Dicksonia antarctica

[treeman]

Is it a bonsai? Sure why not.
about 10 years in pot. it will look better when the trunk is taller. I don't think it will get thicker than this
Trunk diameter about 80mm.

P1130668.JPG

Normal size..Some from Tassie can be a metre thick!

dicksonia.JPG

[Keep Calm and Ramify]

Is it a bonsai? Sure why not.

Ummm....."did somebody say KFC?"

[TimS]

Is it a bonsai? Sure why not.

Ummm....."did somebody say KFC?"

Beautiful plant, is it bonsai though I guess if we take a literal translation of the Kanji it is. Fair tackle carry on.

[treeman]

If you can bonsai a cycad, you can bonsai a tree fern.

cycad2.JPG

[MJL]

I can't resist ... and Treeman may never look my way again... but...next Mike be dropping Asparagus fern and Yukka into a pot. What?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhCD8XgLX5w

[treeman]

Ah, bugger the lot a youz.

[melbrackstone]

I have a number of cycads in bonsai pots. Never thought to try a tree fern though. Good on ya for keeping it looking so good in a pot, Mike.

[MJL]

On a more serious note ... at last to my initial response... I am intrigued.

When I first looked at this thread I thought "Yeah - a fern in a pot; Treeman's enjoying a few single malts in isolation, soon we'll get some photos of Neofinetia falcata as Bonsai."

But... as opposed to a serial poster general crud like me - I then thought "Hang on ... Mike is more reserved with his posts - mostly illustrating technique, excellent trees or blistering convention for the fun of the debate." Hmmm ....

So ... this Saturday morning, I now read more carefully. The trunk here is a mere 8cm. Under a tenth of the size of a mature wild tree.
The pot then may be what 20cm? I didn't notice this size in the photo - so perhaps this is part of the sorcery. I can imagine this tree being set against the background of your lush property and if the pot was not in picture - the magic of a photo would make it look like a full size tree.

But for the sake of discussion - is bonsai about miniaturisation or the perception of age (among other things) and are those topics always interdependent? My front of mind thought (with not a lot of analysis while I eat my taost) is even very old ferns (if viewed as s single tree) don't look overly old - probably due to the vibrant green growth. Even on towering tree ferns - you can see maturity but their fronds keeps them eternally young. Perhaps - come to think of it - they do look old when they have other stuff growing on there tall trunks (there's probably a horticultural name for 'other stuff').

Yet - put tree ferns en masse, in an understory of a forest and they add to a sense of great age - ancient even - almost prehistoric like. At least in my weird skull... that's what I think.

Now because I love Bonsai forests... is there any chance I could replicate the Dandenong Ranges for example .... combine Eucs with miniature ferns perhaps... now there's thought I might explore...

Anyway Mike - you've probably choked on your coco pops ... but what else was I going do do when I was easing my toast on a Saturday morning.

PS - When are your Neo's flowering? And ... when they are - can you perhaps drop a few photos in the Bonsai Cafe please.

[TimS]

Pardon me firing off a quick comment while working this morning, but I would LOVE to see any photos of Neofinetia falcata flowering. Absolutely beautiful plants, i’m head over heels for them.

I need more time than I have available right now to read your full comment Mark

[treeman]

On a more serious note ... at last to my initial response... I am intrigued.

When I first looked at this thread I thought "Yeah - a fern in a pot; Treeman's enjoying a few single malts in isolation, soon we'll get some photos of Neofinetia falcata as Bonsai."

But... as opposed to a serial poster general crud like me - I then thought "Hang on ... Mike is more reserved with his posts - mostly illustrating technique, excellent trees or blistering convention for the fun of the debate." Hmmm ....

So ... this Saturday morning, I now read more carefully. The trunk here is a mere 8cm. Under a tenth of the size of a mature wild tree.
The pot then may be what 20cm? I didn't notice this size in the photo - so perhaps this is part of the sorcery. I can imagine this tree being set against the background of your lush property and if the pot was not in picture - the magic of a photo would make it look like a full size tree.

But for the sake of discussion - is bonsai about miniaturisation or the perception of age (among other things) and are those topics always interdependent? My front of mind thought (with not a lot of analysis while I eat my taost) is even very old ferns (if viewed as s single tree) don't look overly old - probably due to the vibrant green growth. Even on towering tree ferns - you can see maturity but their fronds keeps them eternally young. Perhaps - come to think of it - they do look old when they have other stuff growing on there tall trunks (there's probably a horticultural name for 'other stuff').

Yet - put tree ferns en masse, in an understory of a forest and they add to a sense of great age - ancient even - almost prehistoric like. At least in my weird skull... that's what I think.

Now because I love Bonsai forests... is there any chance I could replicate the Dandenong Ranges for example .... combine Eucs with miniature ferns perhaps... now there's thought I might explore...

Anyway Mike - you've probably choked on your coco pops ... but what else was I going do do when I was easing my toast on a Saturday morning.




PS - When are your Neo's flowering? And ... when they are - can you perhaps drop a few photos in the Bonsai Cafe please.

Your getting it! The plan down the road - if I live long enough - is to make a clump of three of them all with different heights.
The Neos flower in the summer. I was lucky enough to find a rare purple one from Japan on ebay (in AU) $70 for a single growth division but it's still alive...
Very slow though.

[KIRKY]

Hi Mike, is that the Fujimusume that you are talking about?
Cheers
Kirky

[TimS]

Great post there Mark (I finally got around to having my lunch break and could read it in full) as usual you pick up on subtleties that go sailing over my head! A really great point about the different feelings from on its own verses multiples together. I hadn’t considered it in that fashion

[gordonb]

[snip].... Perhaps - come to think of it - they do look old when they have other stuff growing on there tall trunks (there's probably a horticultural name for 'other stuff'). ...[ snip]

That would be epiphytes and parasites (those that do and don't derive their nutrition from the 'host' plant)

[treeman]

Hi Mike, is that the Fujimusume that you are talking about?
Cheers
Kirky

No that's a hybrid with an Ascocentrum. This one is a pure falcata.

[robb63]

That's a "Fern-Tree"