Zelkova Ishizuki on Lava Rock

Zelkova ishizuki (rock planting) on dark lava rock.

• Style: Ishizuki, rock planting
• Rock: Dark lava rock, 52 cm long, 30 cm deep, 37-57 cm high
• Groundcover: Baby tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)

Photos taken in August 2026

Zelkova rock planting

This Zelkova is grown in ishizuki style, its roots gripping a piece of dark, porous lava rock instead of open soil. Zelkova is one of the most popular species for this kind of planting: fine branching, small leaves and a naturally upright habit that reads well against stone.

The rock is planted with baby tears, a low, dense groundcover often mistaken for moss at a glance. It softens the base of the composition and keeps the roots visibly anchored to the lava rock rather than hidden under bare soil.

Why a rock planting

Ishizuki compositions show the whole relationship between a tree and the ground it grows from: roots exposed, gripping stone, finding what little soil they can. It's a more dramatic, sculptural style than a tree in a conventional pot.

About this piece

This is a one-of-a-kind piece. The main photo presents it staged in our tokonoma display style, an alcove setting we use for collection-tier pieces. The gallery below has the original, unedited photographs, including a close-up of the baby tears groundcover, so you can see the actual planting and the real lava rock.