AusBonsai

Ombu - in the ground 9 months from tubestock.

Jeez that is fast. How do you imagine it will go in a small pot?

ken

I Absolutely love Ombu. They are amazing "trees" (actually, they are a really big herb.....not technically a tree). Everybody who practises bonsai should witness the amazing basal flare these get when mature. There is a mature one in the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. It is near Spring Walk, 2 beds over from the Cacti and Succulent Garden. Absolutely amazing thing.

Penny, is this the only Ombu you have? Do you know if the wounds heal well, or if rotting is an issue? I know the wood is VERY soft. Almost like balsa.

*EDIT* Check out the Ombu in this link, if you haven't seen it already. It is a mature tree in a raised bed with red bricks around it, and it actually looks like the base of a bonsai in a red pot if you squint a little. Good for inspiration! http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2139/172 ... 18784a.jpg

Joel

I have absolutely no idea about this plant. What is it where does it grow ? Is it widely used for bonsai ?
Craig

Hi Craig,

The Ombu is found naturally in South America. I have only heard it used as a bonsai specimen from Penny, though wikipedia claims it is used often.

There are very few in Australia. They are capable of living under extreme drought conditions and have really soft wood and toxic sap. That is about all i know. There is some information on this site: http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/ombu.htm

Perhaps another odd plant to add to your list Craig?

Joel

Hi Joel,
The tree in the link you sent me has an amazing root base. Will certainly keep an eye open for this species.
Regards from Craig

Hi Joel.
I always like to try unusual species. I think Luciano from Brazil has posted photos of some (sorry if I have the name wrong). Regarding the rotting I thought that might be a problem too but you can see in the photos I've cut off trunks up to 4cm dia and they haven't rotted and new growth has sprouted. This is quite recently during this wet and hot weather. This tree is a learning experience for me as I have only seen photos of mature trees (not as bonsai) and I have no idea how they will perform geting to that stage. I have a Kapok tree too but I think that will be more of a challenge. Luciano posted a photo of one of those too in the thread on Pets and Bonsai - it's the spiky one the young cat is climbing carefully over.
Penny.

I didn't know the sap is poisonous - I wonder how the guachos get around that when they use the leaves as a drink? I love the roots on that first tree. The big chop at the centre of mine was made only a week ago so you can see they heal very well and sprout easily from the swollen base. Now that I know they don't rot, I'll make the chops at an earlier stage so they won't be so noticeable as the tree grows. As I said, this is a learning tree.
Penny.

The Argentine artists: Marita Guruchaga, Wu Hisiao Feng and Sergio Luciani make wonders with the Ombu.

http://www.bonsaiwu.com.ar/
Shalom Luciano.
http://bonsaistudio.forumvila.com/index.php
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/luc ... ef=profile

Is that one variegated? I see the leaves do reduce in size. The flowers look interesting - how old before they begin to flower?Can you give me any information about growing them as bonsai?Great sites.
Penny.

where would one find these in australia?

The Digger's Club has them on a regular basis as well as a lot of other unusual plants. I'm not sure if Daley's Rare Fruit Nursery has but they have a lot of tropical and sub-tropical trees and unusual native stock.
Penny.

The tree shown above is variegated, it reduces the leaves yes.
5 years until the first budding.
Shalom Luciano.
http://bonsaistudio.forumvila.com/index.php
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/luc ... ef=profile

More about Ombú...

Forest by Sergio Luciani, Argentina...

Another variegated in FELAB 2008, Buennos Aires, Argentina.
In the aboriginal language Guarani, ombu means shadow.


Shalom Luciano.
http://bonsaistudio.forumvila.com/index.php
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/luc ... ef=profile

Thanks Luciano.
I'm looking forward to seeing what mine does in 4 years time.
Penny.