Pohutukawa Metrosideros

[Raging Bull]

Mark, you're not wasting your time. A lot of innovations and discoveries were made by people thinking " I wonder what would happen if I did this....".
Besides, If you can grow a bonsai that a car can drive under it'll be a world first. Cheers, Frank.

[MJL]

Hi Frank,
Be assured, I was being a tad tongue in cheek about wasting time - I really like this tree and I will make my own decisions but I do value opinions, Treeman's thoughts being near the top of the Bonsai tree - pardon the pun. My main concern is that I don't want to be doing something that weakens the tree (horticulturally) in the long run... because I want this tree for a long time. Design wise ... the poor tree has to put up with me.

[SquatJar]

I have never worked a tree with aerial roots before, but if you cut the grounded roots of the aerial roots hard, back to basically the stub of the aerial root, once a year or more often, would that do enough to reduce the vigor and hence thickening? Hopefully the tree doesnt give up on those roots though.

[FreddieV]

I'm in NZ and love Pohutukawa. They are very hardy and grow out of rocks at sea level.
I'm growing mine in a more natural style....multi trunked (lots of trunks) with a rounded canopy. Mine also pushes air roots regularly. I found best is to let them grow and hang for a while. I enjoy them while they're there, but before they become a problem (rooting in the pot) I cut them off. They soon grow again and the process repeats itself.

[FreddieV]

Thought i'll post some photos of them growing in the wild.

Screenshot_20200604-115011~2.png

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Screenshot_20200604-115507~2.png

Just to show how tough this tree is. This one has been growing on this isolated rock for 20+ years according to a local. Can't see it but the rock is a small island surrounded by water. Storms regularly submerge the rock and tree.

Screenshot_20200604-115246~2.png

[treeman]

Would the cluster of interesting (or ugly) roots at the base of the main trunk provide enough vigour to the base and the main trunk - perhaps enough to balance vigour across the tree and keep the main trunk thickening?

Mark

They won't provide any vigour to the trunk. They will remove it.
In my opinion it will get worse as time goes on.

[MJL]

Cheers Mike, food for thought. It's interesting because I have wondered in the past whether I clean the base of the trunk ....of those hanging, cross-over roots ... (there are still plenty or roots in the base near the soil - aka normal nebari) but leave the hanging/curtain aerial roots from the branches.

As I say ... food for thought

Hey perhaps a silly question to anyone who may know... if I cut those roots from the trunk ... but left them protruding from the soil... would they sprout leaves? (i.e - new little trees from root cuttings?)

[nathan987]

Would the cluster of interesting (or ugly) roots at the base of the main trunk provide enough vigour to the base and the main trunk - perhaps enough to balance vigour across the tree and keep the main trunk thickening?

Mark

They won't provide any vigour to the trunk. They will remove it.
In my opinion it will get worse as time goes on.

Isn’t it just about balancing the root growth?

No different to a tree with no aerial roots but which develops a couple of really thick roots supporting vigorous growth up top. If you don’t chop those ones back (root and branch proportionate) and let the others grow to balance the strength, then you get imbalance. But if you do balance them out, no major drama.


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[nathan987]

Hey perhaps a silly question to anyone who may know... if I cut those roots from the trunk ... but left them protruding from the soil... would they sprout leaves? (i.e - new little trees from root cuttings?)

I’ve done that with fig aerial roots, no probs.

Not sure about this species. But unless it is particularly sensitive or has unusual growth habits or hates shooting from bare wood, I would put my money on this working.


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[melbrackstone]

Go for a drive under this one, and look up into the canopy.

https://www.google.com/maps/@-35.047914 ... 312!8i6656

[Raging Bull]

I don't think you can drive there from Oz.

[MJL]

Go for a drive under this one, and look up into the canopy.
https://www.google.com/maps/@-35.047914 ... 312!8i6656

Cheers Mel, that's very cool. You must be a gun at road-trip games!

Thanks to all the other folks who have assisted too. It is quite interesting to see the variation in this species. It is hardy and adaptable for sure!

[melbrackstone]

Lol, not at all, Mark. I just know someone who lives near that tree.

[MJL]

....that cluster of roots potentially leading to an unhealthy tree ... gone. Better. Sometimes you’ve just gotta bite the bullet and not look back - I was worried about potentially uncovering reverse taper too .... but no need... it all looks better.




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[MJL]

Well ... I made a big decision today - well not that big actually - given what’s going on in the world ... anyway ... I decided to remove aerial roots along with the ugly trunk roots I’d previously removed. And then repot too. I think it looks better - or will. Some will be disappointed at my decision. In the end, I think this will lead to a healthier tree and a better looking tree too. In my climate - Melbourne - it is too difficult (for me) to get a whole swathe of aerial roots - so best to go with an informal upright, I reckon.

Still a training pot but a lower oval shape.







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