Dwarf orange

Nemoose

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I live in central Florida and drive past multiple orange groves daily. I can't help but think they are almost perfect bonsai material as is. I was wondering if they are grafted and if the roots could ever be reduced enough.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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Commercial citrus farms tend to lean on grafted plants. Don't count on them being on an all original rootstock. Nobody would do that, unless they don't care about money.
Citrus varieties tend to respond pretty well to air layering. Why not layer a branch off? Or take some cuttings (those do take a while).

I've done my fair share of messing with citrus plants.. They should be able to handle rough work. But there is a possibility they will drop their leaves. In your area they would most likely pop just right back. In my area, with subzero winters, it takes a year to restore sometimes.

Do keep in mind that these buggers can grow nasty thorns.
 

Nemoose

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I was pretty sure they were grafted. They are only about 3 to 4 feet tall and awesome looking. Thanks
 

Bonsai Nut

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I was pretty sure they were grafted. They are only about 3 to 4 feet tall and awesome looking. Thanks

The issue with oranges (and many fruit trees in general) is that you can't reduce the size of the fruit. You have to commit to larger scale bonsai trees for them to make sense - a 12" orange tree bonsai looks a little silly with a 4" navel orange on it :) If you are going for a citrus tree look, I would recommend starting with something like a calamondin or kumquat that has smaller citrus fruits to begin with.

67385.jpg
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Just because a tree is grafted. does not automatically disqualify it for bonsai use. If you can get permission to collect one of the 4 foot tall trees is could work well as bonsai and with the years it has had in the orchard, you will need less growing out time. If the trunks have smooth taper, from roots to branches, perhaps the graft was done well enough to not leave an obvious graft union scar. You want no abrupt changes in diameter of the trunk. No knots, or distortions that don't make sense. Of course some knots and distortions are attractive, then they are okay.

In general grafted trees tend to have issues that make them unacceptable for bonsai, but this is not always true. Selecting a tree with a well done graft is essential.

If you can not collect 15 + year old orchard trees that have been growing out, and need to go to a commercial nursery I really recommend the small fruit varieties mention by @Bonsai Nut - Kumquats, Calamondin, Sunquats, Limequats, and a host of smaller fruited citrus hybrids.

Most have very rigid, upright growth, with very straight trunks. It is important that you wire branches before they are two years old to get curves and get them placed in the right directions. Citrus wood is hard and brittle, breaks easily (at least for me) when you try to wire wood older than 2 years.

Bark tends to be smooth and green, fading to white for the first 20 years. Then once they are older a nice rough bark begins to form. The kumquats actually have a bark that is a rough pebble texture and a dark brown or black, but you only see that on old specimens well over 20 years old.

Good group to do bonsai with, especially if your climate is warm enough you can grow them outdoors year round.
 

Nemoose

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I know of some orchards that are for sale possibly for housing development. I am going to watch for a change for possible collection. Thanks
 

Bonsai Nut

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Let me just add... I know calamondin can be air-layered and will fruit just fine on their own roots. They are grafted for speed of reproduction, and hardiness of root stock (which may have inherent resistances to pests / disease that the parent stock does not have).
 

AZbonsai

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@Bonsai Nut I think you recommended the Mexican lime tree for bonsai once upon a time. Something about it being a species that is not grafted. I have one that I started, it is pretty finicky and just now putting on some leaves after I put it in bonsai soil and a basket.
 
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