CatInATree
Sapling
Personally I really like the rocks often used in aquascaping, like dragon stone and seiryu stone. Which are the characteristics you look for in a rock when used in a ROR style?
What's your favorite stone/rock for ROR?
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Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Interesting shapes rather than rounded. River rocks are generally not suited to good ROR bonsai.
NOT sedimentary. Most sedimentary rock splits along the bedding planes in frost. Really frustrating when the ROR you've worked hard to develop for many years slowly becomes an exposed root bonsai.
Interesting shelves and points.
Somewhere the tree will sit naturally.
Crevices and hollows that the roots can follow down to the soil below.
Hard enough to resist the immense pressure exerted by slowly thickening roots. Don't underestimate how strong roots can be. A developing ficus ROR broke all the projections off the rock I planted it on.
Ironstone seems to have the best characteristics in my area.
Some forms of limestone also have good shapes but can also be a bit soft.
NOT sedimentary. Most sedimentary rock splits along the bedding planes in frost. Really frustrating when the ROR you've worked hard to develop for many years slowly becomes an exposed root bonsai.
Interesting shelves and points.
Somewhere the tree will sit naturally.
Crevices and hollows that the roots can follow down to the soil below.
Hard enough to resist the immense pressure exerted by slowly thickening roots. Don't underestimate how strong roots can be. A developing ficus ROR broke all the projections off the rock I planted it on.
Ironstone seems to have the best characteristics in my area.
Some forms of limestone also have good shapes but can also be a bit soft.
Dragon stone will break down into little piece well before the tree ever establishes nice roots. Several pieces I purchased just dissolved sitting on my bench in a very short time. Seiryu stone and many of the other gray to white colored aquascaping stones are typically very alkaline which could also be a problem depending on the species you use..try a vinegar test...if it bubbles on your rock I wouldn't use it. Your best bet are stones that are very hard and inert...will not change water or soil chemistry.
Thanks for always providing well reasoned answers to so many questions...
I would be interested to see what you guys refer to as ironstone...
We have local stone that we also refer to as ironstone. Seems to be a very hard type of sandstone with a rusty color...some if is very boring but occassionally you find some spectacularly sculpted pieces...here is an example...it is far less sandy than it appears in this photo... I added some hydraulic cemet to the base of this one to help it stand on its own. I've had trees planted in and on this stone for more than 20 years.
Honestly, I’m not a fan of that stone in this planting. It’s a very interesting rock, but that’s exactly the problem with it in a bonsai planting. The rock upstages the tree.
Arizona bonsai
Shohin
I currently have a DOR in development that is a elephant food over a piece of weathered coral I found on the beach in Maui. No pictures yet as the soil level is too high.
to each is own...
SeanS
Omono
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Try to find rocks with interesting features; overhangs, bits that stick up, little ledges, holes and other crevices. Avoid smooth rocks or ones that don’t have some interest, unless you’re going for something where the simplicity of the rock is an interest point.
Also don’t be afraid to use more than one seedling. I have a few in the ground now where I’ve got 5-10 trident seedlings all wrapped and strapped to the rock. They fuse within a season and form massive grotesque formations around the rocks, beautiful!
Also don’t be afraid to use more than one seedling. I have a few in the ground now where I’ve got 5-10 trident seedlings all wrapped and strapped to the rock. They fuse within a season and form massive grotesque formations around the rocks, beautiful!
CatInATree
Sapling
Wow these are awesome! Nice treesTry to find rocks with interesting features; overhangs, bits that stick up, little ledges, holes and other crevices. Avoid smooth rocks or ones that don’t have some interest, unless you’re going for something where the simplicity of the rock is an interest point.
Also don’t be afraid to use more than one seedling. I have a few in the ground now where I’ve got 5-10 trident seedlings all wrapped and strapped to the rock. They fuse within a season and form massive grotesque formations around the rocks, beautiful!
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SeanS
Omono
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Thanks, those photos are from 1 and 2 seasons ago. The trees have developed quite a bit more, I’ll update my threads I have for them in the coming weeks as I start my southern hemisphere fall work
CatInATree
Sapling
Are Ficus sensitive to alkaline soil?
CatInATree
Sapling
Sounds good, I'll keep a lookout on your trees, inspiring.
Gabler
Masterpiece
That may have been intentional. There's nothing wrong with a landscape penjing where the rock is the feature and the tree is a mere decoration. That said, you make a good point that the rock and the tree are competing for attention. Perhaps it would have been better to use a smaller tree that would not upstage the rock?
Regardless, it's better than anything I have at home.
CatInATree
Sapling
I like the idea of a "chaos" garden. Where stuff is purposefully competing.
queenofsheba52
Chumono
I have been searching for a 'good rock' for a long time. My brother's favorite tree in the whole world is the Lone Cypress in Monterey California. I had wanted to make a ROR somewhat resembling that famous tree for him, but just cannot find the proper rock. Oh well, I love a good search.
CatInATree
Sapling
The search is part of it, I never feel as alive as when I'm in pursuit of something, even if it feels like all I want is that thing in the moment, when I get it, I miss the purpose of chasing it.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Funny, I appreciate the precariousness of the tree leaning away, the symmetry of the trunk shape across from the rock, and ultimately the balance over the narrow base. I think it’s a cool composition out of not particularly special material.
For me, it boils down to a couple of things:
1. It’s really a nice tree that has a lot of effort put into its development. If I’d put that much effort into a tree, I’d want the tree to be unambiguously the central focus of the composition. I would argue the narrow base of the rock that is the source of the precariousness, threatening to yield to gravity and send the tree tumbling into the abyss, is the primary focal point. It’s human nature to stare at the source of impending doom.
2. The level of precariousness is perhaps a bit much, straining my suspension of disbelief. I would expect a tree in such an exposed location like that in nature to have met its end already or to at least have considerably more battle scars from lightning strikes and wind.
But, it’s not my tree, so if it floats the boat for its owner, that’s what matters, unless the goal is to win a prize in a show (and I really have no idea what the experts who judge shows would say about it, as I have little interest in such things).
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
I have not heard of ficus being sensitive. A lot of the coastal rocks they grow on down here are limestone based and I rad a large ror ficus on coastal limestone for nearly 30 years until I sold it.
Seryu stone seems to be a metamorphic limestone. It will slowly release carbonate but regular watering should leach that away no problem. Maybe steer away from known alkaline sensitives like Azalea but otherwise I think Seryu should be fine with most trees.
Our ironstone is not sandstone. It is much finer grained, harder and seems to come as intrusions in other rocks. typically found in gold bearing rocks in my area.
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