AusBonsai

I have some Nandina domestica "Nana" in the garden, they need moving as the shed is going in this area. They are probably about 4 years old. Does anyone know if these make good bonsai?

Hope this is in the correct section for this type of question.

Trying never hurt. It can be disappointing but so is not having anything to play with.

A friend of mine creates little landscapes with them and uses them for accents at our shows. I would have a crack at it.

If it looks good,...grow it mate lol

I can feel the urge to grab the spade coming on.....good job its too dark!
Thanks.

@ bodhidharma any pics of those landscapes for inspiration?

Many years ago I saw a picture of one in a bosai pot so dug up a stem and potted it. It has been in the same small ( 6 cm diam) pot for about 10 years now and has come through several (accidental) dry spells. Flowers most years and produces berries but is still a single stem and still very little taller than when I got it - about 30 cm tall - and it is the tall type, not the dwarf one.
I'd say virtually indestructable and worth trying.

Thanks guys. I guess some reading is in order to make sure I dig up at the right time now I know they need to be saved for bonsai. The shed can wait!
Anyone have any pics of Nandina as bonsai?

A picture, some care info:
http://www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Nandina.html
A Group:
http://www.bonsaitreesource.com/pd453505269.html

They're not 'nana', but still Nandina. I quite like the group picture; I think I'm going to dig mine out of the garden too.

Hi Blue

I have some further thoughts that may be of help...

I have seen two main types of Nandina Domestica in my area – one is the ‘standard’ size known as ‘Sacred bamboo’ which stands about 2 m tall and is typically tall and leggy with a clumping growth pattern. Leaf structure is wide, delicate and kind of wispy. It has very distinct red berries that form in the top of the plant during the fruiting season. It is used as a hedge and screening plant and brings a lovely ‘Asian’ feel to a garden – I love it!

The second is a dwarf version N. Domestica ‘Nana’ and one variety I’ve seen is called ‘Gulf Stream’ but I’m sure there are more out there. This plant is only about 50cm – 1m tall and has a much more compact leaf structure and typically looks like a clump of red & green leaves, rather than seeing distinct trunks in the standard variety. It is the ‘go to’ plant for many industrial gardens, accent to hedging plants, petrol stations and landscapes that need hardy and low water tolerant plants. It can look very scraggy and I don’t think all that attractive in this form …. IMHO.

I have seen a number of standard sized ND grown as bonsai and have included a few here. They typically have been in the more feminine minimalist style, with the focus on the root structure as well as the airy and delicate branch / leaf structure. They don’t need much wiring, as they follow a standard vertical growth pattern and to go away from this would look rather unnatural I think. I’ve seen one in a book that was reported to be hundreds of years old and had the most incredible root movement with just a small number of thin trunks with minimal branching. Really impressive called ‘The Dragon’ I think…
I’d have a crack at growing your Nandina – they are certainly hardy and can tolerate a range of conditions. I’d keep the structure compact and take off unnecessary branches to bring definition to the plant. Careful consideration needs to be made over the eventual pot and placement, to bring about a pleasing view and to help the tree tell a story.

Good luck with it!

Stew

bluegouldian wrote:I have some Nandina domestica "Nana" in the garden, they need moving as the shed is going in this area. They are probably about 4 years old. Does anyone know if these make good bonsai?

Hope this is in the correct section for this type of question.

Hi bluegouldian, a perfectly valid question. I would have to say no, I can't imagine N.domestica 'Nana' being all that suitable for bonsai.


Others will no doubt disagree with my opinion on this to varying extents.

Therefore I need to ask: Other than being planted in a pot, where in the examples shown is the evidence of bonsai (or Penjing) training having taken place?

Bodhi's suggestion of Saikei or accent plantings being more suited to this species are right on the mark. While I am all for encouraging experimentaion in any artform and absolutely agree that we should aim to be positive when assisting others less experienced than ourselves, the trend of watering down the "B" word to fit every plant in our local nursery or every free plant in our gardens does little to advantage anyone.

I and anyone of a dozen or more others on this forum could reel off 100 species that are very well suited to bonsaI yet for some reason are under utilised. I would love to see that rectified.



Cheers,
Mojo

they can be happily grown in a pot, and look very nice, but have to agree with mojo. They should not really be called Bonsai.

Ken