Roots as trunk

Simply amazing!!!

WOW! What a nice root/branch formation. How many species out there would react this way. Maybe we could look under the soil next time for potential bonsai.


Thanks for sharing the pics Mal! We appreciate it.

regards,
jun

Most excellent research!!
Thanks guys.
Khaimraj

I am currently using a technique called ETIOLATION on an Erica arborea. It is a superb piece that will be 30cm tall with a 10cm wide trunk with dead wood to die for and two distinct live veins. In order to collect it, I need to layer it as unfortunately it is growing on a hill that the soil has been eroded away on leaving two think roots that having been exposed for some time have effectively turned into trunks. One root is bare for 50 cm and the other for about 20cm. I was going to layer it, and wait six months as these are notoriously slow to produce roots. However, somebody suggested I use this technique that consists in wrapping a trunk or branch in order to stop it producing chlorophyll by partially or fully blocking light. Effectively, wrapping it in say parcel type brown tape is enough. This causes the trunk to think its a root. Then if I air layer it in a years time, rooting will be much quicker and will increase the chance of success greatly.

Acer campestre offcourse being one of those that easily sprout shoots from roots when heavily pruned, or even cut off big roots that are left in the ground. Not to be seen as a general rule I mean. Other tree species that could maybe react similarly and that I can think of are linden, alder, ash, elm, birch, crataegus, and maybe the wild malus or pear species. But i've never tried it, only seen acer campestre sprout new shoots from a cut off buried root (several inches); and I know the species I mentioned can also sprout from taproots spontanuously (when pruned heavily)

Here is a honeysuckle I collected this spring from some family land. Somewhere along the way it was pulled over and the exposed roots budded and became the trunk as the original trunk died off. I think it has some potential what do you think?





Todd

DreadyKGB wrote:Here is a honeysuckle I collected this spring from some family land. Somewhere along the way it was pulled over and the exposed roots budded and became the trunk as the original trunk died off. I think it has some potential what do you think?

It would be even more interesting to see it with foliage on it.

It is beginning to bud in some spots now, I will update when it goes green. Its still a new collection(2 weeks) and I'm usually hesitant to post pictures until the tree is established, but these are pretty indestructible.

Todd