Luma apiculata

[Shibui]

In this thread https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/common-myrtle-as-bonsai.48555/Deep Sea Diver asked for photos of Luma apiculata.
Rather than posting in that thread I've started this one for anyone to add pics or anecdotes about this species.

I've had this species here for a few years and everything I have seen shows this is a great species for bonsai.
Small leaves
Easy to propagate - cuttings root quickly and reliably.
Relatively quick growing.
Sprouts from bare wood so great for trunk chops and fast growing to develop trunks.
Smooth, shiny bark.
Flowers.
Evergreen
Responds well to root pruning. I have reduced roots by 90% and the tree just bounces right back
Hardy in my climate. No sign of cold sensitivity down to -4C and up to 43C in summer
Tolerates shade. Possibly even grows better in shade
No pests or disease - yet

These are obviously very immature specimens. All 3 were chopped back hard last spring - 6 months ago. Pretty much all branches here have grown through summer. i tried to get the larger one I have used as a stock plant for cuttings but it has grown roots out through the bottom of the pot and is really well anchored into the ground so I could not move it today. I will cut it out in a month or so when the current dry weather has abated.

I'm trying to produce good shohin size bonsai from these 2. They have had a couple of hedge prune trims during summer but I have not looked at selecting branches to develop yet.



This next one went into a small bonsai pot and will be offered for sale if anyone fancies a small Luma apiculata mallsai. Growth definitely slows in a smaller pot but another one in a bonsai pot did flower this year.


Any other experiences or thoughts on this or closely related species?

 

[just.wing.it]

New one to me, COOL!
Looks similar to Crape Myrtle on the surface. How are the flowers?

 

[Maiden69]

I have seen a few in full size. In the US, they tend to be smaller trees/bush size, I don't know why (but I am inclining to the climate). In the tropics, they grow to medium size trees (around 20m tall). Brent sells them as well.

I have one that I bought from him, thirsty suckers!!! I had mine in my "patio" which only get sun from 3pm-7pm, I water it with all my other trees around 8 am before heading to work, by the time I got back around 7pm it was drying out. And that was being under dappled shade from a bigger Japanese Holly, It is doing much better now, just took it outside last week after keeping it inside because of the snow/ice storm we had here in TX, waiting for it to start pushing new growth.

From my talks with Brent, it grows quickly for a few years to around 6ft if planted on the ground, then slows down. I think this may be a dwarf cultivar but he doesn't mention anything about it. I'm trying to see if I can have someone send me some seeds, but I don't think USDA will be too happy about that and probably stop them on the way.

Do a search for "palo rojo, palo colorado, or arrayan" one of the websites mentions it as "arbol senador" but I never heard that name for it before.

https://flic.kr/p/CHzwC

https://www.profesorenlinea.cl/imagenFlora/arrayanLumaApiculata01.jpg

http://viverolavega.cl/2019/06/07/luma-apiculata/

 

[Maiden69]

New one to me, COOL!
Looks similar to Crape Myrtle on the surface. How are the flowers?

From Brent's website

Evergreen shrub. Grows quickly to 6 feet then slows down. Dark green foliage, white flowers and dark fruits, characteristics that all resemble Myrtle. Flowers from mid-summer to fall. Older plants develop beautiful smooth creamy brown trunks that should be revealed. Fairly drought resistant. Should make a wonderful bonsai since it develops a thick trunk very quickly, and withstands container culture.

 

[Shibui]

Small white flowers about the same size as the leaves.


Not my photo though - search Luma apiculata for more.

 

[Maiden69]

Here are pics of my Luma's trunk.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Dang, those trunks look like a bad case of athlete's foot! Awesome! But a bit off putting.

 

[Maiden69]

I was just thinking... the Natchez crape myrtle is very close in appearance to the Luma.

 

[Esolin]

Well, I've jumped aboard the Luma train as well. I just received one I'd ordered from Wanderlust Nursery as a rare fruit plant before knowing they were so good for bonsai. It's got a nice inch thick trunk, so now the difficult question is, train it for fruit or bonsai? Hmmm, maybe I'd better see what the berries taste like first.

 

[shimbrypaku]

My luma have never produced fruit, small white flowers but never fruit.

I have about ten or so. A few from cuttings from the mother plants.

 

[Esolin]

My luma have never produced fruit, small white flowers but never fruit.

I have about ten or so. A few from cuttings from the mother plants.

Interesting. I wonder if they require certain conditions, or must be planted in the ground and reach a certain age. Well, I can take a lot of cuttings off this one and experiment.

 

[Rivian]

Wondering if its hardy here. It has been naturalised in

Alpine County, California is in USDA Hardiness Zones 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b and 8a​

but maybe it only lives in the warmest parts

 

[shimbrypaku]

Mine tend to show some frost damage when it gets below 20 degrees

 

[Maiden69]

First advice Brent gave me about it was to protect it if temperatures were going to be below 25 degrees.

 

[shimbrypaku]

Agree
They seem to come back from lite damage in the spring.

 

[Shibui]

Was not aware that Luma produces fruit so thanks for the additional info.
I have grown many rare fruits and discovered that most have not been commercialized for a reason. Many fruits are edible. Many are also nutritious but only a few are actually tasty.

 

[Esolin]

Was not aware that Luma produces fruit so thanks for the additional info.
I have grown many rare fruits and discovered that most have not been commercialized for a reason. Many fruits are edible. Many are also nutritious but only a few are actually tasty.

After hearing that some folks hadn't gotten fruit, I did a little research. I think most bonsai don't produce because of all the pruning. To get lots of flowers and fruit you have to let the growth get long, or time your pruning so that the plant can produce buds in time for the next growing season. I also read that the quality of the fruit varies from tree to tree, so some produce tasty fruit, and others produce bland fruit, but I don't know if that has to do with genetics, or if it's more environmental.

I found out about luma fruit from this tasting video where he describes the flavor:

 

[Shibui]

I also read that the quality of the fruit varies from tree to tree, so some produce tasty fruit, and others produce bland fruit, but I don't know if that has to do with genetics, or if it's more environmental.

Fruit quality can be affected by both genetics and environment.
Most of the domestic fruits we know have been selected and bred for thousands of years t select the tastiest. Most of these wild species have had very little selection as people tended to just pick from existing wild trees. New fruits and nuts have been developed over the past hundred years from some species so it can still be done from more species if someone spends the time. Unfortunately fruit tree breeding takes time as trees can take many years to mature before you can assess the fruit before deciding whether to continue or scrap that individual or breeding line.
A fruit breeding program will be a lifetime commitment.

Selecting from existing wild stock is quicker but you need access to a wide population to sample the genetic differences to be able to select better individuals.

Trimming bonsai does influence how many flowers are produced and thence fruit but I still get some flowers which have never produced fruit in my conditions so there may also be other factors at play. Some fruiting species need pollen from unrelated trees before fertilization can occur. If all the individuals are cutting raised they have identical genetics and may rarely produce fruit. Not sure whether Luma is self pollinating, self compatible or needs an unrelated pollinator. Conditions at flowering time can affect pollination as can the availablilty of the correct pollinating insects.
There is lots of variables to work though on the road to your Luma fruit project but best of luck.

 

[Joshuatree]

I collected these luma appiculata about 6 months ago from a clients property, they were part of a hedge. I collected 50 all up, sold most off and kept the better ones. These have great nebari on them already.
I also have 2 larger ones from another job.

 

[Joshuatree]

These are the bigger ones