AusBonsai

Greetings,
I have a bunya that has been in a pot for nearly 20 years.
I posted a picture in March 2010.
I have shorted the tree and made the back apex dominate.
I will try to post a picture this evening.
I took all the leaflets from the trunk and removed unneeded branches early.
Happy bonsai,
Bruce.

The Bunya pine yesterday.
I took the front down by about 1/3 and trimmed the branches.
No post picture as the rain started to blow in under the house.
It has been raining all day in Brisvagas.
Bruce

bonsaibruce wrote:Greetings,
I have a bunya that has been in a pot for nearly 20 years.
I posted a picture in March 2010.
I have shorted the tree and made the back apex dominate.
I will try to post a picture this evening.
I took all the leaflets from the trunk and removed unneeded branches early.
Happy bonsai,
Bruce.

Hey Bruce,

I knew I had seen atleast one or 2 around the forum, could you post a larger size image if possible. I would be interested in hearing more of your experience with the tree.

Matt

I had some time during the week so decided to give this lot a repot.
The planted as seed in this pot & always grown together, on getting them out of the pot & cleaning off the soil this is what i found. All with "interesting" roots. I had toyed with the idea of splitting this lot up & making a trio & keeping 2 as seperate trees. In general when styling a tree for the first time I like to start with the roots & let them direct the rest of the tree... what could I possibly do with this tangled lot... So I took some pictures to let my mind play over them a while, as i did so i started to see a possibility... they have been potted up together with a slight chance in there relative positions. the pot is a little cramped at the moment but I will rectify that in about 6months time when they have rooted well enough to reveal the full story!... The largest tree was threaded thu the gap in the conjoined twins & then the smallest was threaded into the serpents roots. When it has reestablished a solid root system the whole lot will be lifted in the pot & the roots exposed. I am not totally happy with there alignment or the placement of the smaller 2, I will rectify this at the next repot, moving the back 2 a little more to the right & slightly more forward for the far right one. The main issues are getting the roots to fit within the slightly cramped pot (thankfully it is atleast a bit deeper) tho i envisage them remaining in this pot.

Matt

Just a quick update on this lot.

After repotting they were put in my shade house receiving about 3hrs of morning sun then protected the rest of the day, most of the new shoots were a bit droopy for about a week but have since come back to normal. Will update again when I lift the lot to expose the roots & sort out which branches I keep or not.

Matt

As part of the seasonal change i moved this lot out to get more sun today & thought I would grab a few pics. New buds have extended well in the apex & even stronger on the top layer of branches. I have removed about 3-4 branches so far with my eye on another 2 or 3 that definitely have to go. I am also not totally happy with the planting position but will rectify it next repot in a few years time, the smaller 2 at the right rear are attached at root level & will be moved round to the right & front a little more..

The trunk has finally thickened out where it joins the original seed growth and the tree also had its first bark peel/roll during the season. Its still showing some of the winter colour change but buds had started moving so I have given it a good haircut. Now for another year of growth...

Matt

I noticed new buds forming on the little bunya I pruned in the last post & thought I should finally give some time to the group planting. It took a while for these to really settle after the major root work & while some growth was made they struggled thru winter with the worst colour to the individual leaves. It is now well on its way back to health & with a recent top dress of Osmocote native they are budding away all up & down, including some long dormant buds. I have the pot set on a stone slab in the garden where it gets full sun till early afternoon before being shaded by a mulberry. They will be allowed to grow freely over the next year & then I can start looking at branch placement & possibly even rearranging the placement of the 2 seperate root tangles.

Matt

I quite like the look of these plants. Seeing them as a group, and with their general shape, brought to mind a picture similiar to Wollemi pines in their valley.
Nice work.

I really liked the budding I got from pruning earlier in the season, this little baby has pushed new buds right down to the original seed growth and an opportune one just above the cut that had to be made.
Matt

Very interesting to read your techniques Matt. Yours are looking much better than the sad one you saw in my garden last week. I really like the way the group is progressing. Would you consider adding more trees to it?

Regards,
Steven

Steven wrote:Very interesting to read your techniques Matt. Yours are looking much better than the sad one you saw in my garden last week. I really like the way the group is progressing. Would you consider adding more trees to it?

Regards,
Steven

Once they get going they fire big time. I am still learning from them but think several Aruacaria have real merit given the right approach to growing & a lifetime commitment.

The group were all grown from a single batch of seed & as such I probably wouldnt add any more to it, tho never say never. A different pot & well... we all know how it goes

Give that baby of yours some fresh soil in a bigger pot or better still in the ground like my little one...

Look forward to seeing yours in a few years time.

Matt

Not even 2 months on & the growth has been amazing. The apex that was left has fired away already starting to form its second ring of branches & so is the small bud that was just above the chop. It has also shot up a potential new leader at the base of the first branch (half way up the trunk).

Most will be cut off next year but its going to be interesting fighting my way thru the growth by then. Anyone who complains about pines & junipers should try these, even just trying to get close will earn you plenty of sharp stabs from its leaves.

Matt

Hi Matt
Great to see the progress you are making with this spikely little fellow. Hope you have a gross of bandaids handy !

You're right about the potential with araucarias. Once the pruning regime is worked out and the response to repotting too, then the careful work of shaping and years of care will produce exciting and awe inspiring little trees. You are well on your way... Mary Wilkinson has had a magnificent A. cunninghamiana (hoop pine) on loan at the National Collection a few years back. It was stunning. The exposed root design she used was amazing.

Roger

Any photos, Roger?

Gavin