Jabily / Elephant tree

petegreg · Jan 19, 2017

...or Operculicarya decaryi. I've got this tree for 3 or 4 years. It comes from a seed and grows well placed on W-facing window sill. Naturally the species has dry and wet seasons. So no watering or just a little water in winter. It goes dormant when dry dropping all or a majority of leaves.
Here're its pictures in last summer with a sacrifice branch.

The growing has come to a point when
the pot was going to explode, so a need of repot came. Not too many good info online, so I used some knowledge posted here:
http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t15954-operculicarya

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1758367/root-pruning-repotting-operculicarya
They say cut roots and leave them dry
for at least a week put on the top of the soil, but I wasn't too comfortable with it and used a liquid cut paste that dried only four hours. I hope it'll prevent root rot.

operculicarya%201%202017%20repotting%202.jpg

operculicarya%201%202017%20repotting%203.jpg

Also two tubular roots were cut off. It can be propagated by this roots. They can be cut to halves and let dry... But mine root cuttings had some roots so I potted them leaving the cut area above the soil. I'll see.

operculicarya%202%263%202017%20root%20cuttings.jpg

If you have any experiences, highly appreciated.

Leo in N E Illinois · Jan 19, 2017

I think your root cuttings will take, nice. I've grown operculacaria, they handle drought well. Leaving it bare root and dry won't hurt it at all. Rot is a real issue. Winter is not a good time for root work, best would to wait until night temps are above 18 or 20 C with days even warmer.

I have left my tree dry, no water at all, as much as 6 months, and lost no branches. I left mine dry mostly for winters when I did not have a space with good light for winter growth. Stored it cool and dry for winter. Then outside for growth.

Leo in N E Illinois · Jan 19, 2017

They are very prone to develop zones of reverse taper. No way to avoid this. Ignore those who complain that this is a disqualifying flaw for bonsai. You can still end up with a pleasant, well done bonsai.

petegreg · Jan 19, 2017

Leo in N E Illinois said:
I think your root cuttings will take, nice. I've grown opertreocarias, they handle drought well. Leaving it bare root and dry won't hurt it at all. Rot is a real issue. Winter is not a good time for root work, best would to wait until night temps are above 18 or 20 C with days even warmer.

I have left my tree dry, no water at all, as much as 6 months, and lost no branches. I left mine dry mostly for winters when I did not have a space with good light for winter growth. Stored it cool and dry for winter. Then outside for growth.

Thank you for your response. When I start watering I tell him it's spring. Indoor temps will allow me doing it. The tree hasn't been watered since repot and I think I'll let it dry at least few days. One cut stays above a soil level and the second is buried in dry soil. I'll update...

petegreg · Mar 24, 2017

It's alive!!! But took ages. Sometimes I have more luck than brain.

Both root cuttings seem to be fine too. But look where the new growth grows out from. LOL, elephant tree with a hippo skin.

sorce · Mar 25, 2017

Nice!

Sorce

hemmy · Apr 1, 2017

Here's mine from local grower. Got it in 2012 and repotted it to high. I have read later that the base will thicken faster if they are lower. It was a little thicker than my thumb in 2012. The next pics are from today. I repotted in summer of 2016 and took off a big root which sprouted. If I would have potted it up it would have thickened faster. It sort of defeats the purpose of the root pruning pots when you don't repot for 4 years! Lol

I plan to chop at the middle branches this summer and wire for a flat-top form.

petegreg · Apr 2, 2017

hemmy said:
Here's mine from local grower. Got it in 2012 and repotted it to high. I have read later that the base will thicken faster if they are lower. It was a little thicker than my thumb in 2012. The next pics are from today. I repotted in summer of 2016 and took off a big root which sprouted. If I would have potted it up it would have thickened faster. It sort of defeats the purpose of the root pruning pots when you don't repot for 4 years! Lol

I plan to chop at the middle branches this summer and wire for a flat-top form.

