Restyling an old Casuarina..wanting advice and ideas

[bodhidharma]

Having seen the good looking Casuarinas being presented on these pages lately it has given rise to the desire to change this tree. I have been guilty of a mediocre styling job in the first place on this tree and went for a weeping effect which i do not think has worked. So, the quandary i am in is, stay with the original design and try and improve the already mature branches or strip it down and start from scratch. I am not daunted by either prospect and usually do not hesitate but i do not, YET, feel an affinity with this tree. So i would love to pool some ideas from the talented people using this site and see if we can come up with a solution to improve the already superb trunkline. I would love to see virts and from the computer challenged, like yours truly, some sound ideas. Thank you in anticipation. Bodhi.

[craigw60]

Hi Bodhi,
put it in a bigger pot and grow it a bit taller. These trees will develop lovely taper. Or put it in a box and send it to me
Craig

[Pup]

Bohdi thanks for the cheer up on the other post .

Now that massive chop is never going to work is it. So my solution is hollow the trunk. Get a fence awl ( large drill bit ) and drill down the trunk about two thirds coming out on a side not directly in front.

My experience with these is the shoot all over the place so you will have a choice of new branches where you want them.
Then style as you would a big old hollow trunk Casuarina as in some of Steven's pictures.

Just my 5 cents worth Cheers Pup

[Jamie]

i will see what i can do virt wise for ya bodhi, do you have a vision for this tree, or should i go to my hearts content

[bodhidharma]

Go your hardest Jamie

[Jamie]

Go your hardest Jamie

cool mate i will see what i can come up with tonight for ya

[anttal63]

dont cut yet! a very nice trunk bodhi. this baby needs to be out of that pot for starters and somewhere it can stretch its toe's. then it'll dance for you. the roots and base need a good lookn. i would like to see other views of the trunk too at least 4 all up.

[MelaQuin]

Fantastic stock.... You bet your bippi it should be put in a larger flatter pot. Put new pot in a water tray to give it incentive to shoot, thin out the top leaving only a leader and wait until it starts shooting on the trunk to establish your branches. Unless you want a much larger tree. If that is the case sort out the top so you have a leader and some basic branches and let her grow. This is going to be very nice in the not to distant future.

Also, either bury it above the roots to enlarge them or consider removing them as in this photo they don't do much for the tree. But if the tree goes into a flatter wider pot and the roots are spread, flattened and buried it is quite possible they could thicken and be the start of a very nice nebari.

[Jamie]

i think it need a change of pot for this style but this may be a possibility mate?

bodhicasuarina.jpg

jamie

[anttal63]

This is not Perth or Sydney, so they do not always pop predictably. I am curious of this water tray method mel has suggested. Might yield better results as they do like to be flooded. Spin it around Bohdi.

[craigw60]

Ant is correct I have found the budding back on my cas. to be a bit erratic and I suspect Bohdi your climate is not too dissimilar to mine. personally I would be reluctant to carve such a great trunk . If you grew it a little taller and did some serious work on the branches you would have one lovely tree.
Craig

[anttal63]

Agreed with craig on that and all achievable in 2-3 yrs.

[bodhidharma]

Thanks for the great feed back people. I will take a few more shots and post them. This is all very exciting

[Pup]

Agreed with craig on that and all achievable in 2-3 yrs.

If they do not Pop like we get them, I doubt 2or 3 years we get them popping a lot easier and we would struggle to get it in 3 years.

[anttal63]

Agreed with craig on that and all achievable in 2-3 yrs.

If they do not Pop like we get them, I doubt 2or 3 years we get them popping a lot easier and we would struggle to get it in 3 years.

Sorry pup maybe i need to be clearer; meaning if bohdi can use what he has and whatever else may come, it is possible to build a respectable tree in 2-3 yrs from that frame work. No prob. Forget the virt this is talking about finding a design with what we have.