loropetalum: from February to November 2010...

[will0911]

this a loropetalum i got from lowes as a dome shaped shrub.....i took it home and trimmed it pretty hard......as a newbie i have repotted this tree like 4 times one time i had to cause my whole bonsai stand fell over and had to repot all my trees! big fiasco!! anyways i really only slip potted it to different pots...lol.....well it has survived my abuse and i am looking forward to spring to see its brilliant fuchsia ribbon like flowers......here are some pictures to show how far it has come. i dont have a picture of it when i first got it but it starts after the first trim then i trimmed it again and wired it and put it in a glazed pot...next pictures are when i repotted it again in a bigger pot and changed the branch structure slightly i think the last pot fits this tree very well at least for my taste....i hope it enjoys its new home....thanks for reading.....hoe you guys enjoyed it!


february:

summer and new haircut and trim:

Fall and another repot and branch placement: hope this guy forgives me...???

 

[cquinn]

this a loropetalum i got from lowes as a dome shaped shrub.....i took it home and trimmed it pretty hard......as a newbie i have repotted this tree like 4 times one time i had to cause my whole bonsai stand fell over and had to repot all my trees! big fiasco!! anyways i really only slip potted it to different pots...lol.....well it has survived my abuse and i am looking forward to spring to see its brilliant fuchsia ribbon like flowers......here are some pictures to show how far it has come. i dont have a picture of it when i first got it but it starts after the first trim then i trimmed it again and wired it and put it in a glazed pot...next pictures are when i repotted it again in a bigger pot and changed the branch structure slightly i think the last pot fits this tree very well at least for my taste....i hope it enjoys its new home....thanks for reading.....hoe you guys enjoyed it!


february:View attachment 13879

summer and new haircut and trim: View attachment 13880

Fall and another repot and branch placement: hope this guy forgives me...???View attachment 13881

The Febuary pic was actually the best bonsai. Because it has a thin trunk you want the foiage to be closer to the trunk and the branches shorter. It's a pretty common newbie mistake to take off all of the inner growth, but this usually becomes the branches as you grow and ramify them out. Let it pop back closer in next year and trim back not out. Its a pretty plant.

 

[will0911]

Yeah I'm learning as I go I'm just gonna let it do its thing for awhile now that it has its shape. It back buds pretty good spring should bring a lot of new growth so ill post an update when its in flower and when it fills out more. Thanks for the advice its appreciated.

 

[impulsebuyer]

that's a nice looking tree/shrub!

 

[will0911]

update: sadly this picture was taking before this tree died from this summers heat...it was just starting to show it couldve been pretty nice....

this is as close to funeral it will get.

Will B.

 

[jk_lewis]

Loropetalum seem to be fairly difficult bonsai subjects. As you have discovered, they tend to die on you.

The few I've seen that have reached some level of bonsaihood were disappointments. Maybe it is the pink leaves. The bright pinkness is something developed by man's machinations; it's not "natural" (whatever that is).

 

[stacy allen muse]

would agree... problem is that they don't seem to like much of anything, other than being just left alone... sad thing is that they are extremely nice... only time I have ever seen them do well has been on very old stock.

 

[will0911]

this one was doing great then one day i came home and all the leaves had dried up and i tried everything knowing it had already died! it was a wake up call definately but the practice was good! Positive side is i dont have to take care of such a picky plant now! moving on to easier and more suitable trees!

 

[Kenitai]

Glad I stumbled upon this topic. I just bought two small Loropetalums, and it's waiting for a proper first transplant into a bonsai pot, in a couple months time.

I guess I have to protect it from the hot sun big time.