Page 30 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2014Q1

Good, better, best!

Refining a

Coastal Banksia.

Text and photos by Grant Bowie, Australia

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: From
2007 to 2013, Grant Bowie
was the founding Curator
of the National Bonsai and
Penjing Collection of Australia,
located in Australia’s capital,
Canberra. He helped launch
the collection in 2007 and saw
it successfully grow and move
to its permanent location in
2013. He then retired from the
curatorship of the collection
at the tender age of 56 after
having practised the art of
Bonsai since he was 13 years
old. He moved to Canberra
in 2007 after having lived in
Sydney’s mild climate for
many years.
Grant now spends his time
on his private collection and
teaching bonsai. He was
recently a demonstrator in
Jintan China. His collection
includes many Australian
native plants and he is leading
research and techniques into
many of these very varied
species of plants for use in
bonsai. He hopes to include
more Penjing influences in
his bonsai from now on after
visiting and experiencing
China and a diversity of
Penjing styles.
he Coastal Banksia, Banksia integrifolia, a tall upright tree (up to 30 meters or 100 ft in
height), is native to Australian and found in mountains up to 1,000 metres (3,000 ft.)
Taltitude where there is light snow in winter, or right near the beach, in coastal dunes,
wrapped around rocky headlands battered by winds. It is also found near riverbanks as a
large shrub or small tree. It grows in differing soil types and can tolerate very low nutrition
soils. Because of this ability, it grows up and down the east coast of Australia for thousands
of kilometers. Its leaf is variable in size and shape growing in alternate, opposite, whorls,
or multiple buds within a short area. It is truly a variable tree, which can make it easy for
experienced growers but confusing for beginners.

In nature, it has a yellow/green flower spike and a sort of cone but as a bonsai it is unlikely
to ever flower due to the needs of pruning. Also due to trimming or pruning techniques,
you usually only see small, serrated juvenile leaves instead of the long, narrow and smooth
adult leaves that can grow up to 150 mm or 6 inches in length. The bark on this variety is
thick and corky and would usually survive bush fires of moderate intensity.

28 | BCI | January/February/March 2014