Water Gum [from Nesci demo at Ideas Summit]
Posted: July 11th, 2009, 7:52 am
RAY NESCI on Water Gums
From a demo by Ray and Clinton Nesci at the Ideas Summit in July 2009
Tristaniopsis laurina has no relation to eucalypts. It is the common name because the plant grows naturally by streams and rivers and has deep green laurel like leaves with clusters of yellow flowers in the summer. It grows from the tropics to southern Australia in well drained soil and full sun. In a bonsai pot you might need a water tray depending on your microclimate.
Ray Nesci has a special love of water gums . He repots them in August. The plant is a fast grower and you can get a nice bonsai in three to four years. The leaves on a ground grown plant are quite large but they miniaturise extremely well and the Tristani suits shohin bonsai admirably. Ray and Clinton repotted a water gum that is in training for root over rock and Ray had several lovely shohin water gums on display showing the tiny leaves that you can get with pruning and care. Ray’s trick is to keep removing the larger leaves and allowing the tree time to grow smaller ones.
Ray and Clinton worked on a root over rock Water Gum. They took the soil level down to expose the root and then removed the majority of the tree that had been allowed to grow wild to get the roots clinging to the rock faster. Water Gums roots, like trident maples, will gradually ‘melt’ against the rock giving that wonderful, aged look where the root appears to flow down the rock surfaces. For this attribute alone the tree is worth cultivating as a bonsai and when you see who small the normally large leaves can be dwarfed… well why would you go past it.
From a demo by Ray and Clinton Nesci at the Ideas Summit in July 2009
Tristaniopsis laurina has no relation to eucalypts. It is the common name because the plant grows naturally by streams and rivers and has deep green laurel like leaves with clusters of yellow flowers in the summer. It grows from the tropics to southern Australia in well drained soil and full sun. In a bonsai pot you might need a water tray depending on your microclimate.
Ray Nesci has a special love of water gums . He repots them in August. The plant is a fast grower and you can get a nice bonsai in three to four years. The leaves on a ground grown plant are quite large but they miniaturise extremely well and the Tristani suits shohin bonsai admirably. Ray and Clinton repotted a water gum that is in training for root over rock and Ray had several lovely shohin water gums on display showing the tiny leaves that you can get with pruning and care. Ray’s trick is to keep removing the larger leaves and allowing the tree time to grow smaller ones.
Ray and Clinton worked on a root over rock Water Gum. They took the soil level down to expose the root and then removed the majority of the tree that had been allowed to grow wild to get the roots clinging to the rock faster. Water Gums roots, like trident maples, will gradually ‘melt’ against the rock giving that wonderful, aged look where the root appears to flow down the rock surfaces. For this attribute alone the tree is worth cultivating as a bonsai and when you see who small the normally large leaves can be dwarfed… well why would you go past it.
