid summer to thicken the trucks a little as they are only about 20mm thick.

 

[BubblePopScott]

Nice trees, looking forward to your progress. I think Pohutukawa suit larger bonsai. Seen a few at my club but yet to see a great one. I think it has loads of potential but requires a lot of thought. I have one seedling in the ground.

 

[Greenman99]

@SpOoNzL great collection indeed. Thanks for pictures. Looking forward how they develop, especially the Kahikatea as I have some 5 months old seedlings. Kahikatea are not for sale in NOHem so I try to raise some myself.

@BrianBay9 I work with Metrosideros excelsa (Pohutukawa). They are great trees, bud back easily, and grow fast. But as @KiwiPlantGuy and @BubblePopScott already mentioned they suit better for bigger bonsai as leaves will not reduce. Mine is a about 8 yrs old and was grown from seeds. It grows over scoria rock. Every 2 yrs foliage is cut back heavily. Leaves stay in the juvenile phase: bright green. Need to clean up the moss a bit and I will cut the foliage for about 1/3 next Sping. Then I will transplant to a larger pot land let grow a wider crown. Attached also an earlier picture of the root development when there was no moss.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

@SpOoNzL great collection indeed. Thanks for pictures. Looking forward how they develop, especially the Kahikatea as I have some 5 months old seedlings. Kahikatea are not for sale in NOHem so I try to raise some myself.

@BrianBay9 I work with Metrosideros excelsa (Pohutukawa). They are great trees, bud back easily, and grow fast. But as @KiwiPlantGuy and @BubblePopScott already mentioned they suit better for bigger bonsai as leaves will not reduce. Mine is a about 8 yrs old and was grown from seeds. It grows over scoria rock. Every 2 yrs foliage is cut back heavily. Leaves stay in the juvenile phase: bright green. Need to clean up the moss a bit and I will cut the foliage for about 1/3 next Sping. Then I will transplant to a larger pot land let grow a wider crown. Attached also an earlier picture of the root development when there was no moss.


View attachment 269659View attachment 269660View attachment 269664

Hi,
Great to have you and your trees on this thread. So cool you have been able to grow NZ natives in Netherlands. Also the other thread with your Kauri . I will comment on that thread.
So as for your Pohutukawa, you have a great start and looking after it well. I think I have mentioned further up this thread that they only flower after about 15 years, so that explains the juvenile foliage. Maybe a bigger pot/box for the next while, although as they handle good root and leaf prune just a repot be good. I wonder about a square brown pot like the ones the Pine boys use as I think they are masculine etc. Me rambling and thinking about my future pots.
Lastly if you can get hold of some Metrosideros umbellata (Southern Rata) as they have tiny leaves, ramify well, and great shohin size. My attempted cascade Rata flowering shows the leaf size in post 7.
Have you many other NZ trees as you can post them here, as you have way more experience in growing them than us.
Charles

 

[BrianBay9]

@SpOoNzL great collection indeed. Thanks for pictures. Looking forward how they develop, especially the Kahikatea as I have some 5 months old seedlings. Kahikatea are not for sale in NOHem so I try to raise some myself.

@BrianBay9 I work with Metrosideros excelsa (Pohutukawa). They are great trees, bud back easily, and grow fast. But as @KiwiPlantGuy and @BubblePopScott already mentioned they suit better for bigger bonsai as leaves will not reduce. Mine is a about 8 yrs old and was grown from seeds. It grows over scoria rock. Every 2 yrs foliage is cut back heavily. Leaves stay in the juvenile phase: bright green. Need to clean up the moss a bit and I will cut the foliage for about 1/3 next Sping. Then I will transplant to a larger pot land let grow a wider crown. Attached also an earlier picture of the root development when there was no moss.


View attachment 269659View attachment 269660View attachment 269664

How do they handle root work? I've been just letting mine grow in big pots to bulk up. Haven't done roots yet. Will they tolerate an aggressive approach?

Thanks
Brian

 

[Greenman99]

Hi,
Great to have you and your trees on this thread. So cool you have been able to grow NZ natives in Netherlands. Also the other thread with your Kauri . I will comment on that thread.
So as for your Pohutukawa, you have a great start and looking after it well. I think I have mentioned further up this thread that they only flower after about 15 years, so that explains the juvenile foliage. Maybe a bigger pot/box for the next while, although as they handle good root and leaf prune just a repot be good. I wonder about a square brown pot like the ones the Pine boys use as I think they are masculine etc. Me rambling and thinking about my future pots.
Lastly if you can get hold of some Metrosideros umbellata (Southern Rata) as they have tiny leaves, ramify well, and great shohin size. My attempted cascade Rata flowering shows the leaf size in post 7.
Have you many other NZ trees as you can post them here, as you have way more experience in growing them than us.
Charles

Great to be here! Good to share ideas, suggestions and photos with you folks. I will give the Pohutukawa a bigger pot. Think early Spring is the best time for repotting this one? I like your Southern Rata, very nice creation. Do they flower earlier than Pohutukawa? I was surprised and delighted that years ago I found a Pohutukawa in a nursery over here. For the moment keeping it in a container (no bonsai). This year I took 3 cuttings from it. The Rata is definitely not available, probably I give it a try from seeds.

