Newbie advice on Tanuki, Type of Bonsai and Layout

[ob1page]

Hello. I am new to bonsai and to this community but I am hoping someone can give me some advice. I came across this piece of Mopani wood at my local aquarium store and I had to buy it. The dimensions are 15" tall, 8" deep and 10" wide. The spot I was thinking about mounting the bonsai is 6" wide by 8" deep. I had planned on putting it in an closed terrarium however I am having trouble finding a container large enough that is not an aquarium to display it and I have always been fascinated with bonsai so I started researching. I came across an article about Tanuki and a lightbulb went off. I want to design something for my office so an indoor bonsai is required. I am leaning towards either an Ficus Benjamina or an Chinese Elm but I am open to all ideas. My plan is to Dremel out a channel in the rear of the Mopani and either drill through the back or router to the top and place the bonsai at the top of the Mopani. I want to eventually train the bonsai to cascade down in a similar fashion to the pictures attached with the bonsai on the rock. The shape of the Mopani will allow for the root ball to sit directly below so I just need to find a pot tall enough to house it all. Ideally I will not be repotting this any time soon.

Is this a feasible plan and is it something I can plan on having some longevity? I do not want to put in the effort for a short term display. Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

But what are you proposing is not Tanuki per se, a better term would be Root over driftwood, in a Tanuki you put a live tree as a live vein to imitate a real tree overall, the deadwood and live tree become one. As for longevity you can use lime sulfur and other fungicides to preserve the wood, always look they are plant safe

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

That's a nice piece of wood on its own.
I wouldn't do anything with it and just keep it as a nice piece of wood.

Indoor bonsai is hard if you're not totally immersed into indoor gardening.

 

[ob1page]

But what are you proposing is not Tanuki per se, a better term would be Root over driftwood, in a Tanuki you put a live tree as a live vein to imitate a real tree overall, the deadwood and live tree become one. As for longevity you can use lime sulfur and other fungicides to preserve the wood, always look they are plant safe

Thank you for the clarification

That's a nice piece of wood on its own.
I wouldn't do anything with it and just keep it as a nice piece of wood.

Indoor bonsai is hard if you're not totally immersed into indoor gardening.

I had considered laying it down horizontally and using preserved moss and air plants to tuck into all the indentations and grooves and using it as a desk display. I just can't get the idea out of my head that something NEEDS to be growing out of the top.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

The thing is that as soon as you expose it to water, it will attract springtails and it will start degrading.
I know some ferns like the rabbits foot fern would do nice indoors, even with a lot of shade. Those can go without water for a long time too.

 

[ShadyStump]

I forget the term right now, but it's when a tree begins growing out of the rotting stump or log of a dead tree, living on the composted matter.
You could use a ficus or similar to simulate that sort of occurrence; somewhat like the trees that grow in pockets of sand in rock formations, but in a dead stump in stead.

You'd want to treat the wood you have there against further rot (maybe soak in linseed oil or similar), and will probably have to hollow it out all the way to the bottom of the live tree to grow through.

Anyway, as cool an idea as it is, it wouldn't be a beginner project. You'll probably have better luck with your air plants.
Actually, I think it was @Arnold who post just a little while ago a video of someone simulating a pine bonsai using dead wood and air plants. I'll try to find it. This could be an ideal chance for such a project.

 

[ShadyStump]

Found it!

Bonsai-like display with Tillandsias and driftwood

I found this interesting video searching for paludarium ideas, very cool technique using driftwood and air plants to recreate a Pine

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Lorax7]

I started a tanuki project using Mopani wood this spring. (LINK) It’s going reasonably well so far. No noticeable degradation of the Mopani wood whatsoever thus far. Despite Mopani being a really dark wood, it bleaches quite well when treated with lime sulfur.

 

[ob1page]

Found it!

Bonsai-like display with Tillandsias and driftwood

I found this interesting video searching for paludarium ideas, very cool technique using driftwood and air plants to recreate a Pine

www.bonsainut.com

So cool! Thank you for sharing

I started a tanuki project using Mopani wood this spring. (LINK) It’s going reasonably well so far. No noticeable degradation of the Mopani wood whatsoever thus far. Despite Mopani being a really dark wood, it bleaches quite well when treated with lime sulfur.

I was looking at your post earlier, I really like the look of the bleached Mopani. Thank you for sharing

 

[Crazy Diamond]

I forget the term right now, but it's when a tree begins growing out of the rotting stump or log of a dead tree, living on the composted matter.

