ever bite off more than you can chew?

I'd had my eye on this pink pixie bougainvillea for years. I know the owner, had permission to dig and decided today would be the day. I checked the tree out recently, knew it was big, but had no idea how big, until the work started. two and a half hours of steady digging, cutting and prying revealed that the biggest part of the base was underground. several times during the process, I wondered if I'd tackled more tree than I could handle alone. ultimately out came a tow strap, hooked to my tacoma in 4 wheel low, a slow steady reverse pull and she finally broke loose. getting the stump from the ground into truck was no easy task. where are my sons when I need them?

at home.

closer check out how massive the buried part of the base is.

wanna see big? how about wheel barrow big?


the trunk is fissured and indented - interesting


planted and in the shade

Kauai,

I think my neighbour will never let you into his yard - ha ha.

Hope to a see a follow up so many months later.
Best to your efforts.
Khaimraj

Hi Sam,
that is huge yamadori. Conratulation and good luck.

It's not that you can't chew it, you'll just need more time to digest it Enjoy many years of fun knocking it into shape.

How's your back this morning? That's an awesome chuck of "Pixie"!
Todd

That is a very nice project you have collected...i am sure you feel the pain!! but it is done and i know you are proud..there are no roots that i can see.how do they surive till there are roots???? take care john

Wow! That's the biggest pixie I've ever seen. It's going to be fantastic.

moyogijohn (Thu Dec 16, 2010 2:56 pm) wrote:there are no roots that i can see.how do they survive till there are roots??

A lot can happen in the tropics that we can't do in the temperate zones.
It is like a huge cutting. With the prevailing heat & high humidity, its internal stored food & energy will carry it until new roots form. Think of the Hawaiian climate as a giant baggie. That is the way they collect buttonwoods & other tropical yamadori.
Iris

thanks everyone. this'll be something to look at in the future. lots of design possibilities ahead.

best wishes to all of you. stray healthy and be safe over the holidays.

sam

Amazing! That is going to be beautiful.

Best of luck

thanks, gax.


merry christmas.

sam

for ed merc and others. front and back of a pixie I dug from the same yard about 8 years ago. for IBCer's knee deep in snow-merry christmas from Hawaii.

sam

That is lovely, Sam. Can this snow-bound IBCer ask first, what size it is, and second, roughly how long it would take for a bougie to get to that trunk diameter?

kauaibonsai wrote: for ed merc and others. front and back of a pixie I dug from the same yard about 8 years ago. for IBCer's knee deep in snow-merry christmas from Hawaii.

sam

Hi Sam, I love those monster trees, unfortunately, not my back. I hope you have luck with your new growth of bougainvillea.
Too bad my climate does not fit for bougainvillea.
I wish you happy holidays.

merry christmas fiona and karl.

I'm bothering you with another picture taken a few moments ago of the pixie bonsai I posted earlier. today, the flowering is even better. for fiona. measurements are 28.5 inches high, 27 inches canopy width, trunk at soil 12 inches. I first saw this tree in the ground 40 years ago. It was already very large. I would guess it could be 60-70+ years, maybe more. I understand what you mean Karl. at my age I should be acquiring nothing larger than shohin. my wife thinks I'm nuts.

posted the collection of this wheelbarrow sized pink pixie bougainvillea in mid-december 2010. the only container large enough was a this black plastic tub





two months later - strong growth everywhere. the shohin size tree is a cutting taken from the mother. this also is growing strongly. the cutting is 5 inches high to the top of the wood. 4 inches wide at the soil line





today, the stump was trimmed with a chainsaw, setting the direction for the future. refinement will follow. more progress reports in the near future

I know the feeling.

https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t5908-collecting-amur-maples#61163

the tree has grown strongly since the last work in april 2011. branches have grown in the right places and are thickening nicely. yesterday was the day for more work on the trunk. for now, the back has become the front. this will probably switch back and forth several times in the future as both sides have qualities for a good front. rough carving to create movement was the main task. some branches were taken off, others were pruned and wired. the outline of a future bonsai is becoming visible. the first 3 pictures date back to april 2011. the rest are yesterday.

best wishes, sam

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Awesome!!!

Very Nice progress Sam.

How do you deal with open huge wounds/cuts on this specie...Mine are always continuing to rot before it heals once a huge cut is made.


regards,
jun

thanks dario and jun

bougainvillea deadwood created from fresh wood can be surprisingly durable. stuff that is already dry and crumbling is a goner. let fresh carved wood dry thoroughly, smooth/sand, torch wood/wire brush, to harden. apply coloring agent of your choice, lime sulfur, stain, acrylic paint, etc. even if you want the dry wood to have natural color, use natural stain for preservation/water resistance. create hollows to deal with the biggest cuts. when all is done. saturate deadwood with wood preservative of your choice. tung oil, teak oil, minwax wood hardener, and even very thin instant setting super glue all work. use a eye dropper/syringe to apply for deep saturation. this application should be repeated periodically as needed. I have deawood bougainvillea treated this way exceeding 10 years with minimal deterioration. important is to keep on top of the condition of the wood. once the rot starts its hard to stop.

a common sense caveat. do not carve unless necessary. the bougainvillea we get are landscape/hedge plants that have been grown in the ground and minimally pruned to fit the owners theme. radical chops/carving are necessary to reduce helter/skelter growth to something usable for bonsai. most of the cuts are so large there is little hope they will heal any time soon. rather than wait for callus that won't begin to cover before rot is rampant, incorporate cuts into your design and treat quickly.

best wishes, sam

sharing  current pictures of a massive pink pixie collected in 2010.  good branches are thickening. canopy compliments of clip and grow.  deadwood remains solid going on 3 years.

best wishes,   sam

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Looking and learning, Sam.
Much thanks.
Khaimraj

today's project was to refine/shape previous cuts to the massive trunk - the dominant feature of this tree.  rough spots  and odd looking bumps were reshaped, in some cases substantially, to create a more pleasing appearance all around the trunk.  the work enhanced the prospect that  this can be a two front tree.  after extensive carving and sanding,  the deadwood was burned with a butane torch explaining the blackened trunk.  tomorrow the trunk will be wire brushed, treated with wood preservative then the tree will be repotted into its first bonsai pot.  sharing some pictures.

best wishes,   sam

front #1


front #2


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Wonderful Sam...