Araucaria : how to work with them?

[xtolord]

Hi all,

I bought two small araucaria columniaris last weekend from a nursery.
More because it had some interesting twisted trunks at the base.

I know that they bud back on old wood, but I have not seen much used as bonsai.
They are too young to style right now, but in two or tree years they should be ok to begin working with.

Has anyone ever given it a go?

Any tip on how to start with them?

Soil type/mix
Acceptable styling methods etc

Thnks in adv.
X

[MattA]

Hey X,

In general they would do well in any good free draining bonsai mix. While they will tolerate rootwork at anytime it is best done mid to late spring. They are an interesting styling challenge but here is one that I think is a really good traditional bonsai.viewtopic.php?f=142&t=12057&p=127158

I look forward to seeing your trees develop over the coming years, this is a thread on a couple of mine that I am playing withviewtopic.php?f=6&t=5717.

Matt

[xtolord]

Thanks for your post Matt.
I see you have a Araucaria bidwillii.
I've been looking at the pictures you posted back then.
The leaves are huge compared to the columniaris variety that I have.



Araucaria Columniaris

[Roger]

Hi X
That's an intersting find: A columnaris. It's a New Caledonian endemic species with very characteristic growth form. You might have seen it in some of the recent docos on dinosaurs: very tall (50-60m) trunks with short branches over most of the trunk. The branches are 1-2m to occassionally 3m, but given the great height, they look pretty short.

The branches seem to be of a couple of types: there are the 'foliage branches', with leaves a bit like your photos. These fall as a unit, that is each leafy branchlet falls, rather than individual leaves. A bit like the Norfolk Island pine, if you've seen it.

I'm wondering if you will be stimulated to try to make your 'bonsai' look a bit like the natural tree, or will you be seduced into bonsai-ifying it

Look forward to seeing what you do.

Roger

[xtolord]

Hi Roger,

Thanks loads for the input, specially on the leaves & branches.

I am thinking about letting it grow to thicken up.
The mature bark is very interesting.
That same variety is used in landscaping where I live.
The examples I've seen are like you've described, tall trunk and very long leaves.

Right now I'm just going to re-pot in a better draining mix, and let it grow.
I'm not familiar with its growing patterns as yet.
But I am thinking upright or literati/bunjin styles for now.
Nothing fancy as yet.

[Roger]

X
The real test of strength of character with this species is whether you can resist the overpowering urge to bend the trunk into anything other than very straight!

It is said to be a sacred tree of the Polynesian Kanaks of New Caledonia who regard it as a male symbol. [From the 'Handbook of the Worlds Conifers' by Farjon, 2008].

[xtolord]

So that makes it a "No U-turn shape" style I guess

[MattA]

Thanks for your post Matt.
I see you have a Araucaria bidwillii.
I've been looking at the pictures you posted back then.
The leaves are huge compared to the columniaris variety that I have.

I also have A. araucana & heterophylla, the individual leaflets are different sizes but the growth types is the same. Something I have found interesting from my little bidwillii is a 3rd type of growth, trunk shoots, those that would grow to replace the apical line should it be lost while the tree is in its growth stage. I believe it is this type of growth that can be manipulated into taking the genus away from going down the naturalistic line.

Roger, you know I want one now you have described it, the visual of those proportions as a bonsai reminds me to post updated pics of my group

[Roger]

Matt
I just saw that post, and yes, they do look like a columnaris

what's this heresy 'moving away from naturalistic?

[MattA]

what's this heresy 'moving away from naturalistic?

Unlike most genus, there is only one option with Araucaria if you go down the naturalistic route. Its a challenge to get right but would get boring, every tree the same...

[Roger]

Yeah, you'r right. They would become a bit like Japanese Black Pines these days

[xtolord]

A lil update on one of the two trees I bought..
I could not resist and decided to have a look at the roots of one of them.
Its got a nice twisted lower part:







There's the original potting soil at the bottom of the pot and at the top.
Inbetween there is my usual bonsai substrate mix.

[Roger]

Looking forward to seeing it growing up, xtol