Chinese Elm or Small Leafed Jade

Bluasul

Seedling
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Beginner here looking for a nice starter tree. These are my two choices. I live in Puerto Rico so we've got tropical climate, hot all year round (Zones 11- 13). If you've got any other recommendations, I'll be glad to know. :)

Also, I've got a Ginseng Ficus but it's basically still Pre-Bonsai. I want something that's a little more developed.
 
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sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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Chinese elm.

There's a few good tropicals you can use.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 

DougB

Chumono
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Are you familiar with Pedro Morales (Google his name), I believe in San Juan, PR? He is a renowned expert. He and others are your in PR are your best bet. There are 2 clubs listed:
PUERTO RICO - Trujillo Alto
Federacion Puerto Rico de Bonsai Contact: Presidente Pedro J. Moarales, P.O.Box 1620, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico 00977-1620 Tel: 787 765 6680 Res. 787 755 3362 Fax: 787 767 1888 Res. 787 761 3394 e-mail: futago@prtc.net

PUERTO RICO - Bayamon
Club de Bonsai de Puerto Rico-Capitulo de San Juan meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm at Centro Cumunal Crown Hills, Wiston Churchill Ave., El Senorial, San Juan. Contact: Jose RiveraE-mail: josorl@prw.net - website: www.geocities.com/cbpr2000
 

Bluasul

Seedling
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Are you familiar with Pedro Morales (Google his name), I believe in San Juan, PR? He is a renowned expert. He and others are your in PR are your best bet. There are 2 clubs listed:
PUERTO RICO - Trujillo Alto
Federacion Puerto Rico de Bonsai Contact: Presidente Pedro J. Moarales, P.O.Box 1620, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico 00977-1620 Tel: 787 765 6680 Res. 787 755 3362 Fax: 787 767 1888 Res. 787 761 3394 e-mail: futago@prtc.net

PUERTO RICO - Bayamon
Club de Bonsai de Puerto Rico-Capitulo de San Juan meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm at Centro Cumunal Crown Hills, Wiston Churchill Ave., El Senorial, San Juan. Contact: Jose RiveraE-mail: josorl@prw.net - website: www.geocities.com/cbpr2000

Thank you, I'll check him out. Both clubs are about a 2 hour drive away from my location but I'm going to get more information nonetheless.
 

milehigh_7

Mister 500,000
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+1 on contacting Pedro Morales. He is a very nice person and extremely helpful. If you want to start right, it would be worth the drive.
 

KennedyMarx

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Fukien tea is a pest magnet in my experience. Maybe they're better in your climate where they can be outside all year. Either way I'd take a chinese elm any day over one. If you can't get a chinese elm then a ficus. Elephant bush/spekboom/mini jade (etc) are interesting but aren't the easiest to train with wire because they're not woody plants.
 

sorce

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I've been poisoned with a strong dislike of Fukien. And I've never even owned one.

It may do better for you.!

Sorce
 

Anthony

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Fukien tea,

only problem in the tropics [ Trinidad , next to Venezuela ] - for big trunk - must be ground grown.

Aphids - use Neem spray.

Other than Furidan [ systemic ] it will damage - speaking from experience.

That is the only pest I have seen on the Fukien tea, but the shrubs are in full sun.

Three types, large, medium and small leaf. Small leaf is the most refined, but once again, big trunk - ground grow.
Able to refine into mounds, like a mango tree's shape. Leaf dense, not branch dense. Hedge material - any shape possible.
Larger the trunk the more effective the small tree in a pot illusion.
Nothing but good things to say about this tree.

NOT TROPICAL - most come from China - zone 9 most likely, some one should test an acclimated cutting, see if it also goes to zone 7, and if the pest problem is because the tree needs to rest and is not happy or healthy.
Might be a cool garage grower for winter ???????

It will rest outdoors in our climate [ low of 66 deg.F by night - month and a half of snooze.]
erto Rico is colder than us
Hope this helps renew interest.
Good Hedge --------- therefore any shape is possible - frees the imagination.
Good Day
Anthony
* Top is gone has to be regrown, systemic poisoning.
Started out as stump from China

Fukien tea  1.jpg
 
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