AusBonsai

I had the opportunity to do a bit of collecting and came across this callistemon sieberi (subsp. polystachyum?), River Bottlebrush, in need of rescue. It had been upended by a fresh in the stream (possibly the thunderstorms in Feb.?) and was hanging over a rock, by a couple of thick roots, with its twin trunks submerged in the stream. The trunks were dying off but the plant had reshoot from a bend (its hip?) at the junction of the trunks and roots.

As it had grown the plant had attached itself to an ugly, flat sided rock (looked a bit like an overgrown house brick).
In the pockets it had created as it curled around the rock, new roots were evident. I dug down along the anchoring roots without finding any useful fine root so cut it off, wrapped it and brought it home to install it in the grow bed while I perused the photos and decided what could be done with it.

I cut off both trunks; they would be of no use in the future design for this plant. It was now possible to remove the ugly rock (with the help of a sledge hammer) revealing some useful feeder roots curled up in the pockets of silt. The heavy roots were cut back with the chain saw (thanks to the other half). The plant was soaked in Seasol over lunch then hormone powder applied to all the live cut areas and it was planted into a sandy mix with 20% long stranded moss mixed in. Long stranded moss was used to mulch the surface and the plant watered in with Seasol.
Now I wait for it to move with the Spring.

Jan.

Just wondering...did you plant the bottom part of the tree that was cut off?. Brilliant tortured trunk on it.

Webos wrote:Just wondering...did you plant the bottom part of the tree that was cut off?. Brilliant tortured trunk on it.

I cut off the two straight trunks on the right hand side of the picture; they were of no use to me in the design and I cut back the long roots hanging off the left hand side of the table. One of these roots was dead and rotting, the other two were quite straight with no taper and no feeder roots to speak of.

I rolled the plant towards the viewer when I planted it to give the roots that were tucked up with the rock (center of the first pic.) good contact with the soil and to place the shoots at a believable angle to train on. The toutured trunk on the left hand side (but still on the table) was retained as part of the potted plant. I kept as much "character" as I could and look forward to it shooting.

Nice find Jan
Hope it powers on in a couple of months as it will give lots of options

Ken

Jan, what a great find!

great find. the trunks has good character, i hope it kicks off well for u

Hey Jan,

Just a little bump to see how this one is going... Did it survive?

Matt

MattA wrote:Hey Jan,

Just a little bump to see how this one is going... Did it survive?

Matt

Opps , sorry MattA, I haven't been to the callistemon section for a while - life has gotten a little out of hand of late (sigh).

Yes, it has shot away well, as have the others I collected over those few days. Here is an image...
It contimued to shoot and is now hardening off (good thing as evenings are in single figure temps now and the first frost not too far away).

Jan

Hey Jan,

Its all good, life here has been more than a little hectic as well. Thanks for the update & pic... it really is a tortured old beast, I look forward to seeing your vision as it comes to fruition.

Matt

Hi Jan , Nice butt really looking forward to seeing how you turn this into a very unique Bonsai . Cheers Alpineart

Hi Jan
Great find and good to see it making a strong recovery. They're strong plants.

Looking forward to see where you go next with it.

Roger

alpineart wrote:Hi Jan , Nice butt really looking forward to seeing how you turn this into a very unique Bonsai . Cheers Alpineart

I plan to leave it in it’s grow box for at least a year to develop its root system undisturbed. Much of the existing branch growth died back, as expected – it had only a few small roots to support it initially. The plant has been generous with new shoots lower both on existing branches and popping out of the base. I have nipped the top out of shoots when they have made several leaves, growing on the new branches using the “Clip ‘n Grow” method.

I think that the natural, humped back style of the plant lends itself to a “Turtle Back” style (Korabuki?) but must research that style more. At the moment I’m letting the plant lead the way and I’ll see where I can go with what branches/shoots it presents.

Jan.

Hi Jan

I think that the natural, humped back style of the plant lends itself to a “Turtle Back” style (Korabuki?) but must research that style more. At the moment I’m letting the plant lead the way and I’ll see where I can go with what branches/shoots it presents.

Your research into a range of 'styles' such as the turtle back is good background work. Once done, you might like to put them aside and try to get into what this potentially exciting plant has to offer. What is its own character, as opposed to which style-club should I send it to. What is the most important feature(s) of this plant that I want to capture, irrespective of whether they fit a given style. Think about 'line', movement and flow, balance and asymetry. These will lead you to your best options rather than the dictates of 'styles'. Let the tree take over your creative mind rather than looking at how you can turn it into something is may not be. As you said "I'm letting the plant lead the way..."

Good travelling

Roger

This plant has been busy growing roots and has been moved to a large pot. I promise myself that is the LAST big pot I buy - I struggle to move this one on my own.
Slow release fert. was added to the open mix these seem to prefer,

Jan