Donated Calli

[Max]

This was donated to the nursery where i volunteer. I wasn't there when it was brought in but was promptly called to get my arse down there . I think it's a Captain cook, anyway, the roots are off the rock face so will have to be tied in and I'm thinking of using spag to wedge between. It's in a water/wind swept style (Shibui ) but no movement in the trunk or branches. Left main root extends from the trunk about 15mm up from the base the rock it self is soft sandstone and will most likely crumble and split so will have to be addressed, so I'm thinking this is going to have to be uprooted during the growing season, a rock found, cut/chiseled/ground to shape, movement put into trunk and branches now. Should it then be buried again or left exposed if left exposed the roots will harden. I'll post more pics from varying angles

Please comment

IMG_0800 (Small).JPG

[Max]

IMG_0801 (Large).JPG

IMG_0804 (Large).JPG

IMG_0805 (Large).JPG

IMG_0806 (Large).JPG

[GavinG]

I'd bury it again, after you spread the roots around the rock, rather than just have them lying on top. Whichever rock you choose.

A few years of rampant growth should get the roots thickened and gripping. You can cut the top back hard as well, so the long growth happens fairly close to the base.

Gavin

[Max]

I am now thinking...because the sandstone is soft...pull the roots/tree down vertically....and etch the sandstone

[Max]

I'm also thinking ....which angle is it being affected

[shibui]

Wrap the roots before burying. The wrap will help push the roots tighter to the rock and as they grow will only be able to grow toward the rock and sideways so should cling onto the rock better in time. I use alfoil for my Root over rock plantings. It conforms well with any shaped rock and roots don't usually grow through it.

It is not a particularly interesting piece of rock but still OK.

Straight trunk is also not ideal, especially for a tree that should have struggled for survival for many years. Callistemon are very good at budding on old wood so I would just allow it to grow freely for a year, maybe 2 just as it is now, then probably cut back or reduce the main trunk to jin and use the start of the first branch as a replacement trunkline. The change in angle there should give a much better line to your trunk. In time, make new branches from shoots that grow along that branch as it develops.

[Max]

I'd bury it again, after you spread the roots around the rock, rather than just have them lying on top. Whichever rock you choose.

A few years of rampant growth should get the roots thickened and gripping. You can cut the top back hard as well, so the long growth happens fairly close to the base.

Gavin

Thank you Gavin shall do....cheers mate

[Max]

Hi Shibui how are ya mate....should i put soil under the alfoil or no need? also there is one root that is a bit too high off the top of the rock off the trunk, is it worthwhile scoring it and adding hormone when i bury or do you think it will not matter in 2-3 years?

Cheers
Max

[shibui]

No soil needed under foil. The idea is to have as little space between rock and foil as possible to make roots grow close to the surface and hug the contours. Roots will grow without soil as long as conditions are damp so no soil is needed, just regular moisture.
If there's only one root that's too high you could consider removing it. I note that some appear to be growing over each other. Roots underneath will push the others away as they thicken. Best to not have crossing roots.
Your pictures seem to show quite a few roots with spaces underneath. Maybe I can't see clearly? If you are happy then leave it as is but Root over rock is far better when all roots cling closely to the rock surface so that we can believe that they grew there.
What do you expect scoring and hormone on the raised root to achieve

[kcpoole]

Yes as Shibui mentioned, no soil under the rock
You can put a band around the root ball over the Foil to to hold the foots against the rock surface.
Put cork or piece of styrofoam under the band to push the roots into depressionss, then bury the lot for a year or 2

Reducing the light direct to the roots, vastly increases the growth of them and usually only a year or 2 to set them in place

Ken

[Max]

Cheers Kc and Shibui...the answer to your last question Shibui was to try to get roots to grow where the larger root has, from it's starting point, about 20mm up the trunk, grown out, then down, leaving an unrealistic (to me) curved hollow, empty section to the right hand side of the trees base. In the grouped photo's, pic 2 shows the offending root and his little mate I'll take a photo today of the area that's got me making tsk tsk noises. The photo's won't be that good cause the lad who took the last photo's isn't in

Cheers
Max

[shibui]

Now I see the gap you refer to. It is hard to see in the photos so I missed it. New roots may be reluctant to grow where there is already a strong root growing - hormone or no but it can't hurt to try. I suspect you'll need to cut it off to get new roots to grow strong enough to replace it.
If it does not show up in a photo and if you can make that side the back so it is not obvious maybe it doesn't matter so much?

These roots worry me far more. They are the ones I would concentrate on getting close to the rock

callistemon roots.PNG

Small ones marked in red can be removed completely. Black area needs to be closer to the rock. If possible, hugging the rock surface.

Earlier I mentioned roots growing under or over each other.

Callistemon roots 2.jpg

The root marked blue here will always be pushed away from the rock as the ones under it thicken. you need to remove either that one or the ones under it. Choice will depend whether you want bendy roots or straight down the rock. Personally I'd take the straight one off and keep the ones showing movement. Also look for other places where roots cross to see if some more need to be moved or removed.
Roots will fuse just like trunks and can look very natural if it happens right but you will need to keep the pressure on them to stop them lifting before they fuse.