Yes very common in the northwest forest like the Olympic peninsula, theres also the case of strangler Figs, they germinate up in the canopy of a big tree then send roots down the trunk and eventually kill the host tree

 

[ShadyStump]

Yes very common in the northwest forest like the Olympic peninsula, theres also the case of strangler Figs, they germinate up in the canopy of a big tree then send roots down the trunk and eventually kill the host tree
View attachment 457625

I'm working on projects with a couple other nutters here trying to simulate the strangler fig phenomenon using cactus wood actually. For some reason I didn't think of that when read OP's post.

 

[HENDO]

Tanuki are super fun projects!

Post in thread 'Tanuki ("tree-over-driftwood") bonsai...Q's on practical setting-up of such composures, as well as species & "type" Q's' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/t...-as-well-as-species-type-qs.48524/post-835872

 

[ob1page]

I'm falling and father down the rabbit hole, this is a fascinating subject. I'm now looking at the Portulacaria afra and combining it with air plants and other succulents. I'm still thinking about the composition.
I'm also considering doing something similar to the link @ShadyStump shared with air plants and driftwood. I'm on the lookout for the perfect piece to join to my Mopani. I want to thank everyone for the helpful advice, it is appreciated.

 

[ShadyStump]

I'm falling and father down the rabbit hole, this is a fascinating subject. I'm now looking at the Portulacaria afra and combining it with air plants and other succulents. I'm still thinking about the composition.
I'm also considering doing something similar to the link @ShadyStump shared with air plants and driftwood. I'm on the lookout for the perfect piece to join to my Mopani. I want to thank everyone for the helpful advice, it is appreciated.

Share whatever you come up with. Even if it isn't exactly bonsai, I'm sure we'd all be fascinated by the project.

 

[Lorax7]

I'm falling and father down the rabbit hole, this is a fascinating subject. I'm now looking at the Portulacaria afra and combining it with air plants and other succulents. I'm still thinking about the composition.
I'm also considering doing something similar to the link @ShadyStump shared with air plants and driftwood. I'm on the lookout for the perfect piece to join to my Mopani. I want to thank everyone for the helpful advice, it is appreciated.

Just to be clear on terminology, what you’re describing is not a tanuki. It’s just an epiphytic plant doing what epiphytes do (grow on top of other trees, above the ground). The term tanuki specifically refers to faking the appearance of advanced age in bonsai by attaching a piece of dead wood to a living tree.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Tanuki are super fun projects!

Post in thread 'Tanuki ("tree-over-driftwood") bonsai...Q's on practical setting-up of such composures, as well as species & "type" Q's' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/t...-as-well-as-species-type-qs.48524/post-835872

View attachment 457687

View attachment 457688

Very cool tree, for better disguise of the screws theres is a trick, you make a cut with the concave pruners like if were a branch, then put a screw or small head nail in the center; it should get bellow the living tissue surface and when the tree heals over is unnoticeable

 

[ob1page]

I finally decided which direction to take this. It is kinda temporary as everything is artificial; I used preserved moss and aquarium plants. I do like the outcome and there is no chance of having the moss in an open kusamono on my desk so I may keep it as is. I have been researching a similar setup in an enclosed terrarium so I can grow live plants but it is not feasible at this point. All this being said, what are your thoughts on the layout?

 

[ShadyStump]

Looking good.
I think you can do real plants and moss, just use a spray bottle for watering, and keep a drip tray under it.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Excellent as is. Attractive and no messy watering needed.

For indoor growing, first try in pots on their own (save this wood for later) first try a few species that tolerate indoors. All Ficus species are good. Ficus benjaminia will not cascade willingly, they are very upright trees, but easy to grow. Ficus retusa, glabra 'Green Island' and other "houseplant Ficus" are good and most will cascade a little easier than Ficus benjaminia. Ficus pumila is a creeping vine that prefers to cascade but is very difficult to get it to develop a trunk.

Ivy, Hedera helix is slow to trunk up but can make a lovely cascading potted tree.

Malpighia glabra and other malpighia species are often grown as "indoor Bonsai" though they are really outdoor shrubs in tropical areas. Small leaves, pinks flowers, cherry like edible, but not very flavorful fruit. They can be trained to cascade styles without much trouble. East and south windowsills.

