what's the goofiest looking bonsaiable plant you know of?

[WIlliam_Butler_Yeets]

Last night as I was reading in bed before going to sleep, I thought it would be funny to make a "clown bonsai" as a bit of a joke, just a ridiculous looking tree, put it in a pot with loud primary colors in an uncomplimentary shape, top dress the substrate with multicolored aquarium gravel, etc.

Well, I thought it was just a jokey thought, but I also kept thinking about it and might give it a try, the only thing was that I don't know what plant to use. I thought maybe a variegated schleffera would work, or a variegated ficus triangularis, something that a lot of more self-serious bonsai folks might turn up their nose at.

So, any recommendations for trees to make into a clown show?

 

[19Mateo83]

Any box store ginseng ficus will do nicely.

 

[doc spring _work]

Any box store ginseng ficus will do nicely.

The ones that are all braided? This is a funny as hell thought!

Last night as I was reading in bed before going to sleep, I thought it would be funny to make a "clown bonsai" as a bit of a joke, just a ridiculous looking tree, put it in a pot with loud primary colors in an uncomplimentary shape, top dress the substrate with multicolored aquarium gravel, etc.

Well, I thought it was just a jokey thought, but I also kept thinking about it and might give it a try, the only thing was that I don't know what plant to use. I thought maybe a variegated schleffera would work, or a variegated ficus triangularis, something that a lot of more self-serious bonsai folks might turn up their nose at.

So, any recommendations for trees to make into a clown show?

Hear me out... A forest planting of several varieties of nine bark if you decide you don't like it later ninebark is a wonderful plant you can put into a different project but I imagine reds green and golden ninebark creating an absurd forest

 

[nuttiest]

Last night as I was reading in bed before going to sleep, I thought it would be funny to make a "clown bonsai" as a bit of a joke, just a rioh, I get itdiculous looking tree, put it in a pot with loud primary colors in an uncomplimentary shape, top dress the substrate with multicolored aquarium gravel, etc.

Well, I thought it was just a jokey thought, but I also kept thinking about it and might give it a try, the only thing was that I don't know what plant to use. I thought maybe a variegated schleffera would work, or a variegated ficus triangularis, something that a lot of more self-serious bonsai folks might turn up their nose at.

So, any recommendations for trees to make into a clown show?

I had this same thought in the spring in clay class and made a upside down jester hat for the pot. It was gold and green and red. I didn't go back for another session in summer so I hope it is still there.

 

[WIlliam_Butler_Yeets]

I had this same thought in the spring in clay class and made a upside down jester hat for the pot. It was gold and green and red. I didn't go back for another session in summer so I hope it is still there.

oh that's a good shape! I was thinking maybe a pot shaped like a racecar

 

[nuttiest]

yes, there's always root over funny car. Or scale model with hood open and plant a portulacaria in there. Because people make fun of port anyway.

 

[GSCarlson]

This pot might work, even has jester feet:

 

[NaoTK]

Akebia/Akebi . A good one always looks weird af

 

[WIlliam_Butler_Yeets]

Akebia/Akebi . A good one always looks weird af

View attachment 574627View attachment 574628View attachment 574629

oooooooh, that's cool!

 

[dbonsaiw]

So, any recommendations for trees to make into a clown show?

The ficus butt trees

 

[nuttiest]

This pot might work, even has jester feet

Yes! Money tree is maybe an idea. I had a really old collected croton that was going in the jester pot, it died of perpetual root problems. It always looked like it was making fun of big jins on juniper, because I would have to keep turning it and exposing the big roots.

 

[jszg]

Last night as I was reading in bed before going to sleep, I thought it would be funny to make a "clown bonsai" as a bit of a joke, just a ridiculous looking tree, put it in a pot with loud primary colors in an uncomplimentary shape, top dress the substrate with multicolored aquarium gravel, etc.

Well, I thought it was just a jokey thought, but I also kept thinking about it and might give it a try, the only thing was that I don't know what plant to use. I thought maybe a variegated schleffera would work, or a variegated ficus triangularis, something that a lot of more self-serious bonsai folks might turn up their nose at.

So, any recommendations for trees to make into a clown show?

“Good Taste,” Trident Maple

“Good Taste,” Trident MapleThis Trident Maple came to the yard about 3 months ago and is one of the trees I water on a regular basis. It belongs to another professional and is being kept at the nursery for the time being. As I walk by the tree, I always admired the strange stone that the tree...

www.ptbonsai.com

The Strange Trident Maple

The Strange Trident MapleIn a previous post, I said I was going to write an article just about this tree. Well here it is! In this post, I’m going to tell the history of this tree, show some different angle shots of the tree with a bit of commentary of my thoughts. It’s Christmas eve today in...

www.ptbonsai.com

Some food for thought - I guess my point is that "clownishness" need not be an excuse for bad execution or technique, but a way to highlight a different sort of refinement.

 

[19Mateo83]

The ficus butt trees

It’s pronounced fi-cuss ba-donk-ah-donk tree

 

[Shogun610]

It’s pronounced fi-cuss ba-donk-ah-donk tree

View attachment 574642

Why is that tree kinda

 

[WIlliam_Butler_Yeets]

“Good Taste,” Trident Maple

“Good Taste,” Trident MapleThis Trident Maple came to the yard about 3 months ago and is one of the trees I water on a regular basis. It belongs to another professional and is being kept at the nursery for the time being. As I walk by the tree, I always admired the strange stone that the tree...

www.ptbonsai.com

The Strange Trident Maple

The Strange Trident MapleIn a previous post, I said I was going to write an article just about this tree. Well here it is! In this post, I’m going to tell the history of this tree, show some different angle shots of the tree with a bit of commentary of my thoughts. It’s Christmas eve today in...

www.ptbonsai.com

Some food for thought - I guess my point is that "clownishness" need not be an excuse for bad execution or technique, but a way to highlight a different sort of refinement.

That's kind of my intention, to do something interesting and "correct", but unexpected and maybe a little garish. Like the pot and the substrate are loud and might be considered inelegant, but the tree itself would be pretty, have a nice shape, maintain most of the "rules" of bonsai, etc

 

[badatusernames]

There is no question about “weird bonsai” that can’t be answered by the Nick Lenz poison ivy

I have enough of the stuff that I kind of want to try it

 

[vp999]

It’s pronounced fi-cuss ba-donk-ah-donk tree

View attachment 574642

Imma need a moment with this tree .....

 

[Orion_metalhead]

It’s pronounced fi-cuss ba-donk-ah-donk tree

View attachment 574642

"Honey, why is this bonsai magazine sticky?"

 

[clem]

2 trees from the Sakufu-ten : goofy or brilliant ?

 

[stubmle]

2 trees from the Sakufu-ten : goofy or brilliant ?
View attachment 574654
View attachment 574655

I recall hearing a (probably apocryphal) legend that people used to grow azaleas in abalone shells... Never heard of a giant clam shell though! It's wacky but I kinda like it.

I think we should experiment with unconventional pot choices more, sometimes they can work surprisingly well. Not sure whose it was but I saw a tree that was grown in an automotive brake drum on here, it looked really good!