Species Study: Eucalyptus deglupta - Rainbow Eucalyptus

[Cajunrider]

I know I only have a handful of RE. I have had more failures than successes. Yet I think it is time for us to find a place to list our knowledge on this species.
Here is the link to my attempt for a RE bonsai.

CJR rainbow eucalyptus

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...

www.bonsainut.com

So far this is what I have learned.
1. Seeds are very small and float away easily up on watering. Information I gathered online showed that germination in fine vermiculite is best. Watering the seed bed is best by misting.
2. RE likes moist soil so your bonsai soil should contain a good percentage of bark and should be watered often. Soil must have decent drainage however, standing water will cause root rot.
3. RE will have 2 side branches at every junction. For best results, pinch off one of the side branches fairly early. This will get your RE to form natural bends when you chop.
4. RE air layer very easily when the branches is 1" or more in diameter.
5. Branches grow very quickly so watch for bite-in if you wire your RE.
6. RE leaves don't reduce easily so plan for a decent size bonsai. In my early days, I thought that the leaves will reduce but they don't that easily.
7. Excessive pruning/wiring will cause RE to just drop the branch, particularly when it is less than 1" in diameter, and sprout another branch right at the base of that branch. The new branch will grow quickly while growth at the older branch will reduce drastically.
8. RE is fairly sensitive to root pruning. The times that I killed RE were all due to excessive root pruning and poor care afterward where I allowed the roots to dry out.

 

[laurieinphx]

This helps. Thank you!

 

[Kievnstavick]

I hope to add more information to this in the future.

All of my seeds have been ordered from Shefflied's. They give a estimate of 40% germination. So results could very greatly. I have also noticed a fair amount of "debris" with the seeds. Probably from the fruits. They state a 99% purity, but I feel like it is much lower then that. I don't blame them for how fine the seeds and the debris is. Just something to note.

Following is my attempts at germinating seeds:

First attempt: A packet of 300 some odd seeds was divided in half. I directly sowed them into a potting soil mix with extra fine pumice added with shredded spaghum moss as a dressing. The other half, I put onto a moist paper towel and cold stratified for 2 weeks in the fridge. They were then put into an identical mix. I gave up waiting after a little over a month with only a grass sprouting.

Second attempt: I received a packet of about 2000 seeds. I roughly divided the packet in half. I placed the first half on a paper towel that I sprayed with a heavily diluted H202 mix (in hindsight I left the paper towel way too wet) and placed it in a plastic bag. The bag was placed in my grow tent. I checked the seeds everyday for results. My research showed that they should have germinated in about four days, but mine took way longer. After a week of no results, I sprayed a 5:2 humic acid and Kelp mix onto the paper towel.

Eventually some of the seeds started to host mold, so I removed those. In the process I found one had germinated. So I removed it and planted it in a small container inside of a plastic bag for super humidity. The rest of the seeds haven't shown any more progress. I sprayed some copper fungicide on the towel to hopefully reduce the mold rate, but I have more or less given up hope that the rest will show results. So 1/1000ish seeds.

Third attempt: Using the other half of the bag, I placed the seeds on a paper towel and sprayed it with a moderately diluted H202 solution. I took care the make sure the paper towel was slightly damp without too much excess moisture. I placed it in a plastic bag and set it in my tent. The next day I checked it and noticed a few dry spots, so I sprayed the solution on it again to make it slightly more damp. No results as of yet.

I ordered more seeds (approx 5000 seeds). I will try a direct sowing with some of these on an extra fine mix and placed in a plastic bag for super humidity instead of dealing with a paper towel. Hopefully I can get more to germinate for some genetic diversity. Other then that, I will probably have to resort to @Cajunrider method of just doing airlayers since I don't want to risk killing my only Rainbow Eucalyptus.

 

[Wulfskaar]

I hope to add more information to this in the future.

All of my seeds have been ordered from Shefflied's. They give a estimate of 40% germination. So results could very greatly. I have also noticed a fair amount of "debris" with the seeds. Probably from the fruits. They state a 99% purity, but I feel like it is much lower then that. I don't blame them for how fine the seeds and the debris is. Just something to note.

Following is my attempts at germinating seeds:

First attempt: A packet of 300 some odd seeds was divided in half. I directly sowed them into a potting soil mix with extra fine pumice added with shredded spaghum moss as a dressing. The other half, I put onto a moist paper towel and cold stratified for 2 weeks in the fridge. They were then put into an identical mix. I gave up waiting after a little over a month with only a grass sprouting.

Second attempt: I received a packet of about 2000 seeds. I roughly divided the packet in half. I placed the first half on a paper towel that I sprayed with a heavily diluted H202 mix (in hindsight I left the paper towel way too wet) and placed it in a plastic bag. The bag was placed in my grow tent. I checked the seeds everyday for results. My research showed that they should have germinated in about four days, but mine took way longer. After a week of no results, I sprayed a 5:2 humic acid and Kelp mix onto the paper towel.

Eventually some of the seeds started to host mold, so I removed those. In the process I found one had germinated. So I removed it and planted it in a small container inside of a plastic bag for super humidity. The rest of the seeds haven't shown any more progress. I sprayed some copper fungicide on the towel to hopefully reduce the mold rate, but I have more or less given up hope that the rest will show results. So 1/1000ish seeds.

Third attempt: Using the other half of the bag, I placed the seeds on a paper towel and sprayed it with a moderately diluted H202 solution. I took care the make sure the paper towel was slightly damp without too much excess moisture. I placed it in a plastic bag and set it in my tent. The next day I checked it and noticed a few dry spots, so I sprayed the solution on it again to make it slightly more damp. No results as of yet.

I ordered more seeds (approx 5000 seeds). I will try a direct sowing with some of these on an extra fine mix and placed in a plastic bag for super humidity instead of dealing with a paper towel. Hopefully I can get more to germinate for some genetic diversity. Other then that, I will probably have to resort to @Cajunrider method of just doing airlayers since I don't want to risk killing my only Rainbow Eucalyptus.

A family member sent me a package of what was supposed to be 10 seeds. It was empty and she's trying to set up a refund or return. Kind of sounds like my chances with 10 seeds is about the same as winning the lottery.

 

[Cajunrider]

This past winter, I lost one out of the two I have left. It is budding now. Even with my attempt for protection, temperature went down to 24 deg F. That was enough to kill one that I have in a 3 gallon pot. The surviving one was closer to the heater and managed to stay alive.

 

[Cajunrider]

Survivor

 

[Cajunrider]

The much cooler nights than usual this spring killed the last tree I had. Thus pretty much closed the book for this species for me. I tried hard and planted many. One by one they succumbed to the cold. Any mishap in the protection and they die. Perhaps after I move to PA and all set up I will try again but not now.