This what we are learning and discovering

[Anthony]

Well we have a tree that is a gem.
The Fustic, Chlorophora t. has proven to be an excellent tree to study.

A pencil thick shoot will easily root.
You can enter it into a small colander and when it has mastered the container, put it to ground grow.
In about 6 months at around 8 feet, the trunk will be around 3 inches.

That was the first test.

Second test. repeat and see if you get to 1 or 2 inches trunk and cut down to 10 inches or so in height.
Either chose the first six branches or do so when the second cut is made.
Allow the six branches to extend, cutting them for the proportion of first, second, third etc.

See if you hit 3 inches of trunk in 6 months.

When you remove you should have trunk and 6 branches, and the start of the branchlets.

Study how a curve is straightened by growth.

Next step, do it all over to improve the technique.

Theoretically, a Bonsai in a year.

When mastered apply to other tree types [ J.B.pine / Tamarind .....]
Good Day
Anthony

Reminder - around 6 months Test 1
being sent out as the supply for cuttings up North.

 

[my nellie]

You two guys and your tests/experiments!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge/results/experience!

 

[Sn0W]

Not worried about the ghosts that live in these trees?

On a serious note though, these trees are awesome and look great!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Well we have a tree that is a gem.
The Fustic, Chlorophora t. has proven to be an excellent tree to study.

A pencil thick shoot will easily root.
You can enter it into a small colander and when it has mastered the container, put it to ground grow.
In about 6 months at around 8 feet, the trunk will be around 3 inches.

That was the first test.

Second test. repeat and see if you get to 1 or 2 inches trunk and cut down to 10 inches or so in height.
Either chose the first six branches or do so when the second cut is made.
Allow the six branches to extend, cutting them for the proportion of first, second, third etc.

See if you hit 3 inches of trunk in 6 months.

When you remove you should have trunk and 6 branches, and the start of the branchlets.

Study how a curve is straightened by growth.

Next step, do it all over to improve the technique.

Theoretically, a Bonsai in a year.

When mastered apply to other tree types [ J.B.pine / Tamarind .....]
Good Day
Anthony

Reminder - around 6 months Test 1
being sent out as the supply for cuttings up North.

View attachment 178320

Do you have one that close to finished? That one looks like a lot of work.

 

[Anthony]

@Mellow Mullet ,

the one above was done to give away to a friend.
Since the mother is the only one, that responds this well, about 8 cuttings were taken
to send out to the local bonsai folk all over the island. More for cuttings.

The primary design or other work was done a few years ago, on the one
I titled, Tropical Zelkova amd had Adair [ Sifu ] critique.
It is also in the 2018 time capsule topic.

In the last shot it looked like this - images below.
We did not get the trunk size - 3 inches.
Now this one has to be thickened slowly, as it doesn't respond to branch extension
/ trunk thickening in a pot, as it's cousin the ficus does.
The branch thickens, the trunk doesn't.
Good Day
Anthony

Have also found out that tree does better in the deep pot below, not a shallow
proper bonsai pot.
photo record says 2013?

Branch extension -



Leaves now growing back in -
photo record says 2014 ?

 

[Clicio]

Beautiful little tree!

 

[Paulpash]

Lol that right branch is now too thick - I guess growing stuff in the tropics has its down side too...

 

[my nellie]

Lol that right branch is now too thick - I guess growing stuff in the tropics has its down side too...

My thoughts, too.
Is it perhaps because this branch was let to grow unrestricted for too long time?
Too thick branches result in trunk looking thinner...

 

[Anthony]

@alexandra, @Marie1uk ,

remember the trunk is going to 8 cm [ 3 inches ] so what you are seeing is
a temporary situation.
Strangely enough I explained this to Sifu [ Adair ] and he is liking your statements
So he has forgotten.

This image [ shown here before should clarify [
Thanks for looking.
Anthony

Note the suggestions for expansion.
Please note this is an older image as the lowest branch is not cut.

