I think that was one of Dudley Duggar’s trees. I helped get the price up, if I remember correctly.I second @Adair M - I've seen a few examples of well developed procumbens with scale foliage. One particularly nice one was for sale at the ATL club auction this year.
I think that was one of Dudley Duggar’s trees. I helped get the price up, if I remember correctly.
They will go scale pretty much all over when they’re pot bound.
Well, Michael, you can believe what you want. I, however, have seen dozens, actually, more like hundreds of procumbens with scale foliage. They’re in the same nursery pots for 20 years. The trees themselves are 30 to 35 years old. Some are 100% scale. As soon as they get repotted, they revert back to juvenile. Plant City Bonsai in Clermont, GA has dozens of them.Bullshit.
Well, Michael, you can believe what you want. I, however, have seen dozens, actually, more like hundreds of procumbens with scale foliage. They’re in the same nursery pots for 20 years. The trees themselves are 30 to 35 years old. Some are 100% scale. As soon as they get repotted, they revert back to juvenile. Plant City Bonsai in Clermont, GA has dozens of them.
Oh, I know you’ll say they’re not procumbens, they’re San Jose. Not so. San Jose has a larger leaf.
I’m going there Saturday. I’ll take a few pictures.
So, does that mean when they go scale they are in an unhealthy state and need repotted? Or are they ok to go root bound for a while. I'm curious because I like procumbens but hate that needle foliage. It's what keeps me from trying them.Well, Michael, you can believe what you want. I, however, have seen dozens, actually, more like hundreds of procumbens with scale foliage. They’re in the same nursery pots for 20 years. The trees themselves are 30 to 35 years old. Some are 100% scale. As soon as they get repotted, they revert back to juvenile.
It’s a combination of age and being pot bound. Juvenile foliage is the fastest way for the tree to produce solar panels. But, when the tree has “matured”, and doesn’t have new soil to populate, it will settle down to “maintenance” mode, and produce scale foliage that doesn’t require as much resources to sustain.So, does that mean when they go scale they are in an unhealthy state and need repotted? Or are they ok to go root bound for a while. I'm curious because I like procumbens but hate that needle foliage. It's what keeps me from trying them.
Thanks @Adair M.It’s a combination of age and being pot bound. Juvenile foliage is the fastest way for the tree to produce solar panels. But, when the tree has “matured”, and doesn’t have new soil to populate, it will settle down to “maintenance” mode, and produce scale foliage that doesn’t require as much resources to sustain.
Fertilizing heavy or repotting will trigger growth, and the tree (shrub, actually) will revert to juvenile growth.
I wouldn’t say that scale foliage procumbens are “unhealthy”, I’ve seen them exist at Plant City for a decade. They prefer to be actively growing, though, with juvenile foliage.