Pyracantha Phoenix Graft

I know that usually this kind of thing is done with junipers but I gave it a try. The dead wood is from a lovelly fukien tea shohin that passed away. I've kept it thinking about doing something with it. Last night it glipsed! "A tanuki" The choice for the pyracantha was due to it's bark color, that will make a very nice contrast with the dead wood color, and also for it's fast grow.
The plant was bought at a regular nursery and has no special atractives, the branch positions an movement was almost perfect to fit the deadwood. It's a shame that i've didn't recorded the whole procedure, but here are the final shoots.

Here's a montage made on photoshop of what is my idea for it.
It was made in 5 min on my job, so don't mind about the quality.

I think you can already see the problem here. Pyrocantha branches are so danged straight and inflexible! I doubt this will ever look very natural. Maybe if you started one with a small, bendable branch and let it grow into the deadwood . . . .

I've gave a thougt about that Jim, but it's more an experience than something to show. I don't know for sure, but i think that once it grows larger and fuses better with the dead wood it might look more natural by growing on top carved path. Another option is to hide it with some dense foliage.

frk_leal wrote:I've gave a thougt about that Jim, but it's more an experience than something to show. I don't know for sure, but i think that once it grows larger and fuses better with the dead wood it might look more natural by growing on top carved path. Another option is to hide it with some dense foliage.

You would be better off growing a younger cutting and carving some motion into the dead wood for better integration of the graft.
BTW how durable is Fukien Tea deadwood? How it will last.

Yes Rob, no doubt that the result would be way better but what is done is done, I'll try to mend the problems as the tree comes along, maybe hiding with some dense crown or something like it. For all it's worth, i'm actually pleased with the overall result. It wont be a show tree, but it will be nice addition to my collection.
As for the duration of the dead wood, my guess is that it is quite durable.
It's quite a hard wood I might say. I'm impressed.

Looks pretty cool so far. Not a show stopper but you gotta do something with your time, right?

It seems like you would need a way to hold the tree firmly against the stump for it to assume the shape of the stump and not just push it away.

Myrtle, I already fixed it. The carved path is already pretty tight, just as tight as the trunk thikness. Also, the tree it's nailed to the deadwood. I think it will hold just right.