Melaleuca Styphelioides..Stage two..Lightning Struck

[bodhidharma]

I finally made a decision on my Mel as to its design and its future incarnation. An Australian Native, alone on a hill, a wild night of storms and it is struck by a massive lightning bolt. The strike blows it apart but it survives . Half shattered it struggles for years and finally heals itself completely and continues on with its life. That is our mighty Aussie Native. That is my imagination running wild but i have made a beginning. After collecting the Mel and being told that it is a good Bonsai subject i have gotten the tree healthy and its new foliage is popping out everywhere. The Tree is now in a temporary pot and i already have the new pot selected. I have completed the carving and i am now starting to develop its branching. I am treating it like an exotic in its branch development and if other learned Aussie native people can advise me if that is the way or not that would be appreciated. The tree is LARGE being 280mm wide at its base. I am tip pruning it lightly at the moment and it has tremendous back budding. I am hoping for that one Aussie Native tree in my collection (which is rather small) that people look at and go HOLY GHOST..i want one ALL advice on this project would be mightely appreciated so this does not happen to this tree.

[Ash]

This looks like a fun project bodhi and it looks like good material to execute it with. They grow strongly as you no doubt have already discovered. I would constantly give it a light trim as you grow it out, even when it is 'growing on'. That way the branches will wire better and back bud better should you need to do more hard pruning. I have only one problem with it however. That beautiful green shallow pot. I don't think you should use it Because I think you should sell it to me

cheers
Ash

[NBPCA]

It will be interesting to see you shoe horn that bonsai into such a shallow pot; however if it works it will be very dramatic.

Grant

[bodhidharma]

It will be interesting to see you shoe horn that bonsai into such a shallow pot; however if it works it will be very dramatic.

Grant

Here's hoping Grant.

[NBPCA]

Don't forget that all the Melaleucas love water(and most aussie natives in fact ) so they fill the pots with roots very quickly and can dry out quickly.

An interesting project.

Grant

[Mitchell]

That base is amazing! My personal preference would be to blow torch the new carved area black. Although the mighty tree would have healed itself after many years, a blown out lightning struck tree usually holds charred black burnt heartwood for the rest of its life.

You could remove that jin, but I'm thinking a white jin coming out of the burnt black heartwood would be a great contrast. Might look a bit unusual though.
I think your aiming for many years down the track after the strike, but when I think "lightning struck" the first image after "black burnt" is "splintered". Not sure it is feasible, but what about taking some shari nips and pulling some big splinters out from the top of the carved area. Pull them down and slightly curl them. My preference would then to be burn/blacken them.

Just my , love your story and it works well, just would like to see a bit more drama to re-enforce it.
Of coarse you may already have some black deadwood planned any how.


Can't wait to see where you go with it. Keep us posted.

[kcpoole]

Nice Bodhi
Going to be beautiful in the new pot

I have one Somewhat somilar myself I collected last year. It is powering on with new growth and I will be putting some wire on this arvo hopefully.
I have a similar idea as you as to the carving to be done, but I will take more out I think the make the tree quite hollow.

I will look forward to updates of this one of yours

ken

[bodhidharma]

Thanks for that Mitchell. Hmmm..i am not so sure i like it that black. When i am ready to burn it i will P.M Pup and get lots of advice as to whether you you can vary the blackening. Hopefully he will guide me as to the best look.

[bodhidharma]

Nice Bodhi
Going to be beautiful in the new pot

I have one Somewhat somilar myself I collected last year. It is powering on with new growth and I will be putting some wire on this arvo hopefully.
I have a similar idea as you as to the carving to be done, but I will take more out I think the make the tree quite hollow.

I will look forward to updates of this one of yours

ken

Hi Ken..at what stage are you wiring branches? When it is soft new growth or are you waiting for it to harden off.

[Mitchell]

Thanks for that Mitchell. Hmmm..i am not so sure i like it that black. When i am ready to burn it i will P.M Pup and get lots of advice as to whether you you can vary the blackening. Hopefully he will guide me as to the best look.

I would not, go as black as the virt. It is in shadow, if it was a shot in the sun I would like to see many varying shades and texture. I blow torch it black, then hit it with a steel brush and remove the black on areas to give it that patchy look.

Definitely not jet black, like the shadowed virt.

[Pup]

G,day Bohdi, I like the story this tree is telling also the one you are . However as all ways there is one, that pot I think is over ambitious.
The same pot with at least double that depth, otherwise you will struggle to keep it alive, unless you do as Grant says, permanent, water tray which then takes away what you want, a nice looking tree in a shallow pot.

When it comes to hollowing out do it slowly so you can see where you are going. Some of the growth is close to the edges might suffer and not survive.
The idea that Mitchell has suggested with the wire brush is what I do. Also a water based paint mix of Fremantle Sail ( from Mitre 10 ) then wire brush gives the old wind blown affect of old burnt wood. also lime sulphur and India or Sumi ink, you can add as you need for lighter or darker.

When using the Blowtorch cover the live foliage with a damp cloth, but also be careful not to spend too much time, at one time near the foliage.

Looking forward to this trees development. Cheers Pup

[kcpoole]

Nice Bodhi
Going to be beautiful in the new pot

I have one Somewhat somilar myself I collected last year. It is powering on with new growth and I will be putting some wire on this arvo hopefully.
I have a similar idea as you as to the carving to be done, but I will take more out I think the make the tree quite hollow.

I will look forward to updates of this one of yours

ken

Hi Ken..at what stage are you wiring branches? When it is soft new growth or are you waiting for it to harden off.

They are about 10mm Diameter
Quite firm, but still bendable but not too far
See other thread fro pics

[bodhidharma]

Don't forget that all the Melaleucas love water(and most aussie natives in fact ) so they fill the pots with roots very quickly and can dry out quickly.

An interesting project.

Grant

I am toying with the idea (actually becoming sold on the idea) that i could get a water tray that is ascetically in keeping with the pot. Like the show stand it is sitting on. one that it actually sits in or just on top off.

[bodhidharma]

It has now been a year for this tree and i made the decision to carve, trim and repot the tree today. I was disappointed with its root system and repotted into a much more free draining mix. I kept the pot the same because of the root system. The carving went well and i now have a good selection of secondary branching to work with. I will let it recoup and then wire and treat the carving.

[Bretts]

Nice Project Bodi