Brazilian rain tree sweating sap?

[BrazilianMoistWood]

About three months ago or so I moved my brt inside due to cold nights and such and placed it by a window for sunlight with the rest of mother’s plants. I’ve always found by the windows was a little cold compared to the rest of the hous but figured mother’s plants were alive, mine should be ok. Lost lots of leaves but I figured that was normal do to it adjusting but it never really came back. Then the fires started in the living room and the house would touch 85-90*f (mother likes the heat) but I thought the crazy change in temp would mess with my brt. (Probably near 65*f without a fire) plus the fire sucks the humidity out of the house.
So, I’ve moved it to the basement under grow lights where it’s a constant 73*f, maybe around 44-55% humidity. it’s losing a couple leaves but I figured it’s adjusting again, and I’ve noticed sap on a lot of the leaflet stems.. does this mean it’s “waking up” from dormancy or is there a bug chewing through the outer layer? I can’t find any bugs on it. Been fighting aphids on my sensitive plant (pudica mimosa I beleive) but I’ve kept it in quarantine. BRT seems to be happy, new buds are starting to pop out. 12hrs lights on 12 hrs off.
after posting these I noticed it’s kinda tough to see but it’s right near the node on the branch..
Any ideas?
Also while you guys are here, should I be fertilizing in wintertime?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Also while you guys are here, should I be fertilizing in wintertime?

If you have a tropical tree indoors under strong artificial lighting, it doesn't have a wintertime If the tree is actively growing, it would typically benefit from being on a fertilization cycle.

I don't see any physical damage on your tree. When you say the tree is weeping "sap" - is it sap or is it water?

 

[BrazilianMoistWood]

is it sap or is it water?

It’s sap. I haven’t misted it in a while.. probably should but I was trimming off some yellow growth and it was awful sticky

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have a Brazilian rain tree, but I am by no means an expert. Perhaps other tropical experts will chime in.

If I had to guess, your BRT has gone from being in a cool, not very bright environment by the windows, to a more consistently warm, well-lit environment in your basement. Under bright artificial lighting the vascular system is ramping up, and the sap is weeping slightly out of internodes. I don't think a small amount of sap is a big deal; it happens naturally on BRT's depending on other environmental conditions. However it is really important to provide a stable environment to let the tree adjust.

 

[LanceMac10]

Return of the cracked pot friendship tree – Adam's Art and Bonsai Blog (adamaskwhy.com)

.....you can read my thoughts under the "comments" header....

 

[leatherback]

Return of the cracked pot friendship tree – Adam's Art and Bonsai Blog (adamaskwhy.com)

.....you can read my thoughts under the "comments" header....

hm interesting read, if you leave out the rambling about some events in past gone by.

 

[BrazilianMoistWood]

Return of the cracked pot friendship tree – Adam's Art and Bonsai Blog (adamaskwhy.com)

.....you can read my thoughts under the "comments" header....

So it’s getting too much salt? I haven’t fertilized it for 2 months and I use water from the kitchen sink which is the only tap in the entire house that doesn’t have water softener salt in it and I’ve never seen this before, although the last month or so I’ve been adding a bit of warm water to it which could possibly have the softener salt in it...

 

[LanceMac10]

Mine show this all the time, summer, winter all the time. Not something to worry about. However, do observe if these secretions start to host "sucking bugs". I haven't seen any on mine. Might have seen one scale insect over a decade or so.

Fertilize more. Two months, even in our climate, is a bit long.

Good luck.

 

[Clicio]

does this mean it’s “waking up” from dormancy or is there a bug chewing through the outer layer?

BRTs don't go into winter dormancy, they are tropicals and evergreens. Not deciduous.
As for the sap, if it's just a little never mind, it happens from time to time.

 

[Clicio]

Fertilize more. Two months, even in our climate, is a bit long.

Yes, I agree. I never stop the fertilizing of my BRTs, only for two or three weeks on the height of the summer.

 

[LittleDingus]

Yes, I agree. I never stop the fertilizing of my BRTs, only for two or three weeks on the height of the summer.

@Clicio, do you're trees ever grow nitrogen fixing nodules? I've yet to see any on mine but my understanding is the bacteria that form them are specific to the plant. I get them on other legumes...but I wonder if there's no compatible bacteria for them to form here?? You shouldn't have that problem

In theory, if you have root nodules for nitrogen fixing, you can do without adding nitrogen fertilizers. Still need to supplement the trace minerals and phosphorous, but legumes have the super power of being able to for symbiotic relationships that fix their own nitrogen...if they can get nodules forming.

