Would it make it?

AussieBonsai said:
Unfortunately the cut would need to be made there, as pickup trucks are in short supply in singapore! It is a black pine. They grow very spindly here if left alone as ornamental plants, but one of the only pines that will actually survive.
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It looks like more like a Casuarina tree (commonly called "australian pine") to me...
Not sure, bu I guess a species in he genus Casuarina could be commonly called "black pine" 😇

Anyway, if it's a Casuarina, it's a different story :-)
 
AussieBonsai said:
Hi all
I have the chance to take the below black pine 'bonsai' home.. Its a tree (2.6m tall), but has at some stage, been styled. I'm keen on essentially treating it at yamadori material, in that I would take the trunk right back, and graft on new branches below, overall height becoming more like 70cm.

The problem is in transport and the very poor health of the tree. Its obviously badly pot bound and god knows what else. The only way I can get it home would be to lop it off at the white mark, meaning only two very sparse branches with foliage would remain. I would then repot immediately, meaning two blows at the same time.

I have no experience with black pines and so was wondering if this has virtually no chance of succeeding, or perhaps a small chance?
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Someone should point out that grafting would have to be on the lower portion of the trunk, due to the fact the lower branches are dead and attempts at grafting were unsuccessful as depicted in the picture!
Grafts low down on material that age are not likely to have any chance!
The best practice would be to transport without removing any live foliage. Repot carefully with minimal root cutting, changing out some soil and give it a larger container, then get it healthy for several years before attempting to change.
 
Yes, I went to see it in person and its Casuarina, not black pine. Unfortunately its just too big to transport, at least with the means I have available. I read that Casuarina can be pollarded, but thats it the ground and this, as people kindly pointed out, needs some time ans work to get it back tk health first. Shame. Its been (badly) slip potted in the past and I think it was once a nice, albeit very large bonsai, but hasnt been worked on in many years and has reverted back into a not so small tree. Thanks for all of the pointers though guys!
 
Casuarina will backbud profusely when pruned hard . You would have no problem turning this tree into a smaller tree . Go back .
 
Agree that many Casuarinas (most have been reclassified as Allocasuarina) back bud profusely from old and bare wood.
Allocasuarina common name is usually 'sheoak' and one species is known as black sheoak or black oak - Allocasuarina littoralis. It also happens to be one of the toughest and has been the best at back budding here, even when chopped down to a stump.

Given this appears to be Alocasuarina changes everything so my estimation now changes to very likely to survive a trunk chop and transport. Repotting seems to be best in warmer weather but given Singapore as a location repotting should be OK any time of year.

I'd be more than happy to take a chance on this.
 
Shibui said:
I'd be more than happy to take a chance on this.
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After spending some time in a bonsai club in Melbourne, and seeing how Alocasuarina respond to cutback, yes I would not be concerned either.

What have you got to loose? Go there. Cut to transportable size and give it the right care. Most likely it will be fine.
Does this species grow from cuttings? You might be able to get a few interesting smaller pieces too?
 
leatherback said:
Does this species grow from cuttings? You might be able to get a few interesting smaller pieces too?
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Not known as able to strike cuttings unfortunately.
There are a couple of newer prostrate Alocasuarina cultivars that are propagated from cuttings but I believe they are grown from younger, green shoots. Certainly the only success I have ever had was green shoots which most would see as 'needles' but are in reality green stems.
I would not even bother trying to strike cuttings from a tree like this.
 
I feel like I've let down the forum in not taking this tree 🤣. ...

I'll see if I can get transport. The thing weights a mighty amount, but will try.
 
So i couldnt get the casuarina back. Just too big for me.. But.. I have a new toy to play with. Celtis sinensis..
 
Did I mention I would consider
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you would turn it into a pretty bonsai. Instead of a unique piece
 
To elaborate, you have a great structure (Blue). Only in the orange circle there is something odd going on. You can tell with the tree in front of you where the branches come from. There *might* be a need to remove one or two branches to clean our the structure. If I look at this tree, you have 3 canopy sections, which should all come from individual main trunk (green outline)

Then it is a matter of -if healthy-, wiring & guy-wiring the structure. Remove clusters of small branches and let it mature. It is a great tree, well on its way to a mature bonsai.

1645609127107.png
 
leatherback said:
To elaborate, you have a great structure (Blue). Only in the orange circle there is something odd going on. You can tell with the tree in front of you where the branches come from. There *might* be a need to remove one or two branches to clean our the structure. If I look at this tree, you have 3 canopy sections, which should all come from individual main trunk (green outline)

Then it is a matter of -if healthy-, wiring & guy-wiring the structure. Remove clusters of small branches and let it mature. It is a great tree, well on its way to a mature bonsai.

View attachment 421583
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Thankyou so much for a great reply! Its much appreciated
 
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