A Banksia Bonsai

[newzealandteatree]

More than 10 years ago, I drove down to Albany with my family. On the way back we stopped at Mt. Barker. We visited a Banksia Farm where Banksia of all varieties were grown on a huge property. I bought 3 Banksia seedlings to bonsai. This is the only successful one. I have lost the label and am not too sure which variety of Banksia is this. I hope one of u can help me to identify it. Thanks.

Cheers,

CJ
http://newzealandteatreebonsai.blogspot.com/

[Ash]

Absolutely beautiful tree CJ.
Ash

[newzealandteatree]

Thanks alot Ash.

Cheers and have a nice day.

CJ
http://newzealandteatreebonsai.blogspot.com/

[NBPCA]

Hi CJ,

It looks to me like Coastal banksia, Banksia integrifolia var integrifolia.

It normally grows on the coast as the name implies but it actually does live up into colder and even snowy areas.

On the coast it can be seeen plastered by winds against the cliffs and headlands or slightly behind the sand dunes in thickets. The nicest ones I have seen in the wild were at the headland at Ballina; the most easterly point of Mainland Australia.

They can suffer from root rot and borer insects.

Grant

[newzealandteatree]

Hi Grant,

Thanks alot.

Cheers,

CJ
http://newzealandteatreebonsai.blogspot.com/

[hugh grant]

Wondrfull tree, it looks very natural.

Hugh

[kcpoole]

Lovely Tree
I second Grant
Banksia Integrifolia

Ken

[newzealandteatree]

Hugh, Ken : Thanks.

Cheers,

CJ
http://newzealandteatreebonsai.blogspot.com/

[newzealandteatree]

This is how the tree looked like in 2002.

Cheers,

CJ
http://newzealandteatreebonsai.blogspot.com/

[Bretts]

Great stuff CJ
On second look fond a couple of things that suggest where I would now go with this.
I would like to see it opened up a little and when I consider this I see the trunk is very strong to the left. Thinking of the tree in nature I think it would also have a strong trunk/branch heading to the right towards the top.
Hope we get to see more of this tree in the future.

[newzealandteatree]

Bretts, thanks. Yes, this tree needs some more works to refine the structure of the branches. On balance I think this tree will eventually end up with neither a left or right bias. It will be straight vertical in movement after all the different visual left and right biases are added up. The leave are comparatively big and profuse and the only time when u can see into the tree is after defoliation. The best time to view it is when the leave are still small. I will try to capture this moment in the future.

Cheers,

CJ
http://newzealandteatreebonsai.blogspot.com/

[Bretts]

Tink that is what I was thinking