Rabbit's Foot Acacia Guidance Please

[Carol 83]

I received this from Wigerts late winter. It thrived once it was warm enough to go outside. I have just been letting it grow wild, hoping it would bloom. It was really rootbound, so I repotted it. The pot is way to big but I was unsure how much root removal these would take. The primary growth seems to be mostly in that long right side branch. I think it needs to come off to boost growth elsewhere, even if I don't see it bloom this year. Also, if I cut off that branch, has anyone had luck with cuttings from these? Any suggestions welcome. @fredman any ideas?

 

[Carol 83]

The pictures are backwards. First one is now, second one when I received it.

 

[Carol 83]

@Dorian Fourie or anyone with an acacia?

 

[fredman]

Ah I just know them from being around them when I lived in SA. I only started bonsai when I left. Dorian and @YukiShiro knows them well.
Looks like Monkeythorn...?
It should definitely be grown bigger to get the trunk thicker. That bark is part of the show.

 

[Carol 83]

Looks like Monkeythorn..

Dichrostachys cinerea. I think it has plenty of room in that pot to grow hopefully. In my climate, they have to come indoors for the winter and I only have so much room. It does have cool craggy bark.

 

[Tiki]

Carol, Have you seen them flower yet? It is a very "look at me" display when they do put out the flowers. Kinda regret giving it away now, but room on the benches had to be made.

Not sure on how well they root from cuttings, I never tried with the one I had. Id like to think if you took some of the semi woody growth from this year and tried rooting them that they might take.

As to repotting them, mine sat on the ground knocked over by the evil squirrel army for about two days in full sun before I noticed it, tossed in a tub of water for the night repotted it the following day and it was pushing new growth about a week or so later. To sum it up, the one I had seemed to roll with the punches well and yours looks pretty healthy with the amount of foliage it has.

 

[Carol 83]

Have you seen them flower yet?

No, but that's why I got it, so definitely hope it does before it has to go inside for the winter. It took the repot well, didn't even droop. I have noticed some bark missing from the trunk and fear some of those evil squirrels have been at it.

 

[fredman]

Dichrostachys cinerea. I think it has plenty of room in that pot to grow hopefully. In my climate, they have to come indoors for the winter and I only have so much room. It does have cool craggy bark.

Ah ofcourse...my bad. That's the sickle bush we were talking about. Nah sorry Carol, i'm of no help to you with it. You'll have to tell me about it..as you go
All I really know about them is they grow as a bush in arid areas, have spikes and flowers beautifully.

 

[Dorian Fourie]

I received this from Wigerts late winter. It thrived once it was warm enough to go outside. I have just been letting it grow wild, hoping it would bloom. It was really rootbound, so I repotted it. The pot is way to big but I was unsure how much root removal these would take. The primary growth seems to be mostly in that long right side branch. I think it needs to come off to boost growth elsewhere, even if I don't see it bloom this year. Also, if I cut off that branch, has anyone had luck with cuttings from these? Any suggestions welcome. @fredman any ideas? View attachment 326776 View attachment 326774

Hi Carol.

Yes it is the Sickle bush and unfortunately not recommended for Bonsai growing. The reason is that its grow is very long and leggy making it very difficult to get a decent style. Also once they are bigger they due tend to suffer from dieback which means that you could lose most of your tree just because of the way it grows. All you the time and effort put into the tree is then lost.

If you do want to go ahead with growing it, I would plant that pot into a growing put and let the roots grow out the bottom into the soil. That way you can cut off the roots below the black pot when you need to pot it into its bonsai pot. Then I would leave it to grow a season and cut right back. Work on getting the trunk thick for now.

Again just be aware that they are not nice bonsai trees and you might never get a good style it. Personally I wouldn't invest the time and effort into it. I had one and grew it for 2 years and one more, lost 80% of the tree as it all died back to the stump.

I hope that helps

D

 

[YukiShiro]

Hi Carol.

Yes it is the Sickle bush and unfortunately not recommended for Bonsai growing. The reason is that its grow is very long and leggy making it very difficult to get a decent style. Also once they are bigger they due tend to suffer from dieback which means that you could lose most of your tree just because of the way it grows. All you the time and effort put into the tree is then lost.

If you do want to go ahead with growing it, I would plant that pot into a growing put and let the roots grow out the bottom into the soil. That way you can cut off the roots below the black pot when you need to pot it into its bonsai pot. Then I would leave it to grow a season and cut right back. Work on getting the trunk thick for now.

Again just be aware that they are not nice bonsai trees and you might never get a good style it. Personally I wouldn't invest the time and effort into it. I had one and grew it for 2 years and one more, lost 80% of the tree as it all died back to the stump.

I hope that helps

D

True this. sounds a lot like camel thorn dieback.
very difficult to find a camel thorn that does not die back to the trunk and then just goes belly up. But those exceptions do exist

hope this lil sekel bos, is an exception. would be awesome to see a really nice literati pierneef style coming out of this plant

best regards
Herman

 

[Carol 83]

Hi Carol.

Yes it is the Sickle bush and unfortunately not recommended for Bonsai growing. The reason is that its grow is very long and leggy making it very difficult to get a decent style. Also once they are bigger they due tend to suffer from dieback which means that you could lose most of your tree just because of the way it grows. All you the time and effort put into the tree is then lost.

If you do want to go ahead with growing it, I would plant that pot into a growing put and let the roots grow out the bottom into the soil. That way you can cut off the roots below the black pot when you need to pot it into its bonsai pot. Then I would leave it to grow a season and cut right back. Work on getting the trunk thick for now.

Again just be aware that they are not nice bonsai trees and you might never get a good style it. Personally I wouldn't invest the time and effort into it. I had one and grew it for 2 years and one more, lost 80% of the tree as it all died back to the stump.

I hope that helps

D

That's unfortunate to hear, but I appreciate the info. It was extremely cheap, so at least I won't be out much if it dies. I just really wanted to see the flowers.

 

[Carol 83]

True this. sounds a lot like camel thorn dieback.
very difficult to find a camel thorn that does not die back to the trunk and then just goes belly up. But those exceptions do exist

hope this lil sekel bos, is an exception. would be awesome to see a really nice literati pierneef style coming out of this plant

best regards
Herman

That was kind of my thinking, pierneef style. I cut back that crazy long branch on the right to force new growth elsewhere. Thanks!

 

[SWfloirda]

How is this tree?