There are some pictures of nitrogen fixing nodules on a BRT bonsai about a 3rd of the way down the page at this link

Bunjin Brazilian Raintree

This is the Brazilian Raintree I got with the original incarnation of the NoNaMe study group. It’s a little shaggy at the moment but, as you might guess, that’s what this post is about …

adamaskwhy.com

I recently purchased some young desmodium unifoliatum...another legume...and they have nodules. I've yet to see any one my BRTs though

 

[Clicio]

Nope, I haven't seen any nodules on mine, but...
I will do my research.

 

[Clicio]

Nope, I haven't seen any nodules on mine, but...
I will do my research.

 

[LanceMac10]

....maybe throw some corn in there......

 

[BrazilianMoistWood]

To save starting a new post, what do you guys do if you have leaves starting to yellow and dry up? Do you trim them off or let them fall off themselves? I’m afraid my tree will try and grow too far out and be naked in the inner.. should I do a hard cut back or just let it do it’s thing until summer?


It’s exploding with new growth so I know it could take it but not sure if this is the best time to do a hard chop.. I know it’s extremely unbalanced but that’s mainly due to a sacrificial limb that will be air layered and removed by fall next year

 

[leatherback]

To save starting a new post, what do you guys do if you have leaves starting to yellow and dry up? Do you trim them off or let them fall off themselves? I’m afraid my tree will try and grow too far out and be naked in the inner.. should I do a hard cut back or just let it do it’s thing until summer?

View attachment 343098View attachment 343162
It’s exploding with new growth so I know it could take it but not sure if this is the best time to do a hard chop.. I know it’s extremely unbalanced but that’s mainly due to a sacrificial limb that will be air layered and removed by fall next year

Looks healthy.
To me it feels these take anything you throw at them, including trimming mid-winter.
But if you have the space, maybe wait till the end of winter to do a trim?

 

[Paradox]

To save starting a new post, what do you guys do if you have leaves starting to yellow and dry up? Do you trim them off or let them fall off themselves? I’m afraid my tree will try and grow too far out and be naked in the inner.. should I do a hard cut back or just let it do it’s thing until summer?


It’s exploding with new growth so I know it could take it but not sure if this is the best time to do a hard chop.. I know it’s extremely unbalanced but that’s mainly due to a sacrificial limb that will be air layered and removed by fall next year

I have 4 BRT and yes they continually have leaves that yellow up and fall off.
You can trim them back in the winter, but I would only do it if you have it under good lights, not if its just in a window.
Dont trim back any branches that you want to thicken.
They grow very fast and need to be trimmed back regularly (once a month or so) to keep them from running away.
I would wait until mid-late spring (May-June) to do a hard cut back, although I have done this to mine when I bring them into the house in October but only if they are very healthy and vigorous.

 

[BrazilianMoistWood]

I have 4 BRT and yes they continually have leaves that yellow up and fall off.
You can trim them back in the winter, but I would only do it if you have it under good lights, not if its just in a window.
Dont trim back any branches that you want to thicken.
They grow very fast and need to be trimmed back regularly (once a month or so) to keep them from running away.
I would wait until mid-late spring (May-June) to do a hard cut back, although I have done this to mine when I bring them into the house in October but only if they are very healthy and vigorous.

Every branch has atleast 2 buds with new leaders starting closer to the trunk which I wouldn’t mind cutting back to, but if I do that the sacrificial branch will run wild due to all the leaves on it.. if I did cut back I would have to defoliate aswell.. it is doing a lot better under the grow lights I set up a couple weeks to a month ago..

 

[Paradox]

Every branch has atleast 2 buds with new leaders starting closer to the trunk which I wouldn’t mind cutting back to, but if I do that the sacrificial branch will run wild due to all the leaves on it.. if I did cut back I would have to defoliate aswell.. it is doing a lot better under the grow lights I set up a couple weeks to a month ago..

Yes they like a lot of light. Mine grow like crazy all winter. I have to keep pruning them back even in the winter.

Here is a recent picture of one of mine after I brought it in to its wintering spot.
This was two to three weeks after I pruned it back pretty hard because it was too big to fit under the light fixture.
Its grown like crazy the last month and I need to prune it again now.....lol

 

[Clicio]

Yes they like a lot of light. Mine grow like crazy all winter.

BRTs grow like crazy, point.
Year round. All it needs is water, humidity, dappled sun and a good pair of shears.