Can Baccharis be bonsai-ed?

Kazoo

I had one from a nursery in a bonsai pot and it got pretty big and I planted it in the garden just to decide what to do with it. A local bonsai (?) nursery said it can't be used as bonsai.
After a year in the ground, it has a gorgeous trunk and nebari and the roots are still so unattached that just clipping the bush wiggles the whole thing.

VERY tempted to take it back to a bonsai pot (large)

Any hints on Baccharis? (Coyote Bush)

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Will_Heath

There just isn't alot of info out there on this species for bonsai.

http://www.bonsaisite.com/forums/lo...x.php/t288.html



Will

Cordon

I'd love to see a picture of it. I wanted to make a baccharis bonsai aswell. I was strying to start from cuttings, none of which survived. always thought that the trunks had incredible movement and texture. It seems to back bud readily. I'd say go for it. I see you're in Sac, so you could easily leave this tree a few more months for in ground growing.

You say that the roots haven't firmly attached the plant to the ground? In my eyes that'll just make it easier to dig. If the trunk is where you want it to be i'd say bring it up and pot it. You might want to wait until it's cooled off in Cali, say maybe sept? oct? especially if you think it may have a weak root system.

Let us know what you decide. And keep us updated. It's always good to see new potential plants to use.

Cord

Bonsainut

I have had many of these-- they dont seem to do well after potting up. they grow like mad in the ground have great kinky trunks, thicken well. then pot up and they start their decline.

a couple of years later they lapse inta a coma and... well you know. No reason to stop trying though, well yes it is actually... mother stop correcting me

__________________
Keep growing,---'Nut



Lethal Use of Farce

Kazoo

I'll post a pic tomorrow when it's light. Originally I found it at a decrepit out-of-the-way country nursery. I just sawed the soil in half and let it STAY in the pot all winter. Next spring I potted it and had it as bonsai (growing like mad) for about 4-5 years when I decided to cut back on trees and planted it.

I wouldn't dig it until late fall or spring anyhow. But I can tell that the wiggliness means no real root penetration or anchoring. I...did ..... plant it with a substantial amount of bonsai soil in the hole so it is probably not into the clay yet.

Pic tomorrow.

(It DOES grow faster in the ground.....MUCH faster) Have WHACKED it back twice this summer as far as the leaves go. Weird "leaves". Sorta like snakes with lobes.

Kazoo

Here's the picture. Although not the best angle it looks like.

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jfecme

Unless its your one and only specimen in the ground that you don't want to experiment on, I'd say go for it. It looks like there's some real potential. I'd wait until it goes dormant.

I 'll bet soil and nutrients are the real challenge, and I'm about to suggest something that's going to cause every bonsaiist out there to shrink in horror. One, consider planting it in its own soil. I'd almost bet that with the desert climate root rot might not be as big a problem in doing that if you don't overwater it - just let it do its thing as naturally as possible. Maybe put a heavy layer of crushed gravel or pea rock in the bottom of the pot, and plant in a deep pot.

Secondly, if you decide to go the real bonsai soil route, have the native soil where it flourishes naturally tested for its mineral and element content by your local extension agent (or whoever does it out there), and try to then create that content in the pot.

I use to keep a lot of desert plants here in Georgia in greenhouse where they didn't get nature's overwatering, and tried to regulate their survival by giving this kind of attention to the soil. Had real good success.

Whatever you decide I hope you will share with us your methods and the results.

Good luck!

Kazoo

When it WAS in the bonsai pot, there was really no "method." The leaves are more like vines and don't respond to what you would expect on a "leaf" tree.

Consisted of mainly just keeping it in line with haircuts and trying to find all the strings that it had a habit of sending THROUGH the foliage and being a foot long.

It had a beautiful trunk but the canopy (?) was more of a SHAPE than a trained look of care.

It has never (until planted a couple years ago) had any "normal" soil. It went from nursery sand to bonsai soil and now is generally MOSTLY still in bonsai soil in a hole in the ground. I imagine some rooting is going on into surrounding dirt, but most is still in the loose soil.

Still trying to decide. It's a nice BUSH in the front yard.

Kazoo

If I do it, I think I would use a pot like this one. This lil pine was one I ...gave up...on and gave to some friends who ....WISELY.....ignored it and let the pot fall over and dry out and it got all gnarly and stunted and NOW they won't even SELL it back to me.

aaaarggghh! heh heh

But it is quite a sight. We visited them again this year and I found that no one had even removed the WIRE I put on it 5 years ago or so.

Didn't HURT it any.

I want it back. Boo hoo. heh heh

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