jocote tree

[eferguson1974]

This is a jocote branch that rooted leaning against another tree, on top of the ground. Its gotta be six inches thick or more and eight feet tall. They backbud and once a year they fruit. The leaves are smallish and the bark is textured. I asked if I could cut a smaller branch and was told to take this beast. So, should I chop in down to a low branch now? And what should I plant it in? They grow roots crazy fast. Its got some movement in the trunk if I cut it like three feet tall. Im ready to get out the sawsall! What do y'all think? Its too dry to leave more than a day or two without putting it in something, the ground or a bucket. I cant see putting it in a collander being so tall. It could be several fat trees if cut into more pieces. Its not real hard to find other smaller ones. But we want our trunks muy gordos, right? If I dont bonsai it I will yardsai it, put it in the yard but trained like a bigass bonsai. Later this year it will fruit either way..

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The name threw me for a loop, but Wikipedia came to the rescue. I am guessing, from the leaves, the tree you are talking is in the genus Spondias, most likely it is Spondias purpurea or one of the other species of Spondias. Wikipedia says the fruit tastes pretty good. Do you like it? If yes, the best use of at least half of this trunk is to create a yard tree, "Niwaki" style if you like. Niwaki is the term for sculpted garden trees. There actually is a longer Japanese term for this, but it is usually shortened to Niwaki.

Again, like my comments on your ficus, I would take several short 4 inch segments of the trunk, and try to root them. Pot them into shallow trays, so you can keep a flat root system. Then do the cycles of growing out, then chopping back. Spondias are noted for being very fast growing. Often very fast growing trees do not submit quietly to bonsai technique. But it is worth a try. The compound leaves will become a design problem, each leaf should be positioned such that each leaf represents a foliage pad.

I do like the idea of using edible fruits for bonsai. "Eat your bonsai!"

 

[Anthony]

Trunks - 1" trunk to 5" height
or for more grace 1" trunk to 6" of height.

Or if it is a guava type - what looks natural - guava max's out for us at 12" to 14" for a mature or old trunk

As age goes anything over 18" will probably break your back, so either get a machine to move or many hands.
Plus pot costs can go up dramatically.
Good Day
Anthony

* What do those Ficus, your growing look like as mature trees ?

 

[sorce]

Eferg.....you gotta Lotta GO!
We just need to redirect it!

It all starts at the base of the tree....the flare, the surface roots.....without that....(after you have an aha moment, and reach that plateau) you won't like any of them!

I'm almost 5 years into JUST trying to make/find something with a good root spread!

I suspect stuff will grow excellent for you....airlayers for good roots, trunks, etc....so it shouldn't take too long for you to grow anything!

I think when you slow down.....everything will speed up!

Again.......you shouldn't have problems growing Anything.....so I wouldn't be concerned with anything but your bases now.....

https://www.google.com/search?site=...c.1.64.mobile-gws-hp..1.13.1543.0.YaHqKyiq5Ks

https://www.google.com/search?site=...c.1.64.mobile-gws-hp..1.13.1543.0.YaHqKyiq5Ks

Zelda really got it! Those are long Links!

And my take on the subject....

http://www.bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/radialayer™-a-season-saver.17046/

Out of all those 4 inch stubs Leo said make.....you might get one with a good spread....about a year......throw the rest out.....you could Probly grow new trunk sections every year too......depending on how fat and tall and tapered you want it....2-6 years? Then grow branches in about the same....

That seems long.....but not compared to the 20-40 years it would take a pine up here!

If you focus only on good bases, you'll have a lot of dope trees real fast.....

Make bases.....make bases......make bases..
After that.....it should all come easy down there!

Sorce

 

[Cypress187]

Omg i watched the airlayer threat, and now i want to airlayer everything

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Anthony - Spondias is a genus in the Anacardiaceae, the cashew and sumac family. Not at all related to guava. Growth patter will be different than guava. Spondias - not from personal experience but rather from internet surfing, Spondias are supposed to be able to go from seed to a meter or more tall tree, flower and fruit in less than one year. From images, they look a little like sumac, in that they quickly make a 6 to 12 foot tall trunk, with relatively little branching. I don't know if they put up new trunks from the roots to make thickets or not, but sumac behaves this way.

@ Source & @eferguson1974 - yep, it has taken me years to learn this, the "build a deciduous tree" plan. If the roots (nebari) and first 4 inches of trunk are not interesting, the tree will not likely make a bonsai worth putting time into it. And the corollary is, if you can do something to make the first segments of a tree interesting, it will pay off as the rest of the tree develops. Yes, not everything will make a good bonsai, in fact, trees with interesting nebari and first segments of trunk are pretty uncommon. But with time, you can "build a tree", only limitation is time.

The climate of CR is perfect, with supplemental water, being able to get an all year growing season is great. You will get 3 or 4 times the amount of growth that most in the USA can get.

@eferguson1974 - there are pines native to the mountains in CR, look for them, and give them a try. They won't be species we use up north. The person selling Pino sylvestris - the name sylvestris is from the Latin word meaning "forest", likely it was the intended meaning in Spanish, it is possible he just meant it was a native, collected species, rather than the cold loving European Pinus sylvestris, which I doubt would grow in CR, due to lack of cold in winter, or lack of winter. There are both 5 needle pines, 3 needle pines and 2 needle pines native to CR, find one with needles less than 4 inches long (10 cm) these are the ones that would work for bonsai. In terms on technique, use technique for Japanese white pine, until you have learned enough about their growth pattern to know what changes in timing and other growth traits. Then if a pine does show 2 or more flushes of growth a year, you might be able to apply Japanese black pine techniques. But white pine techniques are a "safe" default until you know a species growth habits. Sheffields Seed company carries seed of several tropical pines, including some of the southern Mexico native pinion pines. Ones native to Chiapas or Oaxaca might grow well in your area.

 

[Anthony]

Leo,

in another post to Eferguson, I was able to identify the Spondias, in our local tongue - Hog Plum.

Been tested years ago, will not work, does not like to branch.

Yes, I suggested he check for Pines, Honduran will probably show up, and if so also the Honduran / Caribbean blend.
A lumber tree.
Long needles, no candles, just new shoots for extensions, more like a normal tree. Also grows according to rain.
Really nice bark.

Thanks for the correction, too lazy in this topic to look up the latin name.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[eferguson1974]

Thanks for all the ides and advice!
Source, your right. I have all day every day to play with plants and trees. Lots of go. I have a ton of succulants and other plants. I have a wall covered in hanging pots full of cascade style plants and trees. Bonsai inspired, but noone else uses hanging pots.
I took pics of one of the little pines I have. Its 20 years from being anything special as its a baby. But It seems like people might like to see what there like. These do not live down hill where its flat. Too hot and six months of being dry doesnt work for them.. Anyway for what its worth, heres a couple of pics.