 

[Clicio]

View attachment 178529

A photographer 's tip, @Anthony :
Use a large piece of black velvet, it absorbs light and the wrinkles disappear.
Regards, Clicio

 

[Anthony]

Hee hee, Clicio,

painter's tip - too harsh a background and you stop seeing the subject.
Brother-in - law K is a Fine Artist.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Anthony]

@my nellie ,

Alexandra, whoops, I was in such a rush to give you the information,
I used the wrong name.

Go here -
http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t11116-fustic-chlorophora-tinctoria-or-maclura-tinctoria

for more complete explanations. Note drawing and K's last explanation.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Anthony]

Sep.2016

Last image shot. Didn't work with pot, the leaves are thin and the tree needs a deep
pot to continue on with a large leaf mass. More water needed.
So a mesh was placed under the soil and the tree sent back to it;s original plastic
pot. More soil was first added to the original plastic pot, then the mesh and finally
the tree.

Tree is to be worked on for around 5 years before next showing. Trunk should be around
3 inches by then.

Wound to be healed as well.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Adair M]

@alexandra, @Marie1uk ,

remember the trunk is going to 8 cm [ 3 inches ] so what you are seeing is
a temporary situation.
Strangely enough I explained this to Sifu [ Adair ] and he is liking your statements
So he has forgotten.

This image [ shown here before should clarify [
Thanks for looking.
Anthony

Note the suggestions for expansion.
Please note this is an older image as the lowest branch is not cut.

View attachment 178529

No, I hadn’t forgotten. I still think the first branch is out of proportion.

 

[Anthony]

Agreed, Sifu which is why I told you, 5 years later, we show again.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[my nellie]

... ...In the last shot it looked like this - images below.
We did not get the trunk size - 3 inches.
Now this one has to be thickened slowly, as it doesn't respond to branch extension
/ trunk thickening in a pot, as it's cousin the ficus does.
The branch thickens, the trunk doesn't.

photo record says 2014 ?
View attachment 178494

Hello Anthony,
Based on what you have said above, I imagine that until the trunk slowly reaches the desired circumference, those branches will have grown more and got even more thickness. Or they will not?
Hence, my doubts and objection.

... ...Tree is to be worked on for around 5 years before next showing. Trunk should be around
3 inches by then... ...

Ok, but what about the branches? What will they look like after 5 years?
Won't they keep on growing?

... ...Is it perhaps because this branch was let to grow unrestricted for too long time?... ...

What is your thoughts on this idea of mine?

 

[my nellie]

... ...Go here -
http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t11116-fustic-chlorophora-tinctoria-or-maclura-tinctoria

Thanks for the link.
I had not seen this thread on IBC.
There is posted the thinking behind the project but also Khaimraj is not sure about the results, as this species is new to him/you and you are experimenting and recording.

 

[Anthony]

Alexandra, @my nellie ,

the branches being added on are about 1.25/ 0.825 cm or less in size and
will hardly thicken anything. Some will also be added and as it affects the
design, some, even older ones will be removed.

And yes, it is experimental [ which is very enjoyable ] so things will move back
and forth.

As to the branch that was extended, remember this is a new tree, there is no
information, only that it is a cousin to the ficus.
So a test was done to see if it would react like the ficus seen below.



In this case the branch extension increased the trunk to the eventual 3 inch width.
seen below.



What was learnt was, the trunk of the Fustic didn't respond quite like the ficus did.

So we are testing an idea expressed by Sifu [ Adair ] -------- with J,B.pine, the top
causes the tree's trunk to expand. So when we cut the top off the test 2 plant, will
the side branches work to thicken or is the plant apical dominant.

A look at experiment 2.
When this fustic has reached say 5 cm or so with the trunk diameter.
a cut will be made. I had thought at 26 cm, but it might be more extreme say 15 cm.

then we retest the side branches, see what happens.

 

[my nellie]

Thanks for your time and your reply, Anthony.