Tasmanian Pencil Pine inspiration

[Will_IslandBonsai]

Seeing we've had a King Billy posted the other day, I couldn't resist popping up it's sister, the wonderful Tasmanian Pencil Pine! If you ever feel like a journey into another world, take a day walk into the Walls of Jerusalem National Park in northern Tas, and amongst all the other wonderful pencil-pine-growing-by-lakes-scenes, wander round into Dicksons Kingdom through an ancient pencil pine forest that'll make you wonder if you're still in Australia!! They are majestic!

This tree was not from there (western Tas) and has certainly had some life experience. Probably about 10m high, and hundreds of years old! They certainly don't all grow like this...often in a copse they are fairly straight and (reasonably) true.

Athrotaxis cupressoides. Tyndall Range. April 2010.jpg

[Jamie]

very nice will lovely inspiration!

this is a tree that would recreate into bonsai nicely

[Pup]

There was discussion here not long ago that our trees do not grow like that so there. When I was on the Mornington Peninsula last weekend, I again saw that our natives do not grow like that

Pup

[kvan64]

If it was my tree, I would love to change the potting angle a litle bit on the next repot

[Kunzea]

Fantastic Will! I'll have to have another look at my two.

Any chance of seeing pics of Dicksons Kingdon pencil pines?
K

[Amanda]

If it was my tree, I would love to change the potting angle a litle bit on the next repot

Yeah I was thinking that too

Great shot of a wonderful tree, thanks for sharing.

[kcpoole]

Nice tree Will

Can I submit this on for the Literati comp

[Pup]

Nice tree Will

Can I submit this on for the Literati comp

It is past its use by date but I will keep an open mind

[Will_IslandBonsai]

There was discussion here not long ago that our trees do not grow like that so there. When I was on the Mornington Peninsula last weekend, I again saw that our natives do not grow like that

Pup

If you look at a thousand trees, there's very likely at least one that can justify a bonsai design decision! What I want to be careful of, is not looking for that one tree that looks like a Japanese bonsai.......... because the other 999 look like fair dinkum Aussie trees!

Anyway, there's plenty of room for both. I love our Aussie plants, but I can still be seduced by exotic designs!

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Roger, last time I was in Dicksons Kingdom was pre digital days, so unfortunately nothing stored in the system! If you've got time for a holiday sometime, I'd be happy to facilitate!!!

[Kunzea]

Will
That is a tempting offer to be sure. I'll have to do it before 'grey' turns to 'groan'. The years may be getting shorter, but age still marches on!
K

[Houston Sanders]

I recently took a few photos of athrotaxis cupressoides on Mt. Field Tasmania. These heights were in the 1 to 3 m range. Many of the trees looked like they could become incredible bonsai just by placing them into pots with no additional styling. Hope these are as inspirational to everyone else as they were to me. Here are a few examples:

[Houston Sanders]

AND THE BEST ONE...

[Glenda]

Hi Houston,

Are you visiting Oz, that you were in Mt Field, Tasmania? I spent some time there as a child, growing up in Hobart. Took my husband and youngest son (21) there for a holiday at Christmas last year. My son was really taken with the Eucalyptus regnans there.

Glenda

EDIT: PS - were these photos taken from within the National Park at Mt Field?

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Will,

I like the photo. And I especially like your writing, it is almost poetic.

Thank you.

Hi Houston,

I like your photos too.

Thanks.

[Grant Bowie]

i just love these trees.

We should do more work on the Australian conifers!. Especially the Alpine ones as we have great examples to follow.

Grant