Old podocarpus

[JesusFreak]

I found this bugger at a nursery for $20 and thought why not?! I’ve tried to do some research on chopping it down but found nothing. Also it looks like it has one big root and not sure if I should cut that out when u repot in the spring. Anyone have any experience with these that wanna shoot me some tips?!! Thanks in advance.

 

[Trenthany]

I found this bugger at a nursery for $20 and thought why not?! I’ve tried to do some research on chopping it down but found nothing. Anyone have any experience with these that wanna shoot me some tips?!!View attachment 323868

Lmao I’m not sure you could chop her. That’s criminal in most countries. Had a ton of fun manipulating that quote with deletions! She’s a beauty!
But on to the tree. I’ve only cut back the ones in my yard and they weren’t fazed at all. I do think you can ground layer For better Nebari as well but could definitely be wrong about that. Either way good luck!
And be careful with disposal if you do chop it!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Not very big trunk but not a bad starter at all. Trees not bad either.

 

[jaco94]

Hello ,
It is interesting and for this price, me too, I will have tried, I already had two a few years ago (mine looked like curtain rods with very narrow and stiff trunks), they are trees which have always attracted me but which I have not managed to keep.
They have the particularity of being conifers but of not supporting frost, so they must be sheltered when it is cold.
I will not touch the large surface root, it is too big and original, and I do not find it annoying, on the contrary, I find it very pretty (beauty of imperfection = wabi sabi).
Nice little guy

 

[JesusFreak]

Thanks guys. It’s about 6 feet high and hardly any taper. Trying to figure out how to style it. I could try to air later the top n make an additional tree from it. Not sure how it would handle a chop either

 

[Trenthany]

They back bud on the ones I’ve chopped down. Hard part is killing them. Lol. If I had that I’d treat it like a collection chop it back and ground layer it to get better nebari. Once your leader gets to where it’s ready chop again and again and again till the tree is ready.

 

[JesusFreak]

So I am having trouble with this one. I just got it. The soil is trash...and everything is getting yellow. I know it needs a repot but the time of the year is off. The leaves are turning yellow. Feel like I’m in between a rock and hard place.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I was expecting some of the old timers, with Podocarpus, to chime in?
Anyone?

 

[Trenthany]

So I am having trouble with this one. I just got it. The soil is trash...and everything is getting yellow. I know it needs a repot but the time of the year is off. The leaves are turning yellow. Feel like I’m in between a rock and hard place. View attachment 325630

It’s a hot time of year at least in FL. Without plenty of water then it will struggle. Is soil staying damp? Or is it staying too wet? All of my yard ones are in almost pure sugar sand.

 

[JesusFreak]

It’s not too wet. I’ve been letting it get pretty dry.

 

[0soyoung]

So I am having trouble with this one. I just got it. The soil is trash...and everything is getting yellow. I know it needs a repot but the time of the year is off. The leaves are turning yellow. Feel like I’m in between a rock and hard place.

It is a good time for repotting anything with waxy leaves, even in FL.
Again, take a look at Adam Levigne's Adam's Ask Why blog. He is in Orlando. He works with podocarpus among other things.

 

[Driftwood]

Sorry! But what is that 'old black man' doing in the middle of the board? I hope you lose that one

 

[JesusFreak]

Sorry! But what is that 'old black man' doing in the middle of the board? I hope you lose that one

Lol she’s in training.

 

[JesusFreak]

I’m seriously thinking of planting this today for a ground layer and leaving it until the spring. Thoughts?

 

[Potawatomi13]

I’m seriously thinking of planting this today for a ground layer and leaving it until the spring. Thoughts?

Trunk not bad and big root interesting and aged so WHY do this?

 

[JesusFreak]

Gonna be hard to put it in a small pot with that huge root. And I thought I would put it in the ground before chop it down. I like the initial truck movement but would also like some taper. I’m
Newish to bonsai does I’m still a beginner. I also know that it’s miserable in the pot that it’s in and putting it in the ground right now could help get it back healthy

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

As I mentioned in PM, the long root is not unattractive. Its not "conventional", but can make a nice feature. This Podocarpus is beyond making shohin, I'd go for a larger tree, and keep the root. It is perfectly okay, if you are unsure of what to do with a tree, to stick it in the ground, or a larger grow out pot and just let it be until an idea comes to you. I have a boxwood that has been waiting for me to get inspiration for more than 10 years. It just gets more interesting while I wait.

Also,
You should post a photo that has the whole tree. All of them the top is chopped off.

 

[JesusFreak]

Oh no. This one isn’t looking too good. Turning brown all the sudden. I thought it needed to be put in the ground ASAP. the soil is nonexistent. I splashed it with fish emulsion and kelp trying to help it. Suggestions?

 

[Potawatomi13]

Pray.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I like evocative trees. That one reminds me of the podocarpus forests on Neptune.