mangrove driftwood used for tanuki, has this been done??

[Jamie]

quick question has anyone used dead mangrove stumps etc in bonsai to use as tanuki or phoenix grafts??
i am curious because it has interesing features, great lines etc.
i ask because i got some the other day washed it out really well sanded it and put lime sulphur on to see how it come out and it looks quite natural. just seems a little soft. was thinking of using a wood hardener. weill this work and has anyone done this before??

[bodhidharma]

Jamie i have done a phoenix graft with chinese juniper squamata. it works well only problem i have with what you are trying to do would be the salt content of the wood. Might have to let it sit for a while in the weather

[Jamie]

the concern you have i had, so what i did was actually let it sit in fresh water for honestly 4 months. it has leached tannin and such in that time. i replaced the stained water with fresh every week and have now let it dry out for about a month sitting in the sun. exposure would be about 8 odd hours a day.
this was one of my issues i was wondering.
will using a wood hardener on this sort of wood work?

bodhi- the phoenix graft i want to do is on juniper squamata too. did you use mangrove aswell??
and has it taken well, maybe a process post of this if you didnt mind would be a good thread and very informative. maybe not just for me but others?

[bodhidharma]

If you can get a copy of Colin Lewis..THE ART OF BONSAI DESIGN...he dedicates a whole chapter to the issue, pictures and all, using chinese juniper. The actual tree on the cover is the graft i speak of. A very good book which should be in the library of any serious bonsai nut.

[Jamie]

If you can get a copy of Colin Lewis..THE ART OF BONSAI DESIGN...he dedicates a whole chapter to the issue, pictures and all, using chinese juniper. The actual tree on the cover is the graft i speak of. A very good book which should be in the library of any serious bonsai nut.

lol i have a few books, i atually think i know of the one your talking about, it would be in my collection if i could afford more books.
thanks for the info anyway.
what i was wondering though is if mangrove wood is suitable to use for these grafts??????????

[bodhidharma]

I cannot possibly see why not. If you buy some sapling junipers, say 20 bucks, thats what you lose if it doesnt work. You wont know unless you try. Keep us all posted and good luck.

[Jamie]

cool. thanks for the info.

will start a new thread when i get to that stage!