Remember,

if it ain't fun,

it ain't bonsai!

Golden Arrow Bonsai

"Let Yourself Go Wild"

Ancient Collected Trees

Andrew Smith, 22473 Alpine Acres Dr., Deadwood, S.D. 57732 605-342-4467 goldenarrowbonsai@gmail.com

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Driftwood and stone slabs

An ancient spiral staircase to the sun.

Naturally weathered driftwood is often used for making a Phoenix graft, or tanuki. It is also used in ikebana, and as a bonsai accent.

Making a Phoenix graft is a fun way to create an ancient and beautiful looking bonsai in just an afternoon. To make a Phoenix graft a young, flexible tree is inserted and grown into a groove carved into a piece of driftwood, creating a tree with an aged character from a plant with youthful vigor. Design options are only limited by your imagination. The specimen at left is one I made several years ago using two spruce seedlings attached to a piece of juniper driftwood.

The Wood

I use a couple different kinds of wood, all of which have been naturally preserved in their own resins, are highly rot-resistant, and have already been exposed to the elements for at least several decades. Although the wood already has a weathered character, it can be further enhanced with carving. Newly carved areas will turn gray to to match the rest of the piece after a few months outdoors.

Rocky Mt. juniper: Used for cedar chests. Light, but very hard, even brittle. Very rot resistant. The most popular for Phoenix grafts.

Utah and common juniper: Similar to Rocky Mt juniper, but even lighter.

Ponderosa pine: Heavier and more resinous than juniper. Grain pattern may be more intricate and irregular, but not as spiraling as juniper.

Right: A decorative piece of driftwood from an ancient juniper on display at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.

I can carve the groove and attach mounting hardware and wood preserver to the base of any piece on this page for $25.

Special: Order several pieces together and take $5 off each additional piece. Shipping will usually be at the cost of the largest piece and then up to $5 for each additional piece. Additional pieces will not always require additional shipping.

Item # D1: Ponderosa pine. Price $45. Shipping $35. Comments: Stone imbedded in trunk.

I have a little more driftwood, but it's almost all pine right now. I'll put more juniper wood up as soon as conditions allow getting out to collect some.