Chamaecyparis obtusa advice and help

[bonsaimagic]

This is my new Hinoki Cypress I received last week. It has some burnt foliage and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what I should be doing? Thanks in advance guys!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nice little Hinoki. It looks reasonably healthy. A little ''bronzing" of foliage is normal in winter in my area, though we are quite a bit colder than you are in Austin.

In Chicago-land & Milwaukee areas, we keep our Hinoki in full sun. In Texas, I suspect that afternoon shade would help, especially when temperatures are above 90 F. Your bronzing could be just a touch of sunburn. Though I would not consider it "bad", I would do nothing unless the condition spread. Hinoki come from temperate rain forests and Island forests, in both cases high temperatures are rare. Heat always comes with high humidity. In Texas low humidity and high heat can be a problem for hinoki.

Basically, if you are growing this tree outdoors, it looks quite healthy.

Too much water, would be yellow tips to new foliage that would spread to more of the older foliage. If it was too little water, the browning would start at the tips of tender new foliage and spread inward. Remember, Hinoki do not tolerate drought. They like to go from wet to damp-medium moist then back to wet again. Bone dry is a fatal condition for Hinoki.

So my recommendation is to do nothing, except stay on top of watering - which means check to see if it needs water frequently, but only water when it actually needs it. In winter this won't be every day, you might go a few days between watering. In summer this can be more than once a day depending on your heat and humidity or lack of humidity.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

P.S. I am assuming this is being kept outdoors, it is a very cold tolerant species of tree. If you have it indoors, it should be moved outside as soon as possible.

 

[Stan Kengai]

To add to what Leo said, keep it out of the wind, especially if the soil is frozen. Hinoki's are very thirsty plants (but do not like to have wet roots, go figure) and are easily desicated, which make soil choice important. Mine do well in 1:1 akadama and pumice, but your climate is drier than mine, so you could use a higher percentage of akadama and/or a deeper pot. Full sun in summer works for me here, but I suspect you would need some afternoon shade, as Leo suggested.

 

[bonsaimagic]

P.S. I am assuming this is being kept outdoors, it is a very cold tolerant species of tree. If you have it indoors, it should be moved outside as soon as possible.

Thank you, I appreciate it. I am in the do nothing but monitor everything mode and have been since acquiring the tree. This is one of three trees sent to me from a buddy from Seattle WA area. Yes, the tree is kept outdoors and out of the wind. All my bonsai trees stay outside, except my 2 tropical Jacarandas which I stick in my grow room under lights. Thank you kindly for the advice, I appreciate it. Our temps here in the summer are crazy hot and humid. Our nights are 78 for the low, 104 for the high w/ 88% nighttime humidity and daytime 40+ so I hope this Hinoki will acclimate. I took pics of our temps this summer and I'll attach them to this reply. I will definitely have to provide morning sun perhaps and afternoon shade. The tree is 4 yrs old. I have it a 1 gallon pot, but do you recommend me move it to a 2 or 3 gal size? I got him out of the plastic rootballl and into the new pot on Christmas day so I hate to re-pot it again, so some wisdom on that would be helpful. I have it in the following mix of substrates : 1/4 Turface 1/4 Akadama 1/4 Pumice 1/4 Black Lava. This was all I had on hand last week but have red lava and pumice arriving Friday along with some of Bonsai Jack's Organic Conifer Mix pH5.8 - - 1/4 inch Douglas Fir Bark 1/4 inch Pumice 1/4 inch Lava 1/4 inch Monto Clay 1/4 inch Horticulture Charcoal. I will keep on top of the watering and I am taking pics everyday to monitor the "bronzing". My bonsai mentor also advised me of the seasonality of the foliage. But I am new to Bonsai and I am the "absorb all knowledge like a sponge" phase =) I also, attached some daytime pics of the Hinoki with full sun. Happy New Year Leo!

 

[bonsaimagic]

To add to what Leo said, keep it out of the wind, especially if the soil is frozen. Hinoki's are very thirsty plants (but do not like to have wet roots, go figure) and are easily desicated, which make soil choice important. Mine do well in 1:1 akadama and pumice, but your climate is drier than mine, so you could use a higher percentage of akadama and/or a deeper pot. Full sun in summer works for me here, but I suspect you would need some afternoon shade, as Leo suggested.

Thanks for the help Stan, much appreciated. Please see the attachments I sent Leo with the pics of the temps. I am doing more research as the days go by and I will consult a person around this area for some knowledge about how to care for this tree in this intense summer heat. The coast is a few hours away and we get the south winds with humidity in the summer most days. I have the tree in a 1 gallon pot, but do you recommend me move to a 2 or 3 gal size? Happy New Year Stan!

 

[bonsaimagic]

Here are some of my other trees I started from seed in April in my grow room. I have a few Norway Spruces, Black Spruces, Bristlecone Pines, Jacarandas. I am planning on driving these conifers into dormancy by the end of Feb so I'll be ready for re-pot sessions next Spring. Look at the explosive growth the past few weeks from the Norway Spruce in pic 3 and then again a few weeks later in pic 6 when I put a white paper behind it.

 

[Stan Kengai]

Thanks for the help Stan, much appreciated. Please see the attachments I sent Leo with the pics of the temps. I am doing more research as the days go by and I will consult a person around this area for some knowledge about how to care for this tree in this intense summer heat. The coast is a few hours away and we get the south winds with humidity in the summer most days. I have the tree in a 1 gallon pot, but do you recommend me move to a 2 or 3 gal size? Happy New Year Stan!

The pot size looks good relative to the size of the tree, especially being deeper, although I do not have experience with temperatures that high. It would be best to get advice from locals who have successfully grown hinoki, given your relatively unique climate.

 

[Toraidento]

That little Hinoki is gonna cook in the summer, down there. Come summer time. Good luck with it

 

[bonsaimagic]

Update on my Hinoki - - the bronzing of foliage has slowly disappeared. The first pic is end of Dec and last two pics are today.

 

[BuckeyeOne]

Nice Hinoki! Come warmer weather you probably will need to watch the watering very closely as mentioned. They like water.
Partial shade will help.
Soil mix may need a little organics to help with moisture retention. Pine bark compost seems to be a popular amendment where the trees don't like to be totally dry between watering

 

[Underdog]

Mine came back strong after adding sphagnum to the mix. Acid and moisture,

 

[bonsaimagic]

SNOW in Austin TX last night, a very rare sight for us down here. It lasted for an hour, but I've seen snow 3 times in 20+ years living here. Had to post this picture of the Hinoki with it collecting on top =) 42 days until Spring, and the days are getting longer ya'll !!

 

[bonsaimagic]

That little Hinoki is gonna cook in the summer, down there. Come summer time. Good luck with it

That little Hinoki is gonna cook in the summer, down there. Come summer time. Good luck with it

You

That little Hinoki is gonna cook in the summer, down there. Come summer time. Good luck with it

You obviously know NOTHING, GONNA COOK IN THE SUMMER DOWN THERE...LOL you can SUCK MY NUTSACK A$$HOLE

 

[sorce]

I guess this is my fault!

Welcome to Crazy!

Teabags are for fertilizer!

Sorce

 

[augustine]

Austin is too hot for Norway and black spruce also. Grow within your zone.

 

[bonsaimagic]

Austin is too hot for Norway and black spruce also. Grow within your zone.
[/QU

Austin is too hot for Norway and black spruce also. Grow within your zone.

PRO TIP for Augustine - - - - STOP eating RETARD sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.