monster pink pixie bougainvillea

[sam]

collected this brute yesterday from a friend's yard. after 2.5 hours of digging and cutting, the stump never even shivered. attached a tow strap to my tacoma, slow reverse 4 wheel pull did the trick. lifting the tree from ground to truck was another challenge. finally got it home, into a wheelbarrow and planted.

 

[Dav4]

I love it! Most folks use a coke can or cell phone in their pics for scale...you use a wheelbarrow and a Toyota Tacoma! That's one big stump. I look forward to its development.

Dave

 

[rockm]

Yeah, that's tree's almost as big as the price tag of the pot it will eventually go into. Seriously, have you priced containers in that size range?

 

[sam]

thanks for the replys, guys. for rockm. I have the pot situation covered with several big pots to choose from. more problematic is how am I going to move pot and tree around.

happy holidays from hawaii

sam

 

[bonhe]

Look like you will need a lot of carving later on, Sam. Nice material!
One of my friends also used his Tacoma truck to pull big landscaping olive stumps out their homes! Good idea.
Bonhe

 

[fredtruck]

To move a big tree around, I suggest a hydraulic lift cart. You can get them for about $200. If you have ground rougher than a sidewalk to go over, modify the cart with big wheeled casters, rather than the small ones they usually come with.

 

[sam]

thanks folks. I'll be looking for some kind of device to lift and move big trees which I can no longer deal with manually. I've got a bunch of these.

 

[sam]

phase #2 & #3 progress- monster pink pixie bougainvillea

a quick summary phase #1- december 2010. collected this bruiser of a pink pixie bougainvillea from a friend's yard. phase #2 - april 2011. the tree is recovering nicely. new growth everywhere. reduced trunk with chainsaw and grinder with future design in mind. phase #3 - yesterday. switched back to new front. rough carved trunk to create movement. eliminated branches, pruned and wired.

best wishes, sam

phase #2

 

[sam]

phase #3

yesterday

 

[Danilo]

That's a monster!
good looking progress. Wish I would find a bougie even half that size to collect.

 

[bonsaiman]

That's cool, it's really a monster!

 

[sam]

progress update

development continues. good branches are thickening. canopy filling out. deadwood solid after nearly 3 years.

best wishes, sam

 

[Cadillactaste]

Just picked my jaw up off the floor...that is simply...stunning! Thanks for sharing the progress.

 

[sam]

more progress. biggest pink pixie

today's project was to refine previous work on the massive trunk - the dominant feature of this tree. extensive carving to smooth rough spots and to create a pleasing appearance all around the trunk was the challenge. an additional benefit was the the possibility of a two front tree. work consisted of carving, sanding and torching deadwood, explaining the blackened trunk. work continues tomorrow. wire brushing, application of wood preservative, repotting into its first bonsai pot. sharing some pictures.

best wishes, sam

 

[Cadillactaste]

Looking back at the photos of you collecting this big bad beast...I am in awe of how much root was taken. Reading how they hate their roots disturbed. Though...I would imagine that with one this age...and how large the main root system is. The small delicate root system isn't as important.

Love what your doing with it...just lovely.

 

[Poink88]

Looking back at the photos of you collecting this big bad beast...I am in awe of how much root was taken. Reading how they hate their roots disturbed. Though...I would imagine that with one this age...and how large the main root system is. The small delicate root system isn't as important.

Please note that a lot of it is because of his weather. I hope you factor that before you try/attempt doing the same.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Please note that a lot of it is because of his weather. I hope you factor that before you try/attempt doing the same.

There would be no massive Bougainvillea in my area to transplant. Though...makes me curious what it would take to maybe bring one back from Honduras sometime. I can always dream...doubt it would be a process I could ever do...or even locate one while there.

 

[Poink88]

There would be no massive Bougainvillea in my area to transplant. Though...makes me curious what it would take to maybe bring one back from Honduras sometime. I can always dream...doubt it would be a process I could ever do...or even locate one while there.

Extremely difficult due to importation restrictions. You will be better served by sourcing a good one locally...perhaps from Florida.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Extremely difficult due to importation restrictions. You will be better served by sourcing a good one locally...perhaps from Florida.

I've relatives in Louisiana...curious if any is down that way...they could bring it back on a visit if I planned right.

 

[Poink88]

I've relatives in Louisiana...curious if any is down that way...they could bring it back on a visit if I planned right.

I think Louisiana would be a good place to grow Bougies but I have never been there so not sure. Definitely worth checking with them. Good luck with the hunt!