View attachment 139313
View attachment 139314 View attachment 139315 View attachment 139316

Nice tree and good info, thanks for posting.
On repotting two of three "fat" roots were removed and now I'm courious if it creates new water reservoirs.

petegreg · Aug 4, 2018

A season and half later.
The parent tree grows strong. These probably don't need too much room for roots. Had to take a pic from above to capture all the tree.

This part will be kept, the rest is sacrifice growth.

... look, chi-chi's or what?

This is the stump (root cutting) that I left with two buds growing... Clip and grow.

The wound is closed just fine I'll see how it developes in long run.

This one is developed from one bud.

The wound looks and closes weird. But time will tell... Some sacrifice growth is allowed to extend, next year for repotting and I'll try to air-layer it just to see if it's possible and have a back up plan to improve nebari if needed... and have another tree.

hemmy · Aug 4, 2018

petegreg said:
A season and half later.

Have you ever gotten any stem cuttings to root?

I’ve also gotten root cuttings to sprout, but my branch and trunk cuttings from the fall never rooted.

hemmy · Aug 4, 2018

Does yours flower? Apparently they are dioecious, separate male and female flowers. Mine appears to be male. The flowers are tiny. Here are some phone pics through my 10x lens.

petegreg · Aug 5, 2018

hemmy said:
Have you ever gotten any stem cuttings to root?

I’ve also gotten root cuttings to sprout, but my branch and trunk cuttings from the fall never rooted.

No, haven't tried yet. Thank you for information. I will try A-L and keep you informed.

petegreg · Aug 5, 2018

hemmy said:
Does yours flower? Apparently they are dioecious, separate male and female flowers. Mine appears to be male. The flowers are tiny. Here are some phone pics through my 10x lens.
View attachment 204376 View attachment 204377 View attachment 204378 View attachment 204379

Wow, these flowers are nice. Mine is some 5y old seedling, probably too young for flowers.

sorce · Aug 5, 2018

11th floor sacrifices!

Right!

Sorce

Bezalel Nebari · Jan 12, 2020

petegreg said:
Some sacrifice growth is allowed to extend, next year for repotting and I'll try to air-layer it just to see if it's possible and have a back up plan to improve nebari if needed... and have another tree.

Have you experimented with air layering this species before? If so, how did it turn out? I imagine there is a greater success rate if you air layer vs if you just plant a cutting

AlainK · Jan 12, 2020

Elephants in Slovakia ?... Blow my mind !

Very interseting experiment.

penumbra · Jan 12, 2020

I have a couple of these. I love them. They are tough and thrive on neglect. The one in training is in a house temperature of about 60 -65 and is semi dormant. The one I will be propagating (root cuttings) is in my grow room, up to 80 daytime and as low of 69 nighttime. It is vigorously growing. I have not had much luck with stem cuttings.

petegreg · Jan 12, 2020

Bezalel Nebari said:
Have you experimented with air layering this species before? If so, how did it turn out? I imagine there is a greater success rate if you air layer vs if you just plant a cutting

Not before, tried it this summer for a first time, no joy. Some callus was forming, but no roots. I planted it, no growth since separation, now naked, I will see in spring. I have one more to try this summer.

petegreg · Jan 12, 2020

penumbra said:
I have a couple of these. I love them. They are tough and thrive on neglect. The one in training is in a house temperature of about 60 -65 and is semi dormant. The one I will be propagating (root cuttings) is in my grow room, up to 80 daytime and as low of 69 nighttime. It is vigorously growing. I have not had much luck with stem cuttings.

I love them too. All my three trees grow indoors year round. Same here, actually semi dormant, too, temperature 66. I will update in spring after repotting.

petegreg · Jan 12, 2020

AlainK said:
Elephants in Slovakia ?... Blow my mind !

Very interseting experiment.

Thanks Alain, why not, the seeds were easy to obtain? These are really fun and easy to grow trees and if I kill them I will quit bonsai for sure

.

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