Banksia integrifolia. Possible overhaul

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

I am thinking of overhauling this tree.

Here is a photo of it yesterday.

What do you think?

All thoughts, comments,suggestions welcome.

banksia integrifolia.JPG

Grant

[LLK]

Interesting tree, but somehow the style doesn't suit a native, or a banksia in particular. I'd get rid of that triangular apex for a start. Attached a lighter version of your photo, via Picasa.

Lisa

[Gerard]

Hi Grant,
If this was a pine, I would love to see a beautifully tapered tree made from the first branch.
But it is not a pine.
I don't know much about banksias, this idea would certainly not be a typical banksia but I do like the lines of the trunk very much.
Very keen to see where you go with this one.

[Ash]

By 'overhaul' do you mean re-style Grant? Cause it don't look sick to me! It looks like a masterful piece of horticulture. I would be so worried about wrecking that in an attempt to 'overhaul' the tree.

I do not know anything about Banksia as bonsai so I cannot comment on the feasibility of doing what I have done in the above picture. Also I dont know what this tree naturally looks like down south. But up here they often have several upright trunks. They are a bit pointy on the top when they are young but the top gets a bit flatter and sparse when they are old. I think the old northern B. integrifolia has been divided off into as separate species called Banksia aquilonia nowadays.

Banksia integrifolia.jpg

Ash

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

On Tuesday night I took this tree along to a workshop with the intention of only giving it a light trim.

I started by taking out the elongated new growth and then starting cleaning it out internally etc.

2 hours quickly passed and I was very happy with the tree; in the flesh.

I then photographed it yesterday and just didn't like it anywhere near as much in the photo as compared to the real thing.

Photos certainly do highlight problems with trees.

Apex has gotten a bit heavy over time and I am not happy with the movement of the trunk towards the right from about halfway up.

Grant

[Waltron]

Very nice virtual Ash, that would make a very convincing tree. Though I think it would be a 10+ year job to create it.

[Grant Bowie]

By 'overhaul' do you mean re-style Grant? Cause it don't look sick to me! It looks like a masterful piece of horticulture. I would be so worried about wrecking that in an attempt to 'overhaul' the tree.

I do not know anything about Banksia as bonsai so I cannot comment on the feasibility of doing what I have done in the above picture. Also I dont know what this tree naturally looks like down south. But up here they often have several upright trunks. They are a bit pointy on the top when they are young but the top gets a bit flatter and sparse when they are old. I think the old northern B. integrifolia has been divided off into as separate species called Banksia aquilonia nowadays.

Banksia integrifolia.jpg

Ash

Hi Ash

Banksia are very quick growers and the design you suggest would be feasible by allowing a branch to develop from the top layer of the lowest left hand branch.

Grant

[MattA]

Hey Grant,

As a bonsai this is really a very nice example just needing little bits doing to bring it to great (thinning the apex etc)... As a miniature representation of a Banksia it is way off the mark....

I really like Gerards idea of a tree from that first branch but it will still not look like a Banksia (but does it need to)... Ash that virt is awesome, really looks like the big old banksia I have been looking at recently round Newcastle. I thought I would try my hand at one but didnt get very far... then I saw this.....Bloody Pup & his smallest tree within

apex layer.jpg

You would still need to thin out the growth in there but it looks just like many of the Banksia I saw yesterday (and collected some seed from).

Matt

[Pup]

[quote="MattA"]Hey Grant,

k....

... then I saw this.....Bloody Pup & his smallest tree within


This could start a whole new thread, could it not

If you look at other trees you do see them Eh . Looks like a lot of air layers coming up

Pup

[Grant Bowie]

Hey Grant,

k....

... then I saw this.....Bloody Pup & his smallest tree within


This could start a whole new thread, could it not

If you look at other trees you do see them Eh . Looks like a lot of air layers coming up

Pup

Anything is possible.

Grant

[LLK]

What itches me is not the movement to the right of the trunk, about halfway up, which might not be so difficult to remedy. No, for me it is the pronounced sinuous movement of the lower trunk compounded by that of the first branch on the left. It's all too 'snakey'; moreover, the style of the first branch on the left always reminds me of something like the image below. (This should be "in my humble opinion". Sincerely so!)

Lisa

[MattA]

Hey Grant,

k....

... then I saw this.....Bloody Pup & his smallest tree within


This could start a whole new thread, could it not

If you look at other trees you do see them Eh . Looks like a lot of air layers coming up

Pup

Anything is possible.

Grant

GGRRRR PUP

I will never stop loving my 1-2mtr trees but at the same time I have recoonected with the littluns ...

all your fault....

Grant, having seen your work on other trees I am sure you will come up with something equally stunning & suited to the tree & the material you have to start with.

Matt

[Gerard]

What itches me is not the movement to the right of the trunk, about halfway up, which might not be so difficult to remedy. No, for me it is the pronounced sinuous movement of the lower trunk compounded by that of the first branch on the left. It's all too 'snakey'; moreover, the style of the first branch on the left always reminds me of something like the image below. (This should be "in my humble opinion". Sincerely so!)

Lisa

Lisa, you need to be careful with how you express your opinion. I believe Grant would find the red wine most attractive.

[Grant Bowie]

What itches me is not the movement to the right of the trunk, about halfway up, which might not be so difficult to remedy. No, for me it is the pronounced sinuous movement of the lower trunk compounded by that of the first branch on the left. It's all too 'snakey'; moreover, the style of the first branch on the left always reminds me of something like the image below. (This should be "in my humble opinion". Sincerely so!)

Lisa

Lisa, you need to be careful with how you express your opinion. I believe Grant would find the red wine most attractive.

I resemble that!

[Grant Bowie]

What itches me is not the movement to the right of the trunk, about halfway up, which might not be so difficult to remedy. No, for me it is the pronounced sinuous movement of the lower trunk compounded by that of the first branch on the left. It's all too 'snakey'; moreover, the style of the first branch on the left always reminds me of something like the image below. (This should be "in my humble opinion". Sincerely so!)

Lisa

Hi Lisa,

That left hand branch has been worked on many times and I am still not happy with it.

Grant