AusBonsai

Scientific name: Araucaria cunninghamii

Common name: Hoop pine

Approximate age: 52 years

Training started: 1970

Artist: Mrs. Joan McCamley Rockhamton Qld.

Style: Root over rock.

Hight: 57cm Width: 49cm Trunk diametre: 6cm

This tree was given to me in October 2009, because the owner Mrs. Joan McCamley had lost interest in bonsai soon after the Rockhampton Bonsai group disbanded in the early 70's. She kept the one tree but did little to it over the years and it had grown out of shape and very dense with foliage. This tree had never been re-potted in its 39 years as a bonsai. Since I have had the tree it has been completley defoliated to a trunk and some branches which were in the right places.
This species doesn't bonsai easily, the foliage is very course and will take some time to develop smaller and softer foliage. This tree may never be a great show specimen, but I keep it because of its history an dthe challange it gives me. Hope you like it. A close up of the roots chris

It's the best job that I've ever seen on a Hoop Pine! I appreciate how difficult they are to style.

To be honest this is the first hoop pine I have seen used in bonsai that looks this good ...I hope it powers on under your care

I believe they had one at the Arboretum in Canberra, I can't remember the artist but it was dealt with in a similar way to what you did to it, cut back hard and use the new shoots to style the tree. Grant Bowie did a post on it if I remember right?
They are difficult to bonsai due to the coarseness of the foliage but yours is a nice example of one. I do like it. Are you considering a bit of carving through the centre to hide the bulge/ reverse taper? I take it this is due to the tree being allowed to grow unchecked by the previous owner?

Andrew

Looks very nice indeed, I just picked up a 12 year old Araucaria cunninghamii from a local garage sale! Already has a very interesting root system and nice curve to the trunk, but is loaded in the needle like juvenile growth, have often wondered how well a hoop pine will take to Bonsai, should be interesting.

Thanks for sharing your story!