Camphor Laurel

[Mitchell]

Hi all!

The owners of the land next door to me, are ripping out all the fence line trees to develope their property. I came home yesterday to my rear subdividing fence being gone and all trees on the fence line and in my property ripped out. I also have a dog whom was left to free roam till I got home.

Trying to find some light in the devestation I have just come back inside after scouring the dividing line for uprooted plants. Not much salvagable, except for a large privett, but did manage to dig out a large section of a once massive Camphor Laurel.

This is just a mere splinting off one of its surface roots, the cracked area at the top is where it joined the tree.

It had feeder roots so I thought it worth retrieving.

This is what I got for my efforts. I think this challenge may outway my skills, but I can see an impressive bonsai in there after some extreme carving.
There is live vein running to to top, but there is also alot of damage. I'll be soaking it in seasol, and hoping for the best. May get planted out, just wanted it's roots moist for the next few days till I can find a spot for it.

30cm across the base, 25kg's. Now who is laughing at the swivelling stand!! This is now the largest stock I am attempting to work on.

Thanks for looking, any idea's on possible front, carving options and your thoughts would be appreciated. Good or bad.
I hope to be able to represent the grandure the tree once had.

[Jamie]

30 cm across in an ice cream container? you must get lots of ice cream

interested in how it goes and where you go with it, camphor are tough weeds.

Jamie

[Mitchell]

30 cm across in an ice cream container? you must get lots of ice cream

interested in how it goes and where you go with it, camphor are tough weeds.

Jamie

Sorry mate, not geting the ice cream reference...?

[bodhidharma]

MMMIIITTTCCCHHHEEELLL..that is me screaming put it in a bigger pot

[Jamie]

30 cm across in an ice cream container? you must get lots of ice cream

interested in how it goes and where you go with it, camphor are tough weeds.

Jamie

Sorry mate, not geting the ice cream reference...?

sorry mate, what i was getting across is you must get massive tubs of ice cream i havent seen them 30cm across before and i agree with bodhi that it needs a bigger container!

[Mitchell]

MMMIIITTTCCCHHHEEELLL..that is me screaming put it in a bigger pot

Like the ground??!! I don't think there is a pot big enough!

Roots are very limited under soil. About half the thickness of the trunk in the first pic on the left side ceases at the soil line. So in effect the the basket is not all that small. It appears to be a tree sitting upright, it's not, it's a section of surface root tipped up on end. In all there in only a cup full of roots in the basket, plenty of grow room.

I hope to utilize this in the future. The little root mass and the shear scale should work together. As due to your responces it is seeming to achieve that.

[Mitchell]

30 cm across in an ice cream container? you must get lots of ice cream

interested in how it goes and where you go with it, camphor are tough weeds.

Jamie

Sorry mate, not geting the ice cream reference...?

sorry mate, what i was getting across is you must get massive tubs of ice cream i havent seen them 30cm across before and i agree with bodhi that it needs a bigger container!

I haven't seen icecream tubs 30cm across either. On that note, I think I'm confused with the fact that we are talking about icecream, where did that come from??

[bodhidharma]

I really, really hope this one goes for you Mitchell.

[Mitchell]

I really, really hope this one goes for you Mitchell.

Don't worry too much mate!

Being a weed, I would say my chances are reasonible good.

Trying to create a bonsai out of it will be the hard part though.

[Jamie]

30 cm across in an ice cream container? you must get lots of ice cream

interested in how it goes and where you go with it, camphor are tough weeds.

Jamie

Sorry mate, not geting the ice cream reference...?

sorry mate, what i was getting across is you must get massive tubs of ice cream i havent seen them 30cm across before and i agree with bodhi that it needs a bigger container!

I haven't seen icecream tubs 30cm across either. On that note, I think I'm confused with the fact that we are talking about icecream, where did that come from??

JEEBUS sorry man, my eyes must have been looknig at something else, the basket you have it in looked like an ice cream tub i should of inlarge the pic but was in a hurry...

[Amanda]

That thing is crazy huge Be some fun carving involved?

[bonzaidog]

Hey Mitch...just knock up a grow box from scrap wood planks,or even plant it out in one of those bags thay use at tree farms and nurseries, just to get it started. ....Dog.

[Istari]

Hi Mitchell,

hows this one going? im keen to get one myself for sentimental reasons and wonder what it might look like

[Andrew E]

Hi Mitchell,

hows this one going?

interested too, got one in the ground that I'm going to do, its about the same size. hope it worked for you.
Andrew

[Mitchell]

I should have planted it back in the ground, my lack of watering on such a small container caused it to die. I am almost positive it would have shot back , if planted in ground.

Get some shots up when the time comes for yours.