Chinese Fringe Flower Loropetalum Chinensis as Bonsai

[Chuah]

I tried to change my post...it was supposed to say NOT evergreen.

Rats, have kept them going for years waiting for them to start to bloom. When I got them I looked them up and it showed a tree covered with white blooms. The book said the small white flowers hang below the leaves -showy etc.
Rose

Just a thought, could yours be a white fringe tree, Chionathus virginicus? This is a deciduous tree, the flowers are also white and hang downwards. We have one big white fringe tree in our park, when it flowers the whole tree is covered with white flowers. Very majestic.

 

[Rose Mary]

Yes I think that is what I understood. White spiky Flowers. leaves have never been purple. However didn't know they were acid loving so will try that on two of them. Sure would love to see them bloom!
Will post pics of leaves when they extend.
Thanks group
Rose

 

[armetisius]

This plant is not an evergreen. They lose their leaves in winter and grow back when it warms up. They do fine here in Fresno even down to the teens in the winter.

Smoke what gives? Mine hold leaves and even flower all winter long outdoors.
Even with these past two winters all I have gotten was some leaf edge burn from
the coldest of nights/days. Interesting that they drop in Cali but not in Alli?

 

[butlern]

Yes, the grayish bark does exofoliate with reddish inner bark. Have not tried rubbing oil on it to let it shines like a shimpaku bark.

Great looking fringe trees, Chuah.

Mine is still (and might remain) a sloppy clump from Home Depot, but I wonder what is going on with my Chinese Fringe bark. Weirdly-whitish.

Here is what I started with last year (July 2015):



Severe root job (sawed the lower 2/3 and harshly pruned swirling mass among the upper 1/3), and repotted this early spring, and here is what I have as of Late June 2016:



Seems to have responded very well. Lots of flowers in the spring (before leafing out), and now growing vigorously, despite being stuck in turface and pine bark soil.

I have been fertilizing with 10-10-10 every week since late march, and I wonder if the bark is a function of fertilizer, water quality (hard water/mineral deposits), or something else.

 

[Mike MoMo]

I saw one yesterday at my local nursery I liked it but it was already potted and had begun training. That turned me off. Plus it was 70 bucks and had a few crossing branches, I am cheap like that, plus following another artist has it's limits.

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Here's one I picked up off a trash pile down the street that had a full root ball. I thought it was a crepe myrtle until the leaves opened up. I think it had been on that pile for a couple of days, but it sprouted and started callousing around the cuts within 4 days of being rescued. It's in the greenhouse getting as much heat as possible before our first frost, which is still a ways off. You can see the buds at the top and just above the can. Hope I can keep it's momentum going!

 

[DeepSouthBonsai]

I collected two large ones yesterday. Sadly, I didn't know that you couldn't cut them back to old wood. These were massive and had zero foliage on the interior. If I had kept the leaves I wouldn't be able to get it anyway. Sure was a pain to dig. I am guessing there is zero change these will survive?