AusBonsai

Hey ausbonsaiers!
This is an out of nowhere Bougainvillea dig that I did this afternoon. Basically in the photos you can see that it's got an alright curvy trunk, and a bit of a root spread, but as some of you may notice, that's because the darn thing is UPSIDE DOWN! The 'trunk' is actually the extending lower root that was under the ground, and the 'root spread' is the base of the branches that were above the ground.



So my question to anyone who might be able to help is, has an upside down planting ever been known to succeed? I plan to soak the girl in seasol for a couple days, and she doesn't have any roots to speak of so I know that this is going to be a rare chance she'll take.

I have a 2 year old bent branch cut from a bougy climbing a fence that struck and is thriving now, So I do know that a non-root wood bougy can strike roots.

thanks in advance everyone!

I know near to nothing about this practice but I have heard many stories about aboriginal tribes digging up small trees and place them upside down and to this day they still stand.
If I knew where it was I would post a link

p.s. sorry for going off topic but good luck with what ever you decide

What a weird idea!
Please let us know how it turns out

Ken

It works with Olives. Why not give it a go. I've always wondered about root cuttings and whether or not you can flip them.

If it's the reverse taper on the root that's worrying you, why not bury the whole thing deep in sharp sand or whatever you propagate with, and just leave the tips of the branches out to shoot. When you have roots, plant the "reverse taper" root along at ground level, with the branches rising up out of the end. It should look good. (Does this make any sense?) I like the shape.

Because root and branch cells are specialised, there's probably not a good chance of striking it upside down. Just my 2c.

Gavin

It will only live until the stored energy dies. The vascular system (in particular the xylem) can only transport in ONE direction. It cannot be reversed.

Sorry to burst your bubble...

Joel

I seem to remember an episode of Burkes back yard where they showed some huge cuttings of Erythrina indica, they were trunk pieces and they all grew, one was even planted upside down by mistake. It also grew but the shoots still came from the 'top' and grew up from underground and the roots still emerged from the 'bottom' and went down into the soil. Thants how i remember it anyway, was a long time ago.

I have done it with a Hawthorn which shot and the shoots extended. It died within three months with good aftercare but i think it was using stored energy and when that was finished it died.

Ah thanks everyone for the feedback! Well i didn't have too much hope for it, and I actually didn't understand the one-direction flow of the plant. I've had cuttings and raw branches strike before so i've been constantly amazed by what our trees can do.

Well anyway, i've learned something then! thanks again,

Josh

I would like to know why you think this is a girl. More male looking to me.
Anyway I have a bougy clumb that has grown ' upside down" It had no roots and was cut across widest points This has been alive 3 + years. Same technique as olives. Cannot show pic as not on home computer.
Put it in sand or fine akadama, keep moist only. Have it very stable and rotate each month to encourage shoots on all sides so you then get roots all sides. As roots are very fine and break easily when transplanting I put smaller pot ( or colander) into larger pot with potting mix so roots can grow through until strong. It would be great if the root does shoot as it has great taper.
You may have to wait months for it to shoot. Good luck and let us know next year how it is going.

addict2bonsai wrote:I would like to know why you think this is a girl. More male looking to me.
Anyway I have a bougy clumb that has grown ' upside down" It had no roots and was cut across widest points This has been alive 3 + years. Same technique as olives. Cannot show pic as not on home computer.
Put it in sand or fine akadama, keep moist only. Have it very stable and rotate each month to encourage shoots on all sides so you then get roots all sides. As roots are very fine and break easily when transplanting I put smaller pot ( or colander) into larger pot with potting mix so roots can grow through until strong. It would be great if the root does shoot as it has great taper.
You may have to wait months for it to shoot. Good luck and let us know next year how it is going.

Oh darn it, this post of yours went way too long without a reply! ha ha! oh gosh, now that you mention it, how did i EVER think that this was anything but a guy. sheesh!

Well just a little update I had to throw her out, I suddenly had to go away for a bunch of days and she was left in the seasol soaking bucket. I feel guilty as always when a tree dies because of my bonsai inquisitiveness, but well i guess i can just chalk it up to experience....

thanks again everyone for the help and tips!
Jozaeh