Grewia Project

[Ironbeaver]

At Monday night's Bonsai Club meeting (on tropicals) I decided to participate in the workshop they were doing, I was hoping to get the pyracantha available but wasn't quick enough and got a grewia instead. 5 minutes into the worshop and the power went out, and we had to leave the building. The workshop is rescheduled for next month. At least now I get to look at and think about what to do with my new tree. Step one is to see if I can pump some new growth and strength into it.

Here are the four main views, and the root situation:


Now from doing online research, this seems to be the "default" look for these trees. I want to remove or air-layer the top third at least. I'd like to try to put some curvature in the first trunk section as it's currently dead straight. I'm thinking far view tree, with maybe an aspen/poplar type silhouette. Any thoughts, tips or ideas?

 

[sorce]

Taking cuttings making forest.

I kinda like that look....but my eyes are Virgin to Grewia.

Oh and "that look", is future tense!

I'm with you!

Sorce

 

[carp]

Grewia takes a long time to thicken.
I have one in my front yard as a landscape plant.
About 10' high and about 1.5" at the base.
Eventually, if it ever thickens, I'll airlayer the top, dig up the stump and put the top back in the yard.

I've yet to see a very nice Grewia bonsai, but the blooms are lovely.

 

[Ironbeaver]

Surprise this morning...

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

With flowers like that in the middle of January, who cares if it ever "trunks up"?

Seriously, they can bloom off an on year round, if they are grown well. I have seen some that were much more "bushy", nearly as wide as tall. But I have never seen a bonsai Grewia with a trunk diameter over 0.75 inch. I think 1/2 inch is the thickest I've seen. But then again, I'm up north where it can't be grown outdoors more than 4 months a year.

 

[Cypress187]

I guess if you want to create more taper it needs to get chopped (maybe that first branch in the first picture?)

 

[Ironbeaver]

I've been looking at a lot of thinner trunked bonsai lately, and I think I can get over it being on the skinny side. There is an overly thick branch about 1/4 of the way down from the top that may become the new leader, or I may chop it a bit below that. Maybe try to layer the top off. Does anyone know how thick cuttings can be from these things?

 

[JudyB]

Surprise this morning...
View attachment 91961

Sweet!