The Accent (Companion) Plant Thread

[Wood]

Some violets I collected from the roadside last night. Shannon Salyer has a couple violet shitakusa that I've hardcore been crushing on, so I'm pretty excited for this one

 

[electronfusion]

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Regarding the japanese bloodgrass in the third image, how much of a challenge is it to keep it at that size (about 6")? Or do you just let it continue growing, and change the arrangement when it gets too big?

 

[Wood]

Regarding the japanese bloodgrass in the third image, how much of a challenge is it to keep it at that size (about 6")? Or do you just let it continue growing, and change the arrangement when it gets too big?

This is a picture thread so please include one of your accents with your posts!

Kusamono and Ezo spruce at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum

 

[Vinnie Charity]

Another kusamono at NBPM in DC. I thinned this out only three weeks ago (I'm a volunteer there) and it's exploded with new growth. Ophiopogon (black mondo grass) and some type of ferns. This one gives me a lot of Jurassic Park vibes

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Korean Rock Fern perhaps?

 

[Wood]

Korean Rock Fern perhaps?

Definitely possible but I'd have to ask specifically

By the way, this is a photo thread. You must have forgotten to attach your photo of an accent plant! You and @electronfusion both owe us a photo! I swear I intended to pace myself with posting the photos I took yesterday...

Another kusamono under the branch of a massive Japanese red pine at the Museum

 

[Vinnie Charity]

Well, guess I’ll post a picture of one of my Korean Rock Fern Kusamono-type plants. It’s more of a Shitakusa, but I have other plants I’m growing to add to this planting…

 

[parhamr]

I’ve potted up some specimen this past week…

Sisyrinchium


Sedum … montanum?


Luzula pilosa igei


Sedum spathulifolium


Mitella ovalis


Lewisia cotyledon


Sedum ?

 

[Vincent Tanner]

Here’s a kusamono I made today in preparation for Young Choe’s workshop at the Greater Hartford Bonsai Society next week.

The pot is by Paul Olson of Clam Alley Pottery.

 

[Milly]

Lachenalia Quadricolor

 

[ShadyStump]

Found a prickly pear while hiking that fell out of an embankment right into the middle of the trail. Other priorities today, but I'm going to pot it up soon.
It's a bit sickly - probably something to do with growing on a soft, south facing embankment - but I don't think it's dead.

 

[TN_Jim]

Found a prickly pear while hiking that fell out of an embankment right into the middle of the trail. Other priorities today, but I'm going to pot it up soon.
It's a bit sickly - probably something to do with growing on a soft, south facing embankment - but I don't think it's dead.

I found a chunk of one in just such a way coming out of a camping trip -put in big mason jar in back floorboard, forgot about it for over a week, thing ended up eventually in a 15 gallon pot.

In school my advisor put a big chunk (no roots, no soil) in the herbarium dehydrator (pitch black) for quite some time -she took this chunk out and it was not dehydrated, it was covered in yellow blooms! Super tough.

 

[ShadyStump]

I found a chunk of one in just such a way coming out of a camping trip -put in big mason jar in back floorboard, forgot about it for over a week, thing ended up eventually in a 15 gallon pot.

In school my advisor put a big chunk (no roots, no soil) in the herbarium dehydrator (pitch black) for quite some time -she took this chunk out and it was not dehydrated, it was covered in yellow blooms! Super tough.

Wow! Good to know.
I know they grow from cuttings - almost as easily as portulacaria I hear - and have been thinking about a desert native rock garden feature in the front yard.

 

[TN_Jim]

Wow! Good to know.
I know they grow from cuttings - almost as easily as portulacaria I hear - and have been thinking about a desert native rock garden feature in the front yard.

They do root so easily. Amazing plants.

As you likely know, I would just keep them away from any walking area -if yours is like the eastern species (Opuntia humifusa), the spines are fine, it’s those glochids/tiny red hairs that make your skin feel like it’s full of fibreglass. However, there is a variety of Opuntia that lacks these hairs and spines that can be found in nurseries.

 

[ShadyStump]

They do root so easily. Amazing plants.

As you likely know, I would just keep them away from any walking area -if yours is like the eastern species (Opuntia humifusa), the spines are fine, it’s those glochids/tiny red hairs that make your skin feel like it’s full of fibreglass. However, there is a variety of Opuntia that lacks these hairs and spines that can be found in nurseries.

Oh, yeah, these have the hairs. One of God's practical jokes, right up there with allergies.
My son, when he was 3, fell on one, and we spent an hour with tweezers pulling them out of his butt.
He's been able to spot a cactus from a mile away ever since.

 

[Vincent Tanner]

Today was my local club’s workshop with Young Choe. I was able to hang out with Young for about nine hours of kusamono.

Here’s some of what I made—

 

[Vincent Tanner]

Another one—

 

[Vincent Tanner]

And just one more for now…

 

[Vincent Tanner]

 

[ShadyStump]

Last week while hiking we passed a little prickly pear that'd fallen out of an embankment in a solid ball of sand. Figured it must want a ride, so I brought it home. Just got to potting it up because I just got to drilling some thrift store bowls into pots.

Even just sitting as lump of dirt in a puddle for almost two weeks, it already looks healthier than I found it.
Can't wait to see it flower!

 

[Vincent Tanner]