Nandina Bamboo

[justBonsai]

Now usually I'd pass these up for bonsai. Small uninteresting trunks and trifoliate leaves. I was digging trees this Sunday at a home undergoing remodeling and saw a nice large trunk with rugged bark. Seemed interesting enough so I dug it up. The timing is not ideal but I won't have access in Spring and the trees will be removed later. Nandina are pretty vigorous where I live and produce fall color despite my hot climate.

Photos suck but that's a 4-5 inch trunk you see in the pictures. Nice ridging in bark too.

Hopefully it will tolerate the out of season transplant and root work. Any advice on aftercare? The tree is planted in scoria and pine bark so it's a very aerated mix that drains fast. The only aftercare I'm implementing so far is watering the tree. Pretty much cut off all the foliage too. Should I tent the tree to increase humidity and temperature? I can spray a little fungicide inside too to prevent fungal issues.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Don't know much about Nandina, except they are related somewhat to Berberis and Mahonia.

They have been used by the Japanese for bonsai or kusamono, but not all that often it seems.

You have the most important part, a usable thick trunk and bark. I say go for it. Can't help with culture or species specific technique, use what you know about Berberis

 

[justBonsai]

Don't know much about Nandina, except they are related somewhat to Berberis and Mahonia.

They have been used by the Japanese for bonsai or kusamono, but not all that often it seems.

You have the most important part, a usable thick trunk and bark. I say go for it. Can't help with culture or species specific technique, use what you know about Berberis

I've heard roughly about the same. Hopefully the tree lives. I found some threads and guides on Berberis so I'll see what I can do then.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Actually I do know '' a little more''.
Sometimes called 'Heavenly Bamboo' young shrubby specimens are often used as a stand in for true Bamboo. Bamboo is somewhat difficult to bonsai in a convincing way. Used this way they are usually displayed as kusamono.

Obviously yours has a decent trunk, something that takes a decade or more to develop. SO, don't go with the ''bamboo look''. Best trait of this tree is its trunk and bark. Do take advantage of these features.

I attached the only photo of Nandia that I found in my "examples" file. Here it is used as a kusamono, and since it is shorter than the stand holding the focal point tree, it would be correct to call it shitakusa. meaning it represents forest undergrowth.

Photo belongs to Danny Coffee, taken by him at the 85th Meifu-ten Bonsai Exhibit in 2015. Main tree is a maple.

 

[Vin]

I have several of them growing in different areas around my house. They've been there for well over 15 years and have about a 3/4 inch trunk. Yours must be pretty old to have a trunk with dimensions as you describe. Usually they grow in bunches that do resemble bamboo. I have yet to see any back budding on mine. David at D&L Nursery in Ocklawaha, FL has success with them.

 

[berobinson82]

Never been able to keep them alive in a pot, unfortunately. Never had one back bud either. I've only kept about 5 though.

Cheers.

B

 

[Shima]

There is more than one variety of nandina. Popular in ikebana and Japanese gardens. Cold weather turns the leaves red and all but one variety has berries. http://tinyurl.com/jqurl93

 

[justBonsai]

I read that they back bud very easily. Well I hope it back buds. The transplant was rough though but by late spring I should know if it makes it or not.

 

[Vin]

Here's a couple of mine. Not bonsai but they could be used as an accent.

 

[justBonsai]

It lives!...so far. Back-budding appearing on the tree. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Shima]

It lives!...so far. Back-budding appearing on the tree. We'll see how it goes.
View attachment 128414 View attachment 128415 View attachment 128416

Only us odd types can know the happiness and satisfaction a tiny red bump on bark can bring.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I've never associated Nandina with a ....TREE!

But this one sure makes the grade.

 

[justBonsai]

I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with this tree lol. I saw it at the home undergoing construction and thought hey why not, I'll just dig it out.

If all goes well and the thing actually lives it will be allowed to grow unrestricted for the entire year. If branching and backbudding is successful at then I'll work on a design plan.

 

[milehigh_7]

Only us odd types can know the happiness and satisfaction a tiny red bump on bark can bring.

True Bliss...

 

[justBonsai]

ITS ALIVE, here's a normal not super close up shot. Will be challenging with the compound leaves but with a larger trunk and the intention to make a larger bonsai hopefully it will be doable.

 

[Vin]

That's the nicest Nadina I've ever seen. Maybe they grow like that out in Cali but nothing like it around here that I've seen.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I've got four pretty big ones that I've had in large landscaping pots out by our pool for 7 or 8 years, but the trunks look nothing like yours. I'd say you were very fortunate to find one with a thick corky appearance like that!

 

[justBonsai]

I'll be bringing this and some other trees to a Will Baddeley workshop. Hopefully we can do some pretty cool carving on the dead sub trunks and the large scar at the base from a low sub trunk I removed.

 

[cishepard]

I would like to hear more about you Nandina, if you still have it. I collected a similar specimen with a lot of deadwood, so I’m interested in how you carved yours.

 

[justBonsai]

I would like to hear more about you Nandina, if you still have it. I collected a similar specimen with a lot of deadwood, so I’m interested in how you carved yours.

I've since sold the tree but here is the last picture I took of it. Honestly liked the tree a lot. Had to give it up and some others to move to Japan.