Oriental Tea Tree - Too late to prune?

KC1990

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Hi all,
I've had an Oriental Tea Tree for close to 2 years now and aside from the odd chop of new growth I haven't exactly 'shaped' it in any particular way.
Looking at it now though I can see how chopping several of the thicker branches could benefit the overall shape. I'm hoping to do this and also repot it (currently in the original pot it was sold in and it's far from the traditional looking b pots).

So my question is... Is it too late in the season to do any of this?

I've read that it's best to do pruning/repotting etc. during winter and up to early Spring. But also read that with Oriental Tea Trees it can be done year round.. Soooo could just do with some clarity on this

Thanks in advance!
 

Gabler

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Add your general location to your profile, or you won’t be able to get any helpful answers. We don’t even know what hemisphere of the globe you’re in. Also, there’s no way to offer advice about a particular tree without pictures. We need to see the tree. The more pictures and the higher the resolution, the better.
 

KC1990

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I live in the South West, UK.
Tree is kept indoors year round.
The label it came with stated Oriental Tea Tree (Carmona microphylla). If I search that name on google images it appears to feature the same tree so pretty sure it's correct.
Thanks

20230410_180733-jpg.481436
20230410_180747.jpg
 

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JackHammer

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I live in the South West, UK.
Tree is kept indoors year round.
The label it came with stated Oriental Tea Tree (Carmona microphylla). If I search that name on google images it appears to feature the same tree so pretty sure it's correct.
Thanks

20230410_180733-jpg.481436
View attachment 481440
Yeah, fukien tea is a common name.

Looks like you could repot. The roots are really delicate so be careful with them. Also, it looks like you have a lot of organic soil so you might want to use a soil that moves water a little more freely. I actually like using more organic with these trees but it is easy to over water them.

Funny thing is - the more inorganic material, the more you need to rely on fertilizer and they are also sensitive to too much fertilizer. They can be hard to grow..

I would repot or trim but not both.
 

JackHammer

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There is a technique called clip and grow and basically, you let everything grow and when you get 6 leaves, you cut it back to 2. This lets you create growth and interest in the tree without hurting it too much with major pruning.
 

KC1990

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Thank you for your reply.

I have 'Bonsai Focus' repotting mix that I figured would be suitable. Pulled the details from Amazon...
  • Growth Technology Bonsai Focus Repotting Mix is designed for the best results with the widest range of bonsai trees.
  • It is open textured to promote healthy root growth
  • It contains peat, fine grit, sand and fine bark.
  • Contains no added nutrients to ensure control of growth
Do you think this'll be okay?
 

JackHammer

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Thank you for your reply.

I have 'Bonsai Focus' repotting mix that I figured would be suitable. Pulled the details from Amazon...
  • Growth Technology Bonsai Focus Repotting Mix is designed for the best results with the widest range of bonsai trees.
  • It is open textured to promote healthy root growth
  • It contains peat, fine grit, sand and fine bark.
  • Contains no added nutrients to ensure control of growth
Do you think this'll be okay?
You can keep a tree alive in a variety of materials. That will probably work. You just need to supplement with nutrition if you go that route. As mentioned, fukien is sensitive to fertilizer so you will need to be extra careful. Use like 50% of recommended strength.
 
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