And the major problem /s with each tree / shrub type is / are..........

[Anthony]

So folks, you are growing x plant, love it, but there is a problem for example,

[1] Sageretia t.----------- beautiful shrub, twiggy, woody, flaking bark, no problems
growing once the soil drains well, can be trained with just grow and clip.
Bright light plant, responds well to fertiliser, and grows fast.

The problem ---------- does not heal wounds over this size - [ ] --------- rots.
Has a survival technique, shoots continuously from the base, and will dump the
main trunk.

You cannot forget it for over two weeks.,

So the training technique involves [ for us ] starting with a seedling and paying
attention daily. No cuts over the above seen size.
Ground growing is a waste of time.
[ unless you are the Chinese who can adapt to practically any damage/rot ]

Thus we have a whole bunch of Sageretia that started life as seedlings and you
accept the time taken to slowly thicken the trunk [ and grow specimens at 6 inches ]

Oh yes and expose to too much sun, causes massive die back.
Guess who didn't catch on early enough and burnt up 7 plus attempts.
Takes a bow.

So let is look at other trees /; shrubs.
Good Day
Anthony

* Shrubs also naturally rests from Christmas to February and if collected from the
yard around October to February, will just die.

 

[Anthony]

Okay the Southern Chinese elm,

Well back in the 80's some were bought, and again in 93 and 96 or so.
Plus we were gifted with what was called - a yatsubusa.

These elms are cultivars, in fact a root cutting can produce a new cultivar.

Very easy to grow, needs well draining soil, a winter;s rest and lots of sun.

Have one root that went from pencil thick to 3 inches in 6 months in 1/3 of a
55 Gal US black barrel.
We use a simple soil for all plants 5 mm inorganic [ porous and non porous ]
and aged compost. For barrel growing the size goes up to 15 mm if needed.

Well the elm grows, and grows and the problem becomes thickening.
Very rapidly leaves behind the grace of the needle fine branchlets.
So you see the design rapidly and in a few months the whole thing is too thick.

The yatsubusa, keeps the fine branching, but trunk is slow to thicken, even in
the ground.

With the end result,we are abandoning this tree. Root cuttings are given away
for others to practice on.

Oh, and relatively pest free.
Good Day
Anthony

* we had a cultivar off of a root cutting, fine leaves, and fine branching, but it
seemed to need real cold. Passed on after around 3 years.

 

[milehigh_7]

Vitex agnus-castus:
Will drop all leaves in shade
Must be religiously pruned if you want close internodes
Does not like wet feet - I've found that wet feet after a repot is the only thing that will kill it. (Must stay damp NOT wet and NOT fully dry after a repot.)
Need to remove old flowers or it will stall for the season.

 

[Anthony]

Good Morning All,

The Chinese Serissa, serissa s.

Woody, able to have trunks at 3 to 5 inches. Finely leafed, densely leafed, well branched -------- Bonsai in middle
name. Gives radial root distribution.

Freely draining soil, grow and clip and needs a Bonsai pot that can be glazed but the body is porous.
Especially the base of the pot.

Full sun.

Alas the leaves are insect feast. So on our side leaf cutting ants are a problem.

Doesn't really heal, so no cuts larger than this - [ ]

On our side, if it flowers, it will continue to flower and get messy. So you do the June snow bit
and when tired of the white flowers ---------- prune back hard all over.

Other than the above, shrub is zone 7, and needs a rest from Christmas to February.
Many of the Chinese plants that live in the Tropics [ our side ] seem to rest by shortening of days
and not cold so much.

I heartly recommend this shrub,
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Mihai]

White birch - elegant white flakey bark on older specimens with great response in terms of leaf reduction (leaves under an inch when roots are constrained to a smallish pot). Very vigorous growth. Handles root pruning very well. Loves water so no danger of over watering.
And the only major con: drops branches at random and is prone to dieback.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Boxwood. Pros: none. Cons: everything.

Seriously - boxwood:
Pros: Small leaves. Interesting bark on some species. Can sometimes be found in old hedges with interesting multi-trunk designs. Cheap. Universally available.
Cons: Slow-growing. Weak roots. Soft wood that rots easily. Prone to root problems, die-back, loss of major limbs, trunks.

 

[Anthony]

Hey @Bonsai Nut ,

Bingo, you just answered our mystery of the universe.
The Chinese boxwood ----------- what a pest.
Have 6 ----------- a struggle [ bonfire night ?]
Thank you.
Good Day
Anthony

* Okay now who mastered the Boxwood and is willing to help/share ????

 

[M. Frary]

I have 3 boxwood.
Taking them to sell at the club show.
I just don't really like then too much.
Whatever sticks above the snow here in the winter burns off.

Another tree used for bonsai that I've given up on for a while is American Horsham.
If you get a branch to grow some place other on the trunk you have to wait forever until it's proper size.
Need to be collected with low branches in place already.
Siberian elm also will give a guy fits.
I haven't lost any large branches but they will lose some fine twigs over winter.
They also love to grow branches out of the branch collar.
Procumbens junipers don't like to be too rootbound.
And from what I hear are like the favorite home of spider mites because of the dense foliage.
I don't have mite problems here but other people do.