inherited 20 year old natal plum bonsai

[Deleted member 35420]

Hello I'm new here. Also english isn't my first language so ignore spelling mistakes. I inherited a around 20 - 25 year old natal plum bonsai but never had bonsai before so no idea what to do with it. It's around 1,10m tall (with pot) and been pruned I think it's called last winter. Currently it's inside my apartment near a south window I gave it bigger pot and nutrient stick. I can see new leafs forming and growing out in sticks is that good or bad? I can't put it outside I live in north here it's very cold still with frost at night and I read natal plums don't like cold. I water 2 times a week. Any idea how to keep it alive and wire or something? Do I need to cut new leafs? I don't know. Tree is so old I don't want it to die.

 

[Deleted member 35420]

Does it look good or bad? Also I heard you can eat it. How can I make flower then fruit? Read you need to know location I am from northern europe very cold very dark

 

[Potawatomi13]

Does it look good or bad? Also I heard you can eat it. How can I make flower then fruit? Read you need to know location I am from northern europe very cold very dark

Welcome to forum. Do not know these. It looks healthy but needs work to develop. Do search at top of page for info on these. Also go to personal profile please and input location of home there. (BRRRRR!)

 

[Deleted member 35420]

I did

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Looks nice.

I'd want to layer off most of the branches to have more material, and use that one bendy trunk as a literati with the canopy just small and way up there!

Sorce

 

[Deleted member 35420]

Hello Crazy,

I am trying to understand what you wrote. So "layer of most branches to have more material" means I should let it grow some more I think? What is a bendy trunk and literati and a canopy? Google translate couldn't help. Sorry. I said my english was shit

 

[Paradox]

This tree is a very nice house plant as it is. Its healthy from the looks of it.

What Sorce is referring to is things you could do if you wanted to try and get a smaller tree out of it specifically for bonsai.

What do you want to do with the tree? As I said, it is a very nice house plant as it is, and you need do nothing but keep it alive and healthy if you like the way it is and want to remember the person that left it to you.

Natal plum is native to South Africa so you are correct in that it can not go outside now. During the warmest part of the summer it would be able to if you wanted. I keep my ficus tropicals outside from early July to mid October typically.

Here are a couple of guides for their care:

CI Natal Plumb

Care Instructions Natal Plumb

www.jacksonandperkins.com

Growing Natal Plum: Carissa macrocarpa

Growing Natal Plum: Carissa macrocarpa in hot, dry climates.

gardenoracle.com

 

[Crawforde]

Welcome aboard!
Bendy trunk, not straight. Curves are interesting.
a literati can also be called a bunjin style tree.
Basically tall thin, old trees with a hard to define aesthetic.
Layering is a term used for making a branch produce roots so it can be separated from the mother tree.

 

[sorce]

What language do you speak?
Not that I have another!

Red One tree.

Yellow new trees!


Though it seems you have many options to pick a nice moving trunkline.

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

I REAAALLY like Carissa Macrocarpa, Traveler!

Memorize the unique hand-shake presented to you via the branches of the Woody Dwarves.. this shall always guarantee your re-entry into the “Tiny Forest”

Hmm.. English not your first language?... Celtic Blood?... Sounds Heathen... I’m the Western equivalent of a Heathen... cool beans..

 

[HorseloverFat]

What language do you speak?

Haha! This caught YOUR attention, too, eh friend?

 

[Deleted member 35420]

First thanks for the explanation and the guides I will read those. Didn't know those words so good to learn something new. For the tree to be honest I don't have much plan what to do with it, I would already be happy if it survives. I just fear it might explode as in last summer it was very big I think I have a picture of that somewhere. So I would like to keep it in that shape it currently has. Do I need to remove new growth for that?

 

[HorseloverFat]

First thanks for the explanation and the guides I will read those. Didn't know those words so good to learn something new. For the tree to be honest I don't have much plan what to do with it, I would already be happy if it survives. I just fear it might explode as in last summer it was very big I think I have a picture of that somewhere. So I would like to keep it in that shape it currently has. Do I need to remove new growth for that?

If you’d like to keep that larger shape... I’d start selecting branches.. and setting them.. assuring that the angles/shapes that they emerge from the trunk are similar.

Did the previous owner get a lot of blooms and fruit? This will be a testament to the long-running health of the plant.

 

[Deleted member 35420]

Im German with some russian blood so you can best speak german to me. Both my english and russian isn't the best

 

[sorce]

remove new growth for that

Yes, but not when it's new, after it's does it's job to return energy to the tree.

Sorce

 

[penumbra]

At your level of experience don't do a thing except learn to keep a healthy plant alive.
There are many options to explore but there is no rush.

 

[sorce]

@leatherback you speak German?

I think there is a LOT of possibilities with this thing. So much interest!

Sorce

 

[Paradox]

First thanks for the explanation and the guides I will read those. Didn't know those words so good to learn something new. For the tree to be honest I don't have much plan what to do with it, I would already be happy if it survives. I just fear it might explode as in last summer it was very big I think I have a picture of that somewhere. So I would like to keep it in that shape it currently has. Do I need to remove new growth for that?

No you dont need to remove anything to keep it as it is for now.

The best thing you can do is to learn about its basic care and become comfortable with that.
Keep the tree alive and healthy for a year or so and then see what you want to do from there.

I am sorry for the loss of the one that gave it to you.

@sorce Stop. I know you mean well but the person doesn't want to air layer it right now and make additional trees.
They just got this tree and they need to learn how to care for it and be successful doing that first

 

[HorseloverFat]

I think there is a LOT of possibilities with this thing. So much interest!

Agreed!

Im German with some russian blood so you can best speak german to me. Both my english and russian isn't the best

My German isn’t great.. but I’m learning.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Yeah.. I’m also suggesting structing-pruning and wiring.. getting a little a head of myself..

Listen to all those trying to get you to learn how to provide care and sustain health..,

That tree just gives me an itch in my “scissor finger”

If you are new to this, enjoy your tree.. learn to anticipate/fulfill it’s needs first.