Root over Petrified Rock

ichoudhury

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
23
Location
Georgia, USA
USDA Zone
7B
Is this a crazy idea? I just bought couple of Petrified Wood (Not nearly as expansive as those Japanese rocks :) .. I was thinking of attempting two of my Trident Maple on P.W. following some of inspring work from Paul (a.k.a pjkatich)'s ROR project. I have heard they are somewhat brittle than average rocks, but as far as I recall from my recent Arizona trip, they are hard as Rock :p ..

What do you think? (I am waiting for those to be shipped). I am bit concern that I have to burry those rocks which may take some of the beauty away, but I'm willing to sacrifice if that's not just ruining the rock all together.

:D
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,182
Reaction score
22,180
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
Depends on the individual rock...
 

ichoudhury

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
23
Location
Georgia, USA
USDA Zone
7B
Depends on the individual rock...

Here's how one of the rock looks like (not a lot of characteristics, but I just one to try it for the irony of it .. Tree on Tree :p

But I wont bother if this wont work, and Petrified rock will deteriorate very quickly.

pr1.jpg
 

ichoudhury

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
23
Location
Georgia, USA
USDA Zone
7B
By the way, Rock is about 6" x 5" x 2" and approximately 4.5 lbs
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,182
Reaction score
22,180
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
I wouldn't use this one. Wrong color for most trees. Not very much character at all. It's also shiny. If you're also concerned with it losing its luster underneath a bonsai, then I'd search for another kind of rock.

Rocks used with bonsai should actually take on more character through weathering with the tree outside in the elements.

Rocks for bonsai certainly don't have to come from Japan. Locally gathered stones can be and are used regularly in this country. It just takes a little looking--mostly in wild areas where weathered rocks are common. The Blue Ridge Mountains, for instance, have produced terrific suiseki and stones for bonsai on the East Coast of the U.S.

Have a look here:
http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/f2-suiseki-viewing-stones-and-scholars-rocks
for examples of locally sourced stone.

The thing is not to become fixated on Japanese stones, but to look at what's around you for inspiration.

Additionally, it is a rare bonsai and stone that can be combined when the tree has been developed separately. Placing a mostly finished bonsai on a stone usually winds up looking very artificial and forced. The best tree/stone combinations are made when the tree is a seedling and grown over the rock for years.
 

ichoudhury

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
23
Location
Georgia, USA
USDA Zone
7B
I'm wondering which species of wood it was,it's a little on the large side for tumbling.

Per seller, Araucarioxylon Arizonicum (From the Chinle formation in northeastern Arizona) .
 

ichoudhury

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
23
Location
Georgia, USA
USDA Zone
7B
I wouldn't use this one. Wrong color for most trees. Not very much character at all. It's also shiny. If you're also concerned with it losing its luster underneath a bonsai, then I'd search for another kind of rock.

.

Thanks for the advice (also the link). I will focus on other type of rock for my ROR project. (Even if I do end up trying one anyway, I might try one of my other Trident seedlings growing in the filed down the road. :p:D

Take care ..
 

pjkatich

Chumono
Messages
826
Reaction score
38
Location
Northeast Florida
USDA Zone
9
Hey ichoudhury,

In regards to your project, the advice offered by rock earlier is sound information.

And I would agree that this particular piece of petrified wood is not the best choice for a ROR project. However, I do think that your idea has merit. I think that you could create a very interesting composition with the right piece of petrified wood.

I look forward to seeing what you can get accomplished.

Regards,
Paul
 

ichoudhury

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
23
Location
Georgia, USA
USDA Zone
7B
Hey ichoudhury,

In regards to your project, the advice offered by rock earlier is sound information.

And I would agree that this particular piece of petrified wood is not the best choice for a ROR project. However, I do think that your idea has merit. I think that you could create a very interesting composition with the right piece of petrified wood.

I look forward to seeing what you can get accomplished.

Regards,
Paul

Thank you. I just thought it would have an interesting twist to the ROR composition .. Tree on Tree :)
 

edprocoat

Masterpiece
Messages
3,423
Reaction score
378
Location
Ohio/Florida
USDA Zone
6
This old man I work for has some petrified calif. redwood, he would not part with it for anything, it just sets there near his door , where the water drips off the roof during a rain. It has been there for 15 years that I know of. They are a muted dark brown in color and you can see the wood grain on the sides, the tops are flat cut as if having been sawn off with a cement saw. These would make great ror bases, they are big enough and rough enough on the sides to make a tree on rock planting too. He says these can not be collected anymore, he got them on a trip some forty years ago he made to the redwood forest.

The pic of your rock looked almost as if it had been sprayed with a clear acrylic to enhance the colors, just judging by the milky white near the bottom and on what the rock was setting.

ed
 

Chris_HTC

Seed
Messages
4
Reaction score
10
Location
Temecula, Ca
Kinda late reply, but this is an Elm over a piece of petrified wood. Started this 3 years ago this month. Just got done transplanting it today.
 

Attachments

  • 3217EACA-7DC7-4E28-8EDB-F00F97AE86AF.jpeg
    3217EACA-7DC7-4E28-8EDB-F00F97AE86AF.jpeg
    334.4 KB · Views: 14
  • 4155E4DC-19B2-49D0-9CBC-8A7395105A11.jpeg
    4155E4DC-19B2-49D0-9CBC-8A7395105A11.jpeg
    311.1 KB · Views: 13
  • 0DEEC5C3-96F3-411D-98C7-FD90CCE45805.jpeg
    0DEEC5C3-96F3-411D-98C7-FD90CCE45805.jpeg
    206.9 KB · Views: 13
  • 9E2FFD35-F6CB-4A76-B37E-46A01230E63F.jpeg
    9E2FFD35-F6CB-4A76-B37E-46A01230E63F.jpeg
    153.1 KB · Views: 11
Top Bottom