carborundum as a stone candidate?

[doc spring _work]

I would definitely say I'm still new to bonsai but with many seedlings coming into my possession here soon (50 redbuds and 50 bald cypress) I find myself considering many styles, I've always loved root over rock (likely because it's a fusion of two things I'm nerdy about...) and I was thinking about attempting a planting on top of carborundum, or silicone carbide.. which is basically just graphite hit with massive voltage creating these small jagged black stones that reflect a rainbow of color, the stone does have a hardness of 9 out of 10 although I remember it being very... Crumbly, it is hydrophobic which would create some challenges I imagine but I believe the appearance of such a dark vibrant stone under a tree or forest would be a fascination design...

I envision an alien planet or possibly just a beautiful wasteland with a tree here or there in the wind blown style

I would love some thoughts on the viability of this as a design element
Anyone ever try anything with this stone? (Photo of some small fragments shown below )

 

[Shibui]

Hardness is one thing but brittle is more of a concern for ROR. Tree roots exert massive pressure on the rock as they slowly thicken and are likely to shatter brittle rock. I've had several natural rocks broken by tree roots.
The shiny surfaces could be a little distracting. After all, we want people to concentrate of our bonsai rather than getting distracted by the rock or the pot.
Hydrophobic should not be a problem as the feeder roots should be in the soil below the rock. Hydrophobic might even be a bonus. Most rocks absorb water and evaporate it into the air, thus drying the soil substantially. Hydrophobic rocks would reduce this problem.
Can you obtain it in large enough pieces to be viable for a ROR bonsai?

Might be OK for a novelty ROR bonsai but I can't see it taking off. Plenty of better rock types for ROR IMHO.

 

[doc spring _work]

Hardness is one thing but brittle is more of a concern for ROR. Tree roots exert massive pressure on the rock as they slowly thicken and are likely to shatter brittle rock. I've had several natural rocks broken by tree roots.
The shiny surfaces could be a little distracting. After all, we want people to concentrate of our bonsai rather than getting distracted by the rock or the pot.
Hydrophobic should not be a problem as the feeder roots should be in the soil below the rock. Hydrophobic might even be a bonus. Most rocks absorb water and evaporate it into the air, thus drying the soil substantially. Hydrophobic rocks would reduce this problem.
Can you obtain it in large enough pieces to be viable for a ROR bonsai?

Might be OK for a novelty ROR bonsai but I can't see it taking off. Plenty of better rock types for ROR IMHO.

You definitely could find large enough pieces I know a local place, may try it with a few redbud seedlings when they come in..

Not sure if it's just the local place's stones being brittle because the stone is low quality but given how simple it is to create the stone I wouldn't imagine it being hard to make some on my own.

Probably not the best candidate for ror... But I do love tree hollows, if I could have a tree absorb a stone then let hollows form it could be interesting and draw the eye I might also be imagining some pretty far out designs and way too far away from the traditional styles that would be well received

 

[rockm]

Sorry. Too flashy to use for a tree really. These should have dragon or unicorns mounted on them for effect. Less dramatically, Rocks used for RoR shouldn't overpower or overshadow the tree on them. These are focal points rather than complimentary.

The brittle nature suggest to me they'd be dust in a decade under a tree, probably less.

 

[Gabler]

... graphite hit with massive voltage ...

how simple it is to create the stone I wouldn't imagine it being hard to make some on my own.

Massive voltage =/= simple to make.

 

[The Barber]

Sorry. Too flashy to use for a tree really. These should have dragon or unicorns mounted on them for effect. Less dramatically, Rocks used for RoR shouldn't overpower or overshadow the tree on them. These are focal points rather than complimentary.

The brittle nature suggest to me they'd be dust in a decade under a tree, probably less.

I think this is the only tree I've seen that a flashy stone made me think flashy wasn't so bad. But I still agree with what @rockm says.

This tree has to be monstrous, durian fruit are rather large. The Jade is still pretty gaudy.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I think this is the only tree I've seen that a flashy stone made me think flashy wasn't so bad.

I actually think this is a good example of why flashy IS bad. You look at this tree and see nothing but the stone.

As an example of what I am saying... did you notice the cat?

 

[rockm]

I actually think this is a good example of why flashy IS bad. You look at this tree and see nothing but the stone.

As an example of what I am saying... did you notice the cat?

That is AI altered. I’m on a phone screen but there are what look like weird artifacts - the cat being only one. Can anyone read the sign at the lower right? On my phone it looks to read “short men of Asia”? Maybe not but it sure looks that way in my small screen

 

[Bonsai Nut]

That is AI altered. I’m on a phone screen but there are what look like weird artifacts - the cat being only one. Can anyone read the sign at the lower right? On my phone it looks to read “short men of Asia”? Maybe not but it sure looks that way in my small screen

I think the entire thing is AI - and the tree does not exist in real life. Look how the roots just disappear on the rock. The AI artist put his name on the pot. Also - the signs say nothing, they are gibberish. But I was simply pointing out - even assuming the cat IS fake - you don't see it. All you see is a giant blue stone.

 

[rockm]

I think the entire thing is AI - and the tree does not exist in real life. Look how the roots just disappear on the rock. The AI artist put his name on the pot. Also - the signs say nothing, they are gibberish. But I was simply pointing out - even assuming the cat IS fake - you don't see it. All you see is a giant blue stone.

Point taken

 

[doc spring _work]

Massive voltage =/= simple to make.

I mean... You get powdered graphite and you set up a capacitor bank with a wire running through the powder with a gap between the wires negative and positive, essentially the same thing you'd do building a Tesla coil or emp fairly simple although that might be more specialized nerd knowledge

 

[Gabler]

I mean... You get powdered graphite and you set up a capacitor bank with a wire running through the powder with a gap between the wires negative and positive, essentially the same thing you'd do building a Tesla coil or emp fairly simple although that might be more specialized nerd knowledge

Most people don't have spare capacitors lying around.

 

[The Barber]

I actually think this is a good example of why flashy IS bad. You look at this tree and see nothing but the stone.

As an example of what I am saying... did you notice the cat?

Your blowing all my plans of growing stinky fruit on my bonsai all to pieces here. I actually noticed the cat, and the weird hands and arms on the woman to the left of the tree first thing.

 

[Gabler]

Your blowing all my plans of growing stinky fruit on my bonsai all to pieces here. I actually noticed the cat, and the weird hands and arms on the woman to the left of the tree first thing.

What always gets me is when the people in the picture all have the same face.