Two of the Operculicarya in my collection. These are the only two I have trained as Bonsai, but I'm thinking of doing the same with the others in my collection. The first is O. pachypus
This plant had all of it's branches growing to one side. I thought of styling it as a windswept tree but in the end decided this weeping style fit it best.
Toni, Out Of Africa is great! It is one of my favorites too. The above two Operculicarya, thankfully did not need root pruning to get into their pots. Root pruning always makes me nervous, so I only do it if absolutely necessary. your very nice Operculicarya could be turned into a root over rock style tree. It looks like it has the perfect roots for that style.
Toni, Google "root over rock". You'll see many examples. The way the trunk of the tree is split, you would train the roots to grow around a rock. Some are very cool looking.
Pachy, I like OOA too! I keep checking their website for some good specimens. How long have you had the plants? I've root pruned many plants. I've never noticed that any of the plants I've done it to have had any issues.
Toni, the rock should be large enough to make contact with all the roots, without snapping them as it's slipped in to place.
Rob, I purchased both of the Operculicarya from Out Of Africa earlier this year. I also have some in my collection that I've had for years (O. decaryi, O. hirsutissima, O. borealis, O. sp. aff. decaryi, O. sp. Tulear and a smaller O. pachypus.) I've been letting them thicken their trunks, by over potting them and I think this spring they will be ready for training. I've root pruned many of my non-succulent bonsai without any problems, but root pruning succulents/caudiciforms always worries me.
I meant to post earlier - what a delightful set of Opies you have there!!!! Really sweet too how you're whipping them into shape. They're certainly stunners with their voluptuously tuberous trunks.
Toni,
If you don't want to trim roots, find a rock that fits into, maybe with a little dexterous twisting, a rock which is inserted into the rootball. Trimming some roots in order to shape it underground (perhaps in preparation for a perfectly shaped rock for the plant to grow on / around) is OK, you just don't want to water for a few days, just as you wouldn't for any repotting, and also remember the fewer roots the less the plant grows.
FWIW, I grow most of my caudex plants over a rock / bed of rocks, so that when I do repot the roots are numbers, oddly shaped (my goal) and ready to raise on up. You got to raise the root could be a mantra with these plants, and I'll try to practice it daily, in thought if not in deed.
This post was edited by cactusmcharris on Mon, Nov 4, 13 at 9:33
That first caudex needs a pot by Caudex and then it would truly be a fat and happy caudex. It would make Caudex happy too. No, all kidding and punning aside. Beautiful and beautifully grown.
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