Prunus Mume Contorta

[fredtruck]

Here is my prunus mume contorta in the bunjin style. I think it's enjoyable to photograph a flowering tree during its blooming stages, from one flower to many. Here the tree is with one flower open.

I have a rather large file that details the history of this tree from its beginning to the present. You can download it here:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/24827596/The Development of a Prunus Mume Contorta.pdf

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Looking good Fred, can't wait to see it in a few weeks!!!

 

[fredtruck]

This is a picture of the flower, fairly close, under different lighting conditions.

 

[Dav4]

That's a wonderful tree...great pot, too. Really well done.

 

[JudyB]

Wow that IS a big file, but such a nice progression with loads of good info. Thanks for taking the time to document! Very nice tree, can't wait to see the rest of the flowers! Do you bring it inside at all when blooming?

 

[fredtruck]

I assume you mean--into the house. No, I haven't done that. It remains with most of my other trees, in my passively solar heated garage.

 

[Victrinia Ensor]

Where do you live Fred that it begins blooming in Dec???? We're about 10 weeks from blooms... which feels like a lifetime. srsly.

V

 

[fredtruck]

I live in West Des Moines, Iowa. Which I'm sure is much colder than where you live. The reason my tree is blooming now is that on Halloween, I move the mume, along with almost all my other trees, into my 6-car garage. The garage is bermed in on 3 sides. The southern exposure is mostly huge windows above the berm and is the source of the passive solar heating. This keeps the climate in the garage very stable. Most of the winter the temperature in the garage hovers around 40 degrees F., unless it is lower than -10. It is well-ventilated, with a fan that runs all the time. It has never hit 32 degrees in the garage, but it has come close. My father-in-law built the garage for part of his antique car collection. When he decided to downsize and move into a retirement home, we bought the house and the garage. He was happy because he knew I would use the space well.

This is the only photograph I have at the moment that shows how I store my bonsai during the winter. For those who are interested, this is a cylindrical projection of a 180 degree panorama. My trees are on benches I built next to the windows. As for the rest...I do some photography here, as well as sculpture and other art.

 

[timhanson81]

Thanks for taking the time to put that "mume file" together! Although I don't have any mume yet, it has been deposited into my bonsai folder for future reference.

That's a pretty nice "man cave" you have there too!

 

[Jason]

Ok. I have to ask. What's the red thing? Looks like something the feds might be interested in....(I won't tell).

 

[Jason]

Where do you live Fred that it begins blooming in Dec???? We're about 10 weeks from blooms... which feels like a lifetime. srsly.

V

I'll second the "feeling like a lifetime"....and I used to live in Green Bay.

 

[fredtruck]

The red thing is an inflatable sculpture of a nuclear weapon called Fat Boy. It's on a spring-loaded base so that when people walk by, or drafts in the gallery come up, it rocks.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Sounds like a good way to evoke a response to your work! Although running out in panic might be tough on the sales at the gift shop

 

[fredtruck]

Yeah, a lot of my work has a funny aspect!

 

[fredtruck]

I took this picture of my prunus mume contorta yesterday. This is about as full flowering as it gets because the earliest blossoms are dying. But there are more flowers on the way.

 

[JudyB]

Very nice Fred, and nice photography too.

 

[Ron Dennis]

Fred, Thank you for the file. I acquired a Ume yesterday from George Muranaka and was searching for any info here on the forum and found your thread.
Fortunately for me, I am in ABS with Brian Van Fleet and am very thankful for that.

 

[fredtruck]

Yes, Brian will be able to give you some good advice and help. I'm interested in seeing what you do with your ume.

 

[iant]

Very nice tree! Thanks for sharing! I read the PDF. One question. Why does it need to be grafted? I know at this point it's a little late but wouldn't it do just fine on its own rootstock?

 

[fredtruck]

Some are not grafted. Brent at Evergreen has sold cuttings in the past. Prunus mume can also be air layered, but most are grafted. Other than having a vigorous rootstock, I don't know if there are other reasons for doing grafts or not.