Dwarf Barbados Cherry

[JoeR]

@JoeR any updates? Any Propagation tips? I have a Barbados Cherry but the bark looks different, than yours, mine is more smooth.

Nothing special, they root well in perlite or even a cup of water in my experience. Even standard 50/50 peat perlite im sure would work great. They form aerial roots easily so they're one of the easiest to propagate. As for the bark, I've noticed there is a more smooth bark variety which is what yours may be, but even for the more rough ones like I have, they can take 3+ years to even start showing it and 5-7+ to really really cork up

 

[Katie0317]

There are two types of Barbados Cherry trees. The dwarf aka weeping and the standard with large edible cherries. The small fruit on the dwarf trees are only to be eaten by birds and squirrels! Not for human consumption.

These trees are available at nurseries throughout Florida. The blooms look the same on both.

When I first bought a dwarf bonsai tree I thought, 'Oh, a cascading tree'...The branches were several feet long. The teacher took over an hour to properly prune and wire it at as upright tree like in the photo. It didn't even look like the same tree.

These trees are incredible hard to wire because the branches are so delicate and brittle. They're very easy to propagate.

At regular nurseries here they sell large Barbados cherry trees in both varieties. We have one that's almost 5 feet tall with the edible cherries and a 4 ft dwarf variety.

Just wanted to share that wiring it to be an upright is the way we see them at bonsai nurseries when done properly. They're sold unwired for 25.00 at every bonsai nursery I've been to.

My dwarf is in bloom now but I think we're ahead of things here. They're fun plants but difficult to manage 'correctly.' I'm not suggesting not to style them anyway you like...It's your tree so have fun with it. It's just hard for me after seeing them done 'correctly' not to try and manage mine that way.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

There are two types of Barbados Cherry trees. The dwarf aka weeping and the standard with large edible cherries. The small fruit on the dwarf trees are only to be eaten by birds and squirrels! Not for human consumption.

These trees are available at nurseries throughout Florida. The blooms look the same on both.

When I first bought a dwarf bonsai tree I thought, 'Oh, a cascading tree'...The branches were several feet long. The teacher took over an hour to properly prune and wire it at as upright tree like in the photo. It didn't even look like the same tree.

These trees are incredible hard to wire because the branches are so delicate and brittle. They're very easy to propagate.

At regular nurseries here they sell large Barbados cherry trees in both varieties. We have one that's almost 5 feet tall with the edible cherries and a 4 ft dwarf variety.

Just wanted to share that wiring it to be an upright is the way we see them at bonsai nurseries when done properly. They're sold unwired for 25.00 at every bonsai nursery I've been to.

My dwarf is in bloom now but I think we're ahead of things here. They're fun plants but difficult to manage 'correctly.' I'm not suggesting not to style them anyway you like...It's your tree so have fun with it. It's just hard for me after seeing them done 'correctly' not to try and manage mine that way.

Do you have any pictures of your Barbados trees? I'd love to see them. Same goes for anyone reading this.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

This is one that I received in March infested with scale, and aphids. Finally bug free, (thanks to lady bugs, and soapy water with rubbing alcohol) I wonder about all the limbs that used to have foliage and no longer do. I did see growth on the trunk, but the long branches in front haven't looked good for a month. All the leaves on it are new growth and I believe I burnt some of those by putting it in the sun to long about a week ago. I was told it's about 25 years old, I have no idea if that's true and if it is, does it still flower? Is this the Dwarf or the "standard"?



Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Carol 83]

This is one that I received in March infested with scale, and aphids. Finally bug free, (thanks to lady bugs, and soapy water with rubbing alcohol) I wonder about all the limbs that used to have foliage and no longer do. I did see growth on the trunk, but the long branches in front haven't looked good for a month. All the leaves on it are new growth and I believe I burnt some of those by putting it in the sun to long about a week ago. I was told it's about 25 years old, I have no idea if that's true and if it is, does it still flower? Is this the Dwarf or the "standard"?

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Any advice is appreciated.

Those branches on the bottom, do they scratch green? If not, cut them off . It doesn't look very healthy. I would cut back those branches that are bare with just a few leaves on the ends. They will usually backbud like crazy. Looks like a weeping variety. I'm not sure you could give it too much sun in Michigan unless you just brought out from inside to direct sunlight. They are pretty tough little plants, with a little care it should flourish.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Those branches on the bottom, do they scratch green? If not, cut them off . It doesn't look very healthy. I would cut back those branches that are bare with just a few leaves on the ends. They will usually backbud like crazy. Looks like a weeping variety. I'm not sure you could give it too much sun in Michigan unless you just brought out from inside to direct sunlight. They are pretty tough little plants, with a little care it should flourish.

I know it looks bad I just want to save it! Its under grow lights indoors when it can't be outside, (LED) seems to work as I grew it out long & I trimmed those down two weeks ago & put it outdoors.. It's been outdoors since the lows are above 50 , The branches you mention had growth on them a month ago, but I haven't checked them for green and I was thinking of just cutting them off. Kind of just waiting to see if it will get healthy again as I've never seen it in good shape.

 

[Carol 83]

I know it looks bad I just want to save it! Its under grow lights indoors when it can't be outside, (LED) seems to work as I grew it out long & I trimmed those down two weeks ago & put it outdoors.. It's been outdoors since the lows are above 50 , The branches you mention had growth on them a month ago, but I haven't checked them for green and I was thinking of just cutting them off. Kind of just waiting to see if it will get healthy again as I've never seen it in good shape.

If it is a weeping type and the branches get too long they only want to grow at the ends and need to be pruned back. Mine do fine inside under LED lights over the winter, but they really flourish outside.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

If it is a weeping type and the branches get too long they only want to grow at the ends and need to be pruned back. Mine do fine inside under LED lights over the winter, but they really flourish outside.

Thanks! The way the new growth came in, the tree bark & the way branches weep, I think it's a Dwarf, I just haven't owned it long enough to know it well enough. I'll be pruning it soon to allow for the Michigan "summer" growth extravaganza. Wish me luck & I appreciate your knowledge & experience.

 

[Katie0317]

This is a photo from 6 months ago..12/1/2021

Am showing it because it shows what it should look like. I was still removing wire yesterday. Yes, some wire can stay that long without biting. I cut a branch and felt sick. I potted the cutting and kept repeating 'it will grow' in my head but am not up to photographing it just yet.

They grow fairly quickly in a tropical environment but this shows it after it was wired by a professional. I did the bottom branches, but there's no way I can credit for this. They're difficult especially as you get closer to the top.

This was a 25.00 tree unwired. I noticed one on a bonsai bench (not pre-bonsai benches) wired for 125.00.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

This is a photo from 6 months ago..12/1/2021

Am showing it because it shows what it should look like. I was still removing wire yesterday. Yes, some wire can stay that long without biting. I cut a branch and felt sick. I potted the cutting and kept repeating 'it will grow' in my head but am not up to photographing it just yet.

They grow fairly quickly in a tropical environment but this shows it after it was wired by a professional. I did the bottom branches, but there's no way I can credit for this. They're difficult especially as you get closer to the top.

This was a 25.00 tree unwired. I noticed one on a bonsai bench (not pre-bonsai benches) wired for 125.00.

Thanks I appreciate it. Good looking tree, and wire job.