Wollemi as bonsai?

[Glenda]

At this stage of our knowledge, if you are wedded to classical Japanese styles of scalene triangles, and left/right/back branching, then you might want to steer clear of wollemis until someone discovers some new horticultural techniques. All of the trees I've seen as photographs are straight trunked - the ship-mast variety. If you are adventuresome, and don't mind the unusual, you might rise to the challenge of wollemi bonsai, but you probably won't win large numbers of friends, just a few good ones!!!

Cheers and good luck. Love to hear of others experiences with wollemis as bonsai. I'm sure we have much more to learn.
Kunzea

I know I am only a 'newbie' but what I have seen of bonsai in general and australian native bonsai in particular is to produce minature trees that give the impression of age. According to the bonsai4me site, all the 'traditional' styles can be found readily in nature. Shouldn't then aussie native bonsais do this too? Develop uniquely australian styles for our uniquely australian trees? JMHO

[kcpoole]

Just searching back for old threads ad found this on here wollemi pines

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=923&p=8316&hilit=wollemi#p8316

Ken

[buddaboy]

Thx for that KC, Just trying to decide whether to outlay the spendoolies for a big one.

BB

[kcpoole]

Next time I am at Nescis, I will see if I can remember and ask if I can get a photo of his.

It has taken movement well, But has been mentioned does not ramify easily.

Apparently is quite easy to stirke from cuttings but of the woody bits only I think

Ken

[Kunzea]

Ken
It will be most useful if you have more information on the stiking from cuttings. It was one of the major barriers to the initial program to produce the species for sale - it didn't strike very easily. Also, it was found that cuttings from side branches produced more or less 'semi-cascade' trees, and taking one cutting from the apex really didn't allow for mass production for more trees. I think it was tissue culture that was used in the end, but that would need confirmation.
Kunzea

[Joel]

Beware plant breeders rights.

Joel

[kcpoole]

Ken
It will be most useful if you have more information on the stiking from cuttings. It was one of the major barriers to the initial program to produce the species for sale - it didn't strike very easily. Also, it was found that cuttings from side branches produced more or less 'semi-cascade' trees, and taking one cutting from the apex really didn't allow for mass production for more trees. I think it was tissue culture that was used in the end, but that would need confirmation.
Kunzea

Yes they used Tissue culture to propagate them commercially.
Have not heard about the differences in Cuttings from different parts of the trees. Interesting.

I have not tried cuttings myself, only heard that they are OK to take. Will have to experiment. Joel you are probably correct to be wary, but as I doubt we would be doing so in Quantities to sell then we would be fine to experiment.

Here is Rays tree, when he first did it in 2006

ken

[Jamie]

interesting little tree ray has there, i wouldnt mind seeing it now though if there has been any change to it over the past three or four years, in the likes of ramification or filling out.

i like the movement it has though, is bunya pine similar or related to the wollemi?


jamie

[buddaboy]

Jamie, I believe the family consists of Wollemi, Bunya and Norfolk Pines. I cant spell the genus tho . Acuracio or something
BB

[Jamie]

Jamie, I believe the family consists of Wollemi, Bunya and Norfolk Pines. I cant spell the genus tho . Acuracio or something
BB

would you before reffering to this word "Araucaria" i have a hoop pine which is Araucaria cunninghamii. i was unsure about where to go with it by i think i have finally found its form! its posted in this thread and another of its own


jamie

[buddaboy]

I just had a look at wikipedia and the Wollemi is related to all the "Araucaria" . Amazing the things you learn on the net isnt it?

BB

P.S. Ihad some Hoop Pines, and a Bunya Pine. I killed them , Maybe the wollemi inst such a great idea after all.

[Joel]

Hi guys!

The family is Araucariaceae. All family names end it "aceae". Suc as Aceraceae for Acers (maples) and Ulmaceae for Ulmus, or elms.

All trees in Araucariaceae posses the ability to grow differently depending on where the the cuttings are taken from. I.E. if you take a cutting from a lateral branch on a Araucaria heteraphylla (Norfolk island pine) it will grow prostrate, as Kunzea mentioned. It is also interesting that if you take a cutting of the branch-let (the bit that holds the needles and looks like a piece of rope sticking out of the branches) it will continue to grow long, but never divide. This has given me an idea for an accent where i would use A. cunninghamii, as it has the fines foliage of the easy to obtain Araucarias.

Just out of interest, has anybody eaten Bunya nuts? I have some and they are quite tasty. I collected two cones, and now have about 60 nuts! Kinda taste like a cross between potato and macadamia. Nice on the BBQ!

Joel

[Kunzea]

I'm no legal expert on Plant Variety Rights, but the last time I got near them, I understood that there was no legal impediment to a person propagating such material for their own use. If they then went on to 'sell' the plants, using the registered name and didn't make an agreement with the PVR holder, they would probaby be in breach of the law. The law is there to protext the finacial rights of the person who developed the material - pay for their costs and make a return on investment.

[Joel]

Hi Kunzea,

I dont think plants breeders rights is the right term. Im not sure what its called actually. But i asked on another website a few years ago, and somebody working at the "Wollemi Factory" told me it was ilegal. I was planning on doing a forest with as few of them. I have now given up on that thought anyway.

On the other hand, this site seems to imply it is legal, and even gives you directions on how to take cuttings of the species. Although this was written before the inital release of the majestic trees.

http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2004 ... bilis.html

Joel

[buddaboy]

But surely if I pay put 200 bucks for a plant and cut and paste it to get more plants for ME, thats my right. We all realise that you cut the top 40-50 % off of a plant(95% for Jamie's Sumo's) there is an oportunity to learn far more inventive ways of killing the species due to styling, shaping, root trimming, defoliation, carving, burning, potting mixes etc. After all you can only kill the one plant off once.


buddaboy