AusBonsai

WOOHOO... I have wanted a monkey puzzle tree for soo long, today I found a couple in a local nursery & didnt resist. Not much to show at the moment, in a 20cm black pot & about 30cm tall. To look at its not much different to my Araucaria bidwilli just larger leaves.

It will be a lifetime project but one I am so excited to be starting.

Matt

And you intend to bonsai it? Rather surprised. The needles are HUGE!!!!!!! Texture is course. Branchlets are thicker than the trunks on some of my trees! I imagine it will be a very large bonsai.

If anybody doesn't know the history of this tree, google it. I believe there are only about 50 left in the wild or something crazy like that.

Joel

Of course

I have bidwillii & heterophylla already, I reckon araucana will be no harder, it's the hardiest of all the Araucaria so horticulturally it should be easier. They hold the needles for 10-15yrs it is one you simply cannot rush.My bidwillii are 8 & 6 yrs old & still have most of the needles ever grown! Brutally sharp & oh so much fun to do any sort of work with... But they do reduce & I dont see why the older ones cant be pruned off like we do with other species.

I am aiming for a big tree with naturalistic shaping, IE tall straight trunk with an umbrella crown. Then again it could be fun to turn it into a twisted mess that really would puzzle a monkey.

It is for trees like this that I got intrigued by bonsai all those years ago, knowing I could never have the room to grow all the ones i wanted in a garden unless it was many acres! I can have the same in a suburban yard in pots.

As acquired, I estimate its about 2-3yrs old & is beautiful & healthy. I repotted & started sorting out the roots a little, nothing was cut off just untangled & spread out in a larger halfdepth pot. It will be allowed to grow unchecked this season then the fun can begin.