With more than 40 species of native conifers found across Australia, ranging from the northern tropics through the drier inland hills and plains, and to the cooler southern alpine areas of Tasmania, we have a most interesting range of species, each with different characteristics and growth habits. This meeting was an opportunity to have a look at what some of our members are doing with Australian conifers, what are the possibilities and the challenges, and which other species could be used as bonsai.

On display for discussion at the meeting, there was quite an interesting range of species. The trees presented and discussed included Athrotaxis cupressoides (Pencil pine), Lagarostrobos franklinii (Huon pine), Podocarpus lawrencei (Mountain plum pine), Phyllocladus asplenifolius (Celery top pine), Diselma archeri, (Cheshunt Pine), Microcachrys tetragona (Strawberry pine),  Pectinopitys ladei (Mt Spurgeon black pine), and Callitris rhomboidea (Port Jackson pine). At our June club meeting, we also saw the very special Araucaria cunninghamii (Hoop pine), and of course, we have seen at previous meetings examples of Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi pine) as well as other species of Callitris demonstrated.

Since the Club Annual Exhibition in March, the Club’s April meeting included a fascinating presentation by Barry Woods on developing native species bonsai as mini-sized trees in small containers, while the May Club meeting had a presentation on Neutrog fertilizers, followed by a review of the progress and changes on some of the trees which have been the subject of past demonstrations.

In late May, a number of club members assembled at Kuranga Native Nursery in Mt Evelyn, where we were hosted for a tour of the nursery and surrounding gardens by Managing Director, Ben Sharp. This was an excellent look at some of the wide range of species and cultivars of native plants, with plenty of ideas for possible bonsai amongst the stock available at Kuranga.

The Club’s June meeting gave an opportunity to have a look at a range of different species and genera of native plants which are unusual or not often grown as bonsai. Along with a couple of examples brought home by members after the AABC Convention in Hobart, we found an interesting set of odd species being developed by some of our members.

The range of species on display entered by club members included Sheoaks, Eucalypts, Acacias, Kunzea, Melaleucas, Tea Trees, Banksias and many more. Photos of the full set of trees on display will be posted in the Gallery page in the near future.

Best Eucalypt in Show award, sponsored by Eucalypt Australia, was judged by EA Board Member Professor Michael McCarthy, a well-recognised and extensively experienced researcher and academic in ecological studies with University of Melbourne. This year, the award was made to Marcela Ferriera for her outstanding Angophora costata, or Smooth barked apple, which looked magnificent, especially with the flaky bark slowly peeling away from the trunk.

The Public Choice award, voted on by most of the visitors to the show, went to Quentin Valentine’s very impressive Nothofagus cunninghamii, or Southern Beech, with votes for second and third going to a Melaleuca rhaphiophylla (Swamp paperbark), and a Eucalyptus polyanthemos (Red Box).

Thanks and congratulations go to all club members who contributed trees for the exhibition, and the valuable support provided by many club members in setting up and presenting the show was a major contribution to its success on the weekend.