Duranta in the Works

StoneCloud

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This started out as a landscape shrub picked out by the wife. It didn't do well in it's location and wasn't taken care of the best either. So around Jan/Feb of this year I made the decision to pull it out and see what can be done.

The progress so far has been ugly, however the shrub is really starting to become a tree. There are many years of work ahead.

It has become worthy enough to track so I'm starting a thread :cool:

8/29/2016
Original location front of the house. Direct sun from 12pm to sundown:
20170225_105800.jpg

After the pic above, it survived, white flies, aphids, sooty mold, and duck attacks. It was going to die.

February 2017: Dug it out
I don't have pics of the wilting, but it wilted hard for a week. thought it was going to die, but it didn't!

March 2017: Cut it back hard. Removed dead, diseased and unwanted material:
20170303_114550.jpg

At this point it was really ugly and had been pushed hard, but not too far....

I let it recover until until the end of April at which point removal of one of those trunks was needed.

April 29, 2017 Removal of 2nd trunk and wiring:
20170516_204429.jpg

Still Ugly. Now it needs weeding! And a giant mushroom somehow arose!!!!

A month later growing well on June 1st, 2017:
20170601_103940.jpg

Then 2 weeks later on the 15th of June:

20170618_180118.jpg

I pruned back some long exentsions and left the branches that I will wire later this week.

Here is the tree today:

20170710_103115.jpg

In between these photos and major work I only trimmed leaves to keep it from being overgrown........

Wiring will come next......

:)
 

StoneCloud

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Finally got around to wiring the tree....and just in time. As some of the branches were pretty stiff and fighting back hard...had a small snap but nothing to worry about it'll heal just fine.

I did change the front of the tree by 90 degrees. Turning the tree counter clock wise from the last photo above. Better presence and lean to the viewer, better taper viewed from here and a wider trunk.

Extra length of wire left for when the branch grows....which here happens every few hours :mad::mad: :p:p

I must say I am happy and surprised at how far this bush has come. Fairly quick too.

Long way to go but it's getting there:

20170809_164622.jpg

20170809_163842.jpg
 

thomas22

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Nice job wiring. Do you know what color flowers or type of Duranta this one is? Looks the same as mine which has many white flowers at the moment. Remember when you cut back to a pair of leaves this tree should be pretty reliable on giving you two new shoots/branches. This is how you will increase branches as you go up. You may know this already but I thought I would throw that out there.
 

StoneCloud

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Nice job wiring. Do you know what color flowers or type of Duranta this one is? Looks the same as mine which has many white flowers at the moment. Remember when you cut back to a pair of leaves this tree should be pretty reliable on giving you two new shoots/branches. This is how you will increase branches as you go up. You may know this already but I thought I would throw that out there.

Thank you!

It is a Duranta Repens Gold Mound. It hasn't flowered yet so I'm still waiting to see myself but I believe the flowers will be lavender.

To be honest I wasn't anticipating this to be so much fun to work with. Yes they are very reliable with new shoots. And they back bud all up and down the trunk and branches all the time. New branches are so easy to come by with these, bonsai dream!

Your's has great age in it and the roots! I need to work on this one's roots more. And I also ultimately want to get this smaller as well.
 

thomas22

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Thank you!

It is a Duranta Repens Gold Mound. It hasn't flowered yet so I'm still waiting to see myself but I believe the flowers will be lavender.

To be honest I wasn't anticipating this to be so much fun to work with. Yes they are very reliable with new shoots. And they back bud all up and down the trunk and branches all the time. New branches are so easy to come by with these, bonsai dream!

Your's has great age in it and the roots! I need to work on this one's roots more. And I also ultimately want to get this smaller as well.
To be honest I got really lucky with mine. The roots came with the tree and I didn't even know what the hell I was buying. I didn't know it flowered or was good for bonsai when I bought it. I will try to get a pic with its flowers and post it somewhere.
 

Anthony

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Decided to remove the Chicken of Depression comments,
BUT please be aware that this shrub can suddenly kill off branches.

I would also suggest that you remember the guideline of 1 inch trunk to 6 inch height /width..
So if you could, leave off the wiring and focus on letting the lower two branches
extend and decide how tall or wide you would like the effort to be.

Restrain on the clipping and wiring, focus on trunk size.
It need be take cuttings and practice your wiring / clipping techniques
on them.

Remember trunk and radial root [ if the plant has them naturally ] and
first 6 branches [ placement ------ shaping comes later ]
Good Day
Anthony
 
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StoneCloud

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To be honest I got really lucky with mine. The roots came with the tree and I didn't even know what the hell I was buying. I didn't know it flowered or was good for bonsai when I bought it. I will try to get a pic with its flowers and post it somewhere.

Same w/ me, the wife picked them out for shrubs in the front and then it fell into my hands when it wasn't doing well. When purchased I was not aware they have flowers and berries either. The flowers on yours would be cool to see!
 

StoneCloud

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Decided to remove the Chicken of Depression comments,
BUT please be aware that this shrub can suddenly kill off branches.

I would also suggest that you remember the guideline of 1 inch trunk to 6 inch height /width..
So if you could, leave off the wiring and focus on letting the lower two branches
extend and decide how tall or wide you would like the effort to be.

Restrain on the clipping and wiring, focus on trunk size.
It need be take cuttings and practice your wiring / clipping techniques
on them.

Remember trunk and radial root [ if the plant has them naturally ] and
first 6 branches [ placement ------ shaping comes later ]
Good Day
Anthony


Chicken of depression comments :p:p LOL

On it suddenly killing off branches, I have heard this, but haven't seen it, though the species is still newer to me. Is there anything discovered about why they might do this other than normal reasons for dieback? Trying to learn to prevent!

@thomas22 Have you had this happen?


I have been contemplating, but not anytime soon......to air layer or chop this one above the 2nd branch up from the bottom. It's currently too tall...gotta get it there.
 

StoneCloud

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Nope, I did a repot from a 5 gallon container to a 2 1/2'' deep pot and didn't loose a branch. On a side note, you may want to let that shoot at the base on the left grow wild for a year or two to help thicken the base.

I haven't lost any either.....

and that lower branch is only existing for that purpose :p I figured I would leave it on for about 2 to 3 years unless it bulges
 
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