Shohin Spirea

Mike Hennigan

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This is a Spiraea japonica 'Goldmound’ that I bought at my local agway last summer. It has bright lime green foliage, sometimes more golden depending on the time of year and sun exposure, which makes it really stand out color wise in my bonsai garden. It has lovely pink flowers that I have been viciously removing at the first signs of their existence.

Anyone familiar with Spirea as a landscape plant knows that they put out long unbranching shoots with a flower head at the end each year, and each winter usually experience a lot of dieback on all of these shoots. Their behavior in the landscape seems to indicate they are not a good candidate for developing fine ramification. Though not popular in bonsai culture, they have been used. Information is extremely limited for Spirea in bonsai it seems.

I chose to pay the meager fee for this material based on one thing alone, the trunk was exceptionally interesting. Knowing nothing about Spirea as bonsai I picked this up for the bulbous and grotesque beauty of the exposed roots. It reminded me of a banyan tree native to Mordor perhaps. When I removed it from the nursery can this spring I uncovered about twice as much usable “trunk” and was pleasantly surprised. Basically the “trunk” is one big fat bulbous root, with a number of smaller roots growing down around it. I do not have a picture of it while it was in the nursery can but it was a pretty big container and I ended up pruning off 90% of the roots probably to get it into the appropriately sized pot. This was actually the first repot I did this spring as buds were swelling very early, with no regard for the continuing frosts. I kept it inside on a sunny windowsill for a couple weeks after the repot until frosts subsided. Here it is just after repot:
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A day after this pic I mounded more soil into the “aerial” roots to fill out the open spaces and hoping to get them to branch out and build more density.

Here it is with a full head of hair a week ago:
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And after selective defoliation of the inner leaves, which were starting to looking crummy anyways. But the idea is to increase airflow and light into the interior to encourange new interior growth that I can build ramification with.

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We’ll see what can be done with Spirea and ramification. If there ever was a fine candidate for Walter Pall’s hedge trimming method I imagine this would be it. So I may just end up taking that approach, while intentionally pruning off adventitious buds that won’t be contributing to the branching I want. Even if constant dieback is a theme with this tree, I will never have a shortage of new shoots to replace them with. Styling and design wise I think the only option is for a broom-like spreading banyan sort of image. I think this tree could really make a fine accent plant even if it will never be able to stand on its own right.
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just.wing.it

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Cool man!
I am happy with mine.
Going to be interested to see how much die back I get this year.
This one I pruned several times this year after the initial growth and first flowers.
Built a good canopy in one summer.
Even if I have to do it every year, its a fun tree!
 

Velodog2

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I have several similar. Like them for their bark and vigor. The dieback has been mostly in finest twigs. Actual branches survive.

Been slowly working this ugly/gnarly one for several years at least. There was a lot of dead wood around the trunk that had to be removed. The branches have all been grown intentionally and survive quite well year to year. This pic was just after one of the several cut-backs I do each growing season. They bounce right back.
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just.wing.it

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I have several similar. Like them for their bark and vigor. The dieback has been mostly in finest twigs. Actual branches survive.

Been slowly working this ugly/gnarly one for several years at least. There was a lot of dead wood around the trunk that had to be removed. The branches have all been grown intentionally and survive quite well year to year. This pic was just after one of the several cut-backs I do each growing season. They bounce right back.
View attachment 212395
That's got some character!
Cool!
 

Soldano666

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Nice ones guys. That first one is a beast. I had a couple that lasted only a couple years then main branches started to die back only to be replaced by sucker shoots. Side note I found that spirea nipponica shoots less sucker shoots and tends to have a better branching and more upright pattern, the white flowers are boring but its the only one of my bunch that didn't get chucked in the tree graveyard. I'll see if I can find some pics
 

Soldano666

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First is winter 2016 second is winter 2017 and in leaf was last summer. I love the fact that they ramify so damn well.
 

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Mike Hennigan

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Wow, some nice trees all around. Yea mine is still looking very overgrown. I figured I would go easy on it this season since i’ve Just repottted, but next season will be shearing it back more aggressively. Looking forward to seeing how much ramification I can build in one summer.

@Soldano666 Really nice nipponica. Thanks for the tip. I actually have some family friends that have some Nipponica ‘snowmound’ I believe growing on their property. They have some in their landscaping but in this big field behind their house it seems that they have started to grow wild from the seed of the landscape shrubs. Will have to see about digging one in the spring.
 

Mike Hennigan

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This is what this little bugger is looking like after hedge trimming (@Walter Pall) to shape all summer. Probably hedged it back 5 times or so. These things just keep growing the whole season. Honestly really surprised at how nice it is looking after one season of hedge trimming. I’m sure the winter silhouette has a long way to go but I figure I keep this up for the next ten years i’ll have something really special. Will be doing some branch selection next spring.

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Velodog2

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Niceeee. I lost a couple branches on mine this year. Boooooooo
Both of mine have suffered from some kind of fungus or blight that turns the leaves black as fast as new ones can grow. I haven’t been able to get rid of it and I’m sure i will lose branches.

Your has a nice profile right now and a nice fresh look. Post a winter pic!
 

shinmai

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Looks like you've been able to get the leaves to reduce since the original photos.
 

HoneyHornet

Shohin
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Status update?! I just pruned mine back it was in nursery pot kind of neglected since end of last season hope it makes out half as cool as allot of these proved
 
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