Try to document the process of making some bonsai / Suiseki version of succulents, or whatever we can call them...
As usual ... Feel free and most welcome...

Will use Dorstenia and Euphorbia Decaryi for the plant to grow on lava rock. As it is quite easy for me to get the dorstenia seeds from the existing plant. And the shape of Decaryi is suitable for this, but the roots may not be suitable to grow on the rocks

I dug out these 2 lava rocks from my front yard, 5 inch and 8 inch.. I circled the area that can be pontential to drill a half inch to 1 inch hole.

The first 5 inch pot, not sure if we should let it in a mountain shape or bowl shape, for this small rock, we can simply drill through, let the rock stand on top of media, grow a Dorstenia on top, actually the roots will grow on the media under the rock.
Mountain shape


Bowl shape


The second lava rock, should we let it lay flat and grow 3 Dorstenia on top?


Or let it stand like a cliff, and combine both Dorstenia and Decaryi

I vote for mountain and cliff, but I'll be thrilled to watch whatever you do and see how it goes

Thanks @dirtdorphins, I haven't do much on the rocks, as this will be the plan for the holidays in early May. I just boiled the rocks to kill all the possible bacteria and parasite in it.
Try to simulate possible option with Dorstenia on the small rock, it looks like the bowl shape will look better..




And it seems like the rock alone will be too small for the plant to grow, may need to drill through the rock and put it on the pot, then can at some E. Decaryi on the pot.

Just ordered 2 pots of Decaryi for the bigger rock, not sure if it is easy or not to root the cuttings

Managed to make a bowl out of it, can stand on its own, quite small but I think a dorstenia will fit nicely in it.


And I found these 2 corals, will try to make the same, worry that the salt content will not be good for the plant, but since they are free, give them a try..

A little bit more of image editing:



It's a very cool idea. Will you drill drainage holes? Or is the rock porous enough that you don't need drainage holes. Interesting project; keep us updated!

Hahaha.. Tx.. No wonder when I look at the photo, I felt like why now the plant looks better than before

The rock is porous enough, but I still drilled a small drainage hole to help.


End result... Have posted this photo in Tiffany's thread, not sure if this Dorstenia will live, as the rootball is quite big, and there is not much space to fill the soil. And I have experienced in killing the grandma and great grandma of this Doorstenia through repotting. If the plant dead, then I'll grow a smaller dortenia, or even start from seeds.

Drilled some holes on the rocks today, both rocks will have combination of Euphorbia Knuthii, Dorstenia and Euphorbia Decaryi

Kaktus said: Drilled some holes on the rocks today, both rocks will have combination of Euphorbia Knuthii, Dorstenia and Euphorbia Decaryi

Didja wear a protective mask?

Hahaha.. Forgot, in this part of the world, we always forget about those, but there were no dust flying around while drilling, as the rocks were wet, I used wet drilling to reduce the heat and to protect the drill bit from burning. Thanks for reminding. 🙏

Your rocks look a lot like mine. We call them 'cinders' which blow out of a cinder cone on the sides of the mountain.
They are light enough that one can pick up a boulder with little effort. The small rocks can float on water for a short time with all the trapped air pockets.
Have never had any luck with growing in coral rocks. Too much salt residue and you cannot boil it out.

Yes, I am also have concern on the salt content in the coral rocks, anyway will just try with some more cheaper and free plants like E. knuthii and Dorstenia that I have freely available.
Those corals had been buried inside the ground for 10 to 20 years, I hope somehow the process may have reduced the salt content.
I also boiled it for around 30 minutes to kill all the parasites, just now I licked the coral and it didn't taste salty

The Japanese word you are looking for to mean planting or cling to a stone is Ishitsuki!

It s a fun style that can be traditional or non-traditional allowing for creativity!

You look like you're up to a good start!!

Kaktus said: just now I licked the coral and it didn't taste salty

Licking rocks?

It's a data point

Smotzer said: The Japanese word you are looking for to mean planting or cling to a stone is Ishitsuki!

Thanks @Smotzer

Using epoxy glue to glue a small rock to support the lava rock to stand, but the glue is visible and the smaller rock also not blending in.


Applied cotton to fill in the gap


Put super glue on the cotton and final touched with crushed lava rocks.


Started to put some plants on it, just realised that it is quite difficult to plant succulents in a 1/2 inch holes. Will drill bigger holes on the other rocks. There are 2 more holes that I haven't put any plants, as I need to wait for the E. Decaryi to caluse over before planting.


The plastic container will be the temporary solution until I find a proper matching pot for it.

Made another one today, hope the salt content in the coral will not be too much for the plants.
And it is really difficult to make any of those with E. Knuthii as combination, as E. Knuthii is a caudex plant that need to be grown outside the rocks, difficult to attach the soil on the rocks. If all E. Knuthii then we can simply bury the whole rock, can not bury the rock if there are other plants on it.

Kaktus said: Thanks @Smotzer

Using epoxy glue to glue a small rock to support the lava rock to stand, but the glue is visible and the smaller rock also not blending in.


Applied cotton to fill in the gap


Put super glue on the cotton and final touched with crushed lava rocks.


Started to put some plants on it, just realised that it is quite difficult to plant succulents in a 1/2 inch holes. Will drill bigger holes on the other rocks. There are 2 more holes that I haven't put any plants, as I need to wait for the E. Decaryi to caluse over before planting.


The plastic container will be the temporary solution until I find a proper matching pot for it.

Your welcome!! And Great design so far!!

Prepare more cuttings of Euphorbia Decaryi, cut another 3 and let them callused, put the one that already has small roots on kanuma+akadama.

Found this beautiful coral, it will look very good in an aquarium, but since I don't keep any aquarium now, will try to grow succulents on it, it looks like it will end up with Euphorbia Knuthii again, I wish I can just grow E. Decaryi or Dorstenia on it, but there are too many holes that will make the roots exposed to the sun, only E. Knuthii will fit in.. Too bad.

Ooooo that looks like it will be come something awesome looking when planted!!