Bucida Spinosa

[Japonicus]

Hi Japonicus - this is the one. It’s patiently waiting for summer in my greenhouse right now.

S

Perhaps another thread on it somewhere, but your modesty...
I didn't find reference to the event/correlation in this thread, so had to ask
Nice honors

 

[markyscott]

Ready for summer work.

 

[markyscott]

All done.



S

 

[Warpig]

Your wife out of town? I can get away with working in the living room, never tried taking over the kitchen! Looks good!

These was going to be my same response.

 

[markyscott]

A bit more detail wiring and touch-up pruning. Pads and the broad, domed apex are better defined now. Looking at these pictures, it seems like the right branch can come down a little more. Still, it’s looking pretty sharp - I may put it in the fall show.

 

[Warpig]

Yea that right branch could almost be a pad by itself. Love the tree tho looking great.

 

[markyscott]

Cleanup for the fall show. Before and after.




Scott

 

[coh]

It's come a long way since your first post. Looks good! Nice design.

 

[markyscott]

It's come a long way since your first post. Looks good! Nice design.

Thank you Chris

 

[Warpig]

Yea top tier tree for sure! Vary nice.

 

[ysobelle]

What an amazing specimen! You have certainly pulled out the essential beauty and mystery on this one.
Something to aspire to.

Scott - do you have any current pics on this bucida spinosa? (2020-ish)

 

[markyscott]

What an amazing specimen! You have certainly pulled out the essential beauty and mystery on this one.
Something to aspire to.

Scott - do you have any current pics on this bucida spinosa? (2020-ish)

thank you. I’ll take one tomorrow.

- s

 

[markyscott]

What an amazing specimen! You have certainly pulled out the essential beauty and mystery on this one.
Something to aspire to.

Scott - do you have any current pics on this bucida spinosa? (2020-ish)

Here it is. Front, back and side.

 

[ysobelle]

Here it is. Front, back and side.
View attachment 298310View attachment 298309View attachment 298311

Wow! Just simply gorgeous... Thanks so much for sharing the new photos. It's getting better every year!

 

[ysobelle]

Hey Scott -
if I may ask - these Black Olives tend to produce a plethora of short spiky vertical stalks, in addition to those large vertical leaders you mentioned in your earlier post. When you are cleaning and pruning, how do you determine which of those little spiky growths to remain vs. which to clean/ thin out?

 

[ysobelle]

Here it is. Front, back and side.
View attachment 298310View attachment 298309View attachment 298311

Hey Scott -
if I may ask - these Black Olives tend to produce a plethora of short spiky vertical stalks, in addition to those large vertical leaders you mentioned in your earlier post. When you are cleaning and pruning, how do you determine which of those little spiky growths to remain vs. which to clean/ thin out?

 

[markyscott]

Hey Scott -
if I may ask - these Black Olives tend to produce a plethora of short spiky vertical stalks, in addition to those large vertical leaders you mentioned in your earlier post. When you are cleaning and pruning, how do you determine which of those little spiky growths to remain vs. which to clean/ thin out?

Sorry to have missed your question. I manage these trees appropriate to the stage of development. When you’re developing branches, grow it in full sun and in coarse soil (1/4” - 3/8”) and let the shoots grow out long. I let them grow wild and very long as you see in the picures of the early development. Then wire, cut back where appropriate, and thin to two shoots all in one go. You can do this throughout the late spring and summer when the tree is in active growth. I would imagine you can repeat this a couple of times in your area. In refinement, I grow in finer soil (1/8” - 1/4”) and I don't let them grow out as much. The spikes will generally come out in threes and each spike will set a node with foliage at the tip. If I’m trying to extend the branch, I’ll let it extend a bit, then cut back and thin to two shoots. If it’s too coarse (if the internodes are too long) and I’m trying to keep the area compact, I’ll let it extend a bit, then cut back to the new leaves at the base of the spiky growth. It will generally send a new shoot later, but it will be more compact with more closely spaced internodes and you can then you can thin to two shoots.

Hope that helps.

Scott

 

[ysobelle]

Sorry to have missed your question. I manage these trees appropriate to the stage of development. When you’re developing branches, grow it in full sun and in coarse soil (1/4” - 3/8”) and let the shoots grow out long. I let them grow wild and very long as you see in the picures of the early development. Then wire, cut back where appropriate, and thin to two shoots all in one go. You can do this throughout the late spring and summer when the tree is in active growth. I would imagine you can repeat this a couple of times in your area. In refinement, I grow in finer soil (1/8” - 1/4”) and I don't let them grow out as much. The spikes will generally come out in threes and each spike will set a node with foliage at the tip. If I’m trying to extend the branch, I’ll let it extend a bit, then cut back and thin to two shoots. If it’s too coarse (if the internodes are too long) and I’m trying to keep the area compact, I’ll let it extend a bit, then cut back to the new leaves at the base of the spiky growth. It will generally send a new shoot later, but it will be more compact with more closely spaced internodes and you can then you can thin to two shoots.

Hope that helps.

Scott

Yes - this is GREAT information! I had one that was still in formative stage and I managed to kill it - not sure if it was too much fertilizer or too much water. It started to go rust colored (leaves) - and not just the random yellow leaf here and there. So I don't know if it was going into a semi-annual rest period (never had done this before)... so I was afraid I had poisoned the soil so I did an emergency repot (in winter -bad, I know)... but took care not to disturb the roots too much just replaced about 2/3 of the soil. Even under grow lights - in the end, it was a DOA. Now I have several new Bucida to experiment with that I got shipped up from Florida. So I want to arm myself with good knowledge and good intentions toward the trees. You are very gracious to share your knowledge, experience and the photos of the development stages. I am very grateful!
Kathy

 

[markyscott]

Hi Kathy.

It started to go rust colored (leaves)

This is common in winter if it gets chilled. It will drop these leaves in spring when it’s pushing new growth.

so I did an emergency repot (in winter -bad, I know)

Don’t do this, as you now know.

Scott

 

[Theo Smith]

Here it is. Front, back and side.
View attachment 298310View attachment 298309View attachment 298311

Absolutely beautiful tree. I can’t stop looking at it, so many outstanding things about it. Now I’m on the hunt for a couple to put on the bench. Bucida is used as a shade tree down here and I’ve always wanted to work with it but, now I’m determined after seeing your tree. Thank you for sharing!