An Australian native; Banksia

[Grant Bowie]

I don't think you will ever see this plant outside of Australia but it is my favourite species to grow as bonsai.

I displayed it in our local show and our guest demonstrator selected it as her judges choice of tree of the show.

It stands about 80cms from the bottom of the pot; about 32 inches.

Grant

 

[raydomz]

What a monster!
Do you have any close-ups of the foliage? It almost looks like a relative of the holly.

Beautiful tree!

 

[JudyB]

Grant, you have a wonderful eye. I love your ash as well.
Thanks for posting such inspiring trees.

 

[Attila Soos]

I don't think you will ever see this plant outside of Australia but it is my favourite species to grow as bonsai.

I displayed it in our local show and our guest demonstrator selected it as her judges choice of tree of the show.

It stands about 80cms from the bottom of the pot; about 32 inches.

Grant

What a gorgeous tree.
You guys don't need black pines, Banksias look just as good!

What's so cool about this tree is that the nebari almost fills the entire surface of the pot.

 

[Grant Bowie]

What a monster!
Do you have any close-ups of the foliage? It almost looks like a relative of the holly.

Beautiful tree!

The constant trimming of the foliage produces juvenile foliage and the juvenile foliage is serrated.

The Banksia is a member of the proteacae familly which includes the protea bushes of Africa. a very interesting familly.

Grant

 

[Grant Bowie]

What a gorgeous tree.
You guys don't need black pines, Banksias look just as good!

What's so cool about this tree is that the nebari almost fills the entire surface of the pot.

A lot of Australian trees continue to fatten considerably in pots and so this tree started with me in a 10inch pot about 20 years ago and the trunk is now enormous.

here is a close up of the foliage showing a sprout of new growth.

 

[Attila Soos]

A lot of Australian trees continue to fatten considerably in pots and so this tree started with me in a 10inch pot about 20 years ago and the trunk is now enormous.

So, you grew this in bonsai pots, all the way? That's remarcable.

How does this species tolerate root pruning? Here is So. California we grow many Australian natives, but a large number of them do not react well to root pruning, so I am always terrified when I have to dig them from my backyard, after fattening them in the ground.

 

[Grant Bowie]

Hi Attila,

The one good thing about Ozzie natives is that they usually germinate from seed or cutting easilly and in a pot put out a good fine root system and if grown in a place where there is adequate warmth, food, water and sun they can grow all year round. As you would know some of our trees have gone wild in America and Africa.

If they are grown in the ground in dry conditions the roots will go a long way looking for water and so when you dig you might only get a fraction of the roots; so water well in the months before you dig and maybe spade around the roots at the same time to encourage roots back close to the trunk.

Banksia can suffer from root rot in wet boggy conditions(with a few exceptions) so be careful with potting mix.

And yes this tree has always been in pots; never in the ground.

Grant

 

[Attila Soos]

Thanks Grant for all the info.
It seems like a wonderful plant to work with.

One more question, before I stop bothering you: what month would you choose, down there in Australia, for the optimal time to dig up this tree?

 

[Grant Bowie]

Thanks Grant for all the info.
It seems like a wonderful plant to work with.

One more question, before I stop bothering you: what month would you choose, down there in Australia, for the optimal time to dig up this tree?

If you live in LA I would do it in the equivalent to our October; that is once spring is well and truly started and the temperatures have started to warm up. Banksia is not a tree that you do winter or autumn repots; I do everything once it is warm.

Grant

 

[tmmason10]

Great, interesting tree I really like the base. Thanks for showing us one of your native species

 

[Attila Soos]

I do everything once it is warm.

Got it, thanks again.

 

[snobird]

Smoking hot tree in that pot! Beautiful

 

[Grant Bowie]

What do you think of the pot? Red and Black.

My 2IC doesn't like it but I do.

Grant

 

[Attila Soos]

What do you think of the pot? Red and Black.

My 2IC doesn't like it but I do.

Grant

I like the pot very much. It is colourful, without being overwhelming. It adds a little spice to the image.

 

[bretts]

Great to see this one an international board Grant.
I love the tree but not so keen on the Pot.
Maybe it is just that I saw these pots as a Fad in Australia and I got the feeling they where a little overused or cheap.
They are a nice pot but I just can't seem to get that notion out of my head

 

[Si Nguyen]

This tree is fantastic! The massive nebari, the bark, and the branch design, the small foliage, are all great!
I like the pot too. We don't see that type of pot over here too often. I'd kill for that pot.
Thanks for posting it Grant!

 

[Grant Bowie]

Great to see this one an international board Grant.
I love the tree but not so keen on the Pot.
Maybe it is just that I saw these pots as a Fad in Australia and I got the feeling they where a little overused or cheap.
They are a nice pot but I just can't seem to get that notion out of my head

Hi Brett,

The pot may have been readily available but is now not being imported and will run out of stock. What you might not know is that it is a pretty good replica series of a type of Japanese pot from about 30 years ago. I only ever saw one original and that was a pot that old Joe Micalef had. I loved it then and was glad to see a reasonable replica of it produce for the modern market.

Grant

 

[bretts]

I must say when I first saw one of these pots I was very taken. But after seeing some very mediocre trees in them my impression changed. Funny how we work some times. By the response we see here on the pot it is obvious it is just me.
Thanks for the added info but not sure I am running off to get one I just can't seem to get that notion out of my head

 

[bretts]

New board playing tricks on me.... Double post, sorry.