Old Orange & Calamondin Bonsai Styling Question? 30 and 25 year old trees.

[nogid]

HI,

I have two citrus bonsai tree's. 1) an un-kown orange tree with big thorns about 30+ years, 26 inches tall growing over a lava rock, not grafted. 2) Calamondin tree about 25 years 26 inches tall, not grafted.

The calamondin tree is in the tall round dark blue pot. The orange tree is in the oval blue pot. Please give me any suggestions you have about styling these trees. I was thinking about putting some Lime Sulfur on the orange tree look at the picture that shows the middle of the tree.

The trees have not been cut for several/many years until i bought them this year. The prior owner did a VERY hard cut to them before shipping them. The orange tree is already filled of new growth.

Thank you for your time and enjoy the trees. if you want better pictures let me know.

Frank

 

[RKatzin]

Hi nogid and welcome. Your orange looks like a Poncirus trifoliata. Have you seen leaves on it? See the thread in tree forums under 'fruiting'

 

[nogid]

Thank you RKatzin. i search in the forum. Attached are some more pictures of the orange tree.
Thank you for the reply.

I just did research an my orange tree is not a Poncirus trifoliata, based that the leaves are very different and branch structure.
Thanks

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I like the gnarly character of the calamondin. I would build upon that, and avoid the manicured topiary look. Try to get the branches to ramify. I recommend in the future to improve the nebari with calamondin cuttings.

A few questions for you. Why the calamondin has so little leaves? If it was in the shade, then I'd gradually work it to getting more sunlight. Also, what do you know about calamondin? I do know some things about them, but I hope to learn more. I have some questions about them.

 

[nogid]

thumblessprimate1,

The Calamondin was full of leaves ( pic below before being cut hard) and fruit before it was cut hard. the prior owner sent it to me with almost no leaves. I believe the the trees were not raised in direct sunlight. So right now I have it shaded from direct sun. In my yard the tree will get about 4-5 hours of semi direct sunlight in the afternoon during the rest of the day it is bright and shaded. When i saw these trees i had to buy them and bring them back / train them to a nice Bonsai. I know very little about the Calamondin tree but i know a bit about general citrus trees and my neighbor knows a ot and my local nursery also, they sell a lot of citrus trees and that is their specialty. the trees were shipped to me.
thank you,
frank

 

[edprocoat]

You sure your ornage tree is not a grapefruit tree? Grapefruit sport those thorns, I have never seen an orange tree with thorns, not saying they don't exist...

ed

 

[nogid]

The prior owner told me the fruit is an orange but does not remember it it was a sour, bitter or a sweet orange. He stated the fruit is about 3 -4 inches wide.
thank you

 

[thumblessprimate1]

From my experience, those leaves don't look like grapefruit tree leaves, but they seem to be consistent with orange tree leaves. But then, there are lots of hybrids these days. Plus, orange trees do come with thorns.

 

[edprocoat]

From my experience, those leaves don't look like grapefruit tree leaves, but they seem to be consistent with orange tree leaves. But then, there are lots of hybrids these days. Plus, orange trees do come with thorns.

I can only go by Florida orange trees which have no thorns unless they sucker from the rootstock. The rootstock is a sour orange from what I am told and they generally prune them away to get the good growth and keep the suckers from taking over.

ed

 

[fourteener]

Most citrus trees have thorns. Most thornless varieties are hybrids. Hybrids are less productive. I have two key lime trees from seed and a kumquat. They all have thorns.

 

[nogid]

Thank you to all that have posted. The prior owner told me the orange tree is not grafted, it is on it's roots. I did some more research. An orange tree does have thorns. Some Hybrid oranges may not have thorns. I think my tree is a sour orange but I cannot find a picture online of a leaf similar to my tree. I emailed a nursery, hopefully they can tell me.