Other NZ species I am trying to transform into bonsai are two Totara, a Corokia cotoneaster and a Fuchsia excorticata. Carpodetus serratus as pre bonsai on which I unfortunately ruined the stem. Send photos and descriptions later this week.

This summer I grew seedlings of Kanuka, Kowhai, Kahikatea, Rimu and Silver Beech Lophozonia menziesii (former Nothofagus menziesii. Will take many years to call them bonsai, but hey..keeps me busy..and happy.

 

[Greenman99]

How do they handle root work? I've been just letting mine grow in big pots to bulk up. Haven't done roots yet. Will they tolerate an aggressive approach?

Thanks
Brian

Yes they handle root work very well. Have a Pohutukawa in a container (no bonsai) and use it for cuttings and as an ornamental on the teracce. When it outgrown the 40 ltr container I cut back roots and branches for 60-70 % without problems.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Great to be here! Good to share ideas, suggestions and photos with you folks. I will give the Pohutukawa a bigger pot. Think early Spring is the best time for repotting this one? I like your Southern Rata, very nice creation. Do they flower earlier than Pohutukawa? I was surprised and delighted that years ago I found a Pohutukawa in a nursery over here. For the moment keeping it in a container (no bonsai). This year I took 3 cuttings from it. The Rata is definitely not available, probably I give it a try from seeds.

Other NZ species I am trying to transform into bonsai are two Totara, a Corokia cotoneaster and a Fuchsia excorticata. Carpodetus serratus as pre bonsai on which I unfortunately ruined the stem. Send photos and descriptions later this week.

This summer I grew seedlings of Kanuka, Kowhai, Kahikatea, Rimu and Silver Beech Lophozonia menziesii (former Nothofagus menziesii. Will take many years to call them bonsai, but hey..keeps me busy..and happy.

Hi,
The Southern Rata for me flowers mid/late November. Interesting the further south you go the later this flowers obviously temperature related. This is earlier than their northern cousin (Pohutukawa) which has the name of the NZ Christmas tree as it flowers from early December to early January.
As to your other trees - I can vouch for the Totara being very positively bonsai (able). Handles root and top pruning very well, and ramifies great. It’s only big drawback is alot slow to gain girth so either big (10 plus Litre) or ground for many years. I have forests started of both Totara and Black Beech (Northofagus solandri/cliffordoides). Both Silver and Black beech are great as can handle top prune happily although not too much root prune at once as they sulk a little. Wooden 10cm deep boxes seem to be excellent for feeder roots and so worth the effort of building.
I think I said further up this (can’t remember) that I have chosen to grow long lasting NZ native trees - I don’t have any Manuka ( leptospermum) or Kanuka but they would be cool as they get amazing flaky bark and flowers early summer.
Charles

 

[Greenman99]

Hi,
The Southern Rata for me flowers mid/late November. Interesting the further south you go the later this flowers obviously temperature related. This is earlier than their northern cousin (Pohutukawa) which has the name of the NZ Christmas tree as it flowers from early December to early January.
As to your other trees - I can vouch for the Totara being very positively bonsai (able). Handles root and top pruning very well, and ramifies great. It’s only big drawback is alot slow to gain girth so either big (10 plus Litre) or ground for many years. I have forests started of both Totara and Black Beech (Northofagus solandri/cliffordoides). Both Silver and Black beech are great as can handle top prune happily although not too much root prune at once as they sulk a little. Wooden 10cm deep boxes seem to be excellent for feeder roots and so worth the effort of building.
I think I said further up this (can’t remember) that I have chosen to grow long lasting NZ native trees - I don’t have any Manuka ( leptospermum) or Kanuka but they would be cool as they get amazing flaky bark and flowers early summer.
Charles

Thanks for info Probably it's better to get Totara in a larger pots or full ground for a couple of years. To gain girth but also to let grow and reshape in steps. Did a bad job in shaping especially the largest one.

Like the use of the wooden boxes and
I'm really curious how you shaped your forests.

 

[SpOoNzL]

Since everyone is talking about Rata's and Pohutukawas. I decided to put mine in the last pot I had spare. An oversized pot so I'm hoping to get some good growth this year. Also I wired a few of the lower branches so they are more horizontal with the tips pointing upwards this should hopefully make it grow faster as by wiring the branches down a lot more light is getting through. Here's a pic of the Rata and a few random pics of my bonsai zone enjoy . had a mini heat wave few a few days ago witch were 33c, 31c, and 28c on 3 days in a row I had to go by some shade cloth and put it up as the temp in this area wold of been a few degrees hotter in this area without it. the last pic is my Mount beech it survived but looks like its lost a lower branch .