Serissa foetida -the snow rose or tree of a thousand stars, though in bonsai circles we use "Serissa" as the common name, its simpler than "tree of a thousand stars". This grows well, any bright window will do. Comes in variegated and plain leaf forms, also single flowers, double flowers, and single or double in both white or pink flowers. Really a forgiving plant, worth a try. It will accept a cascade style. Can be grown in pretty much any style.

Florist's azalea - often seen in floral department of big box grocery stores. These tend to be be Belgian hybrid azaleas bred for the florists trade. Hardy at best to 29 F, they can be treated as a cool growing houseplant IF you have a cooler than average home in winter. Keep close to windowsill so they cool off at night. Azalea are a cult unto themselves, but really not that hard to grow.

Eugenia, Feijoa, Luma, Myrcia, Myrciaria, Myrteola, Myrtus, Pimenta, Plinia, Psidium, Agni, and Jaboticaba are all guava relatives that can be grown in containers the smaller ones on windowsills. All are edible, some flavorful, some "not so much". Eugenia, Luma, Myrtus = culinary myrtle, and jaboticaba have the smallest leaves. All of the list have been used as bonsai. Most are tropical or sub-tropical, assume they will not tolerate a frost. They will appreciate at least a half day of sun. Most want moist to damp potting media, slightly acidic, not soggy, no standing water, never completely dry.

Fuchsia - this is a genus often grown as an annual for flowers, it is a herbaceous shrub, does not make true wood. It can be trained to look tree like by "clip and grow", the lovely dangling flowers are quite the pay off. A little tricky to grow, but worth the reward.

 

[ob1page]

Excellent as is. Attractive and no messy watering needed.

For indoor growing, first try in pots on their own (save this wood for later) first try a few species that tolerate indoors. All Ficus species are good. Ficus benjaminia will not cascade willingly, they are very upright trees, but easy to grow. Ficus retusa, glabra 'Green Island' and other "houseplant Ficus" are good and most will cascade a little easier than Ficus benjaminia. Ficus pumila is a creeping vine that prefers to cascade but is very difficult to get it to develop a trunk.

Ivy, Hedera helix is slow to trunk up but can make a lovely cascading potted tree.

Malpighia glabra and other malpighia species are often grown as "indoor Bonsai" though they are really outdoor shrubs in tropical areas. Small leaves, pinks flowers, cherry like edible, but not very flavorful fruit. They can be trained to cascade styles without much trouble. East and south windowsills.

Serissa foetida -the snow rose or tree of a thousand stars, though in bonsai circles we use "Serissa" as the common name, its simpler than "tree of a thousand stars". This grows well, any bright window will do. Comes in variegated and plain leaf forms, also single flowers, double flowers, and single or double in both white or pink flowers. Really a forgiving plant, worth a try. It will accept a cascade style. Can be grown in pretty much any style.

Florist's azalea - often seen in floral department of big box grocery stores. These tend to be be Belgian hybrid azaleas bred for the florists trade. Hardy at best to 29 F, they can be treated as a cool growing houseplant IF you have a cooler than average home in winter. Keep close to windowsill so they cool off at night. Azalea are a cult unto themselves, but really not that hard to grow.

Eugenia, Feijoa, Luma, Myrcia, Myrciaria, Myrteola, Myrtus, Pimenta, Plinia, Psidium, Agni, and Jaboticaba are all guava relatives that can be grown in containers the smaller ones on windowsills. All are edible, some flavorful, some "not so much". Eugenia, Luma, Myrtus = culinary myrtle, and jaboticaba have the smallest leaves. All of the list have been used as bonsai. Most are tropical or sub-tropical, assume they will not tolerate a frost. They will appreciate at least a half day of sun. Most want moist to damp potting media, slightly acidic, not soggy, no standing water, never completely dry.

Fuchsia - this is a genus often grown as an annual for flowers, it is a herbaceous shrub, does not make true wood. It can be trained to look tree like by "clip and grow", the lovely dangling flowers are quite the pay off. A little tricky to grow, but worth the reward.

Thank you for the encouraging words and excellent suggestions. If I were to try a bonsai for my desk and if I remove the cascading aspect I mentioned earlier what would be your suggestion to try? I want something easy to care for that can do well in an office setting. My office has 2 windows; 1 facing south and 1 facing west but the west facing window is under an awning. Neither window has a sill big enough for any plant but I have an unoccupied space on my desk under the south facing window. I like the look of Portulacaria afra and it is easy to find here in Phoenix but I am willing to try anything. I am also able to place this under a grow light if required. I appreciate your help and time