Zelcova root over opal

[Bretts]

It was finally time to give this guy a display pot. After letting it grow out all last season I was not keen on chopping so much of it at repot time but became game taking of all swelling buds. Zelcova are amoung the last to bud out so I am still holding my breath for some movement in the dormant buds.
Should look sweet soon

zel.jpg

Oh this was my first ever Bonsai bought from Big W apart from a couple of Ray Nesci seedlings that I killed on the window sill

[hugh grant]

If you got it from big W then the opal must be boulder opal which looks nice but is not worth much at all. I've collected quite a few bits of boulder opal from around central NSW and QLD.
If you can develop the tree nicely it will be a nice little tree over the opal, it will look quite special.
Hugh

[Bretts]

Hey Hugh
The Opal is authentec I piad a decent amount for it.
This is how the Zelcova was after a few months of care from me.

zelkova bonsai (2).jpg

Then several years later I added the Opal

zelkova bonsai root over opal (8).jpg

zelkova bonsai root over opal (9).jpg

Thought it was a lost cause until I set it on it's side last year

[Edward Scissorhand]

Bretts, the opal is pretty cool, what kind is it? Ive got a few large crystals of my own which Im going to do the same thing to. Ive got an amethyst, citrine, quartz, druzy geodes and a crystal cluster to play with, Ive got some big ones at least a foot tall. Hopefully yours will stick. I was gonna also use large interesting redish coloured sandstone and line some opals in between the cracks, then root over rock some ghost gums to give it an outback theme. However my ghostgums are just tubestock at the moment.

[Bretts]

Hi Edward
The Opal is definatly stuck although I understand your comment as I was some what surprised on inspection a couple of years after setting that it was well stuck.. There are many possibilities with precious rock in these types of settings and I am sure people will come up with better than I have done here. I look forward to what you come up with
I could not tell you what type of opal it is?

[hugh grant]

Sorry Brett now I get ya, I thought you meant that the tree and opal where bought already together like that at the shop.
Hugh

[Bretts]

Thanks for the apology Hugh. Although I would not have held it against ya I have now done a quick google search on boulder opal and it is possible you are right anyway although it does not seem like a cheap alternative that they sell at Big W . I have no idea what sought of opal it is but was about $200 up Queensland way many years ago! It seems like alot of rock with minimal opal ingrained in it? From what I read on Wiki Boulder Opal is only 2% of that found but it does come from that area so like I said I have no idea just figured it was a good match?

[hugh grant]

Ok thanks brett. Interesting that's it's only 2% I would have thought it be more. Oh well like you say it's a good match

Hugh