AJL
Chumono
Has anyone tried Hebe species for bonsai-small evergreen leaves, naturally architectural growth habits.......?
Has anyone tried Hebe species for bonsai-small evergreen leaves, naturally architectural growth habits.......?
Some hardy Hebes live a lot longer than 5 years, eg Hebe rakaiensis,subalpina, salicifolia, Midsummer Beauty,parviflora etc etc and are all widely used as landscape plants. easily living over 25 years here in UK . I would think some of these could make interesting Mame/Shohin if you find specimens with a decent girth.Also theyre really easy to propagate from cuttings and probably also air layer easily... Id would love to see how big these grow in their native environment in New Zealand- you guys are really spoilt for choice!!Hi,
I am a bit confused with this post. Anything can be grown as a bonsai. The purists say only x, y, and z can be bonsai. Here is my confusion - Hebe is a very short lived shrub, not very woody, but yes some cultivars do have small leaves etc. Yep, sure, grow it as bonsai as they ramify really easily, but why spend time on a five year project that may disappoint from a both aesthetic stick in pot and from a “could be growing better long lived trees”.
My opinion is to grow a tree in a pot that looks like a natural replica, and the ratios of girth to trunk height for realistic outcome.
Charles
Went to the old Mitre10 (home depot) again today. Came home with a Corokia Bronze King it already had exposed roots showing and looked like the start of a great nebari so I decided to buy it. Cut a lot off it probley 90% foliage and 70% roots. Unsure how these guys respond to such treatment, guess time will tell. Cant decide on the front either its either picture 8 or 9.
Hi Charles. For me I don't mind a slight mound or hill after a 1st repot, yes it might look abit funny in some case but I think trees have more of a chance of surviving the repot. In this case if I were to have no mound id be taking of more like 80% roots instead of the 70%ish I took off. Once the trees get established and are healthy I can reduce the mound abit. In the trees next reporting it will probley be a lot more even with the lip of the pot. My trees are far from bonsai atm so not really worried about what they should look like if they were going in a show.
Hi,
So I qualify this next opinion with “I realise my way is not the only way” -
1. The need to stuff it into a bonsai pot straight away, does this mean you are happy with its development with branches and trunkline (girth)? As you won’t get girth any more as roots can’t grow any.
2. Do you think because you plant it in a bonsai pot that this looks like a bonsai? I don’t think so, maybe I am being harsh, as it is easier to be mean with others material.
3. My way is to grow my purchased and home grown material in boxes or big flat trays/crates to get it more fully developed so after five plus years I put my trees (the ones I am proud of) into bonsai pots to only grow tertiary branches and fine ramification as that is the only growth able as “small pot=little growth”.
At the end of the day, when looking out on your garden if you are happy with your trees then that’s the best option.
I just get too competitive against myself for better trees and better stock to work on. Maybe it will be to my detriment, or maybe after 10yrs the sense of learning and achievement will spur me to do better still.
I am giving you food for thought, as you give me food for thought whenever I post trees or update a thread.
Sorry if this post ruined your day.
Charles