Coprosma kirkii - easy growing technique

[Fidur]

Coprosma kirkii is a new zeland species very easy to grow. It can became a reasonably beautiful bonsai:


(This is a ROR by Harry Harrington)

Not too much of these seem to be developed (at least in internet, when I type coprosma kirkii bonsai there are so few that mine pops up), and I always wonder why.
It's so easy to grow and style....
For others to have a reference, I will tell you what I'm doing with mine in terms of creating pads.
This species has usually branches that grow with an apex wich you can shape to your taste. Well english is not my mother language so I'll show you with pics....



So if you are a beginner and ever see it in a nursery, just give it a try...

 

[LuZiKui]

@Fidur You seem to be the only one doing much with Coprosma on here- I saw one at a local home store with a deep discount (70% off sticker) and some interesting movement on the trunk so I thought I'd give it a try.

I know this is a different variety than what you've grown but I'm curious if these back bud much when you cut them? This was the most compact one on the sale rack but it still had most of the growth towards the ends of the branches. I've cut some of the branches to see if I can stimulate back budding but I'd be curious to know your thoughts. Also, how about root work on these, should I wait until it warms up or is winter/early spring an OK time to do that as well?

 

[Fidur]

@Fidur You seem to be the only one doing much with Coprosma on here- I saw one at a local home store with a deep discount (70% off sticker) and some interesting movement on the trunk so I thought I'd give it a try.

I know this is a different variety than what you've grown but I'm curious if these back bud much when you cut them? This was the most compact one on the sale rack but it still had most of the growth towards the ends of the branches. I've cut some of the branches to see if I can stimulate back budding but I'd be curious to know your thoughts. Also, how about root work on these, should I wait until it warms up or is winter/early spring an OK time to do that as well?

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Good find. As you say, this is a different variety.
I've read they back bup promptly. Should this variety behave like kirkii, I should be confident to chop the undesired branches (early spring), and wait for the response. I think I would chop at least 3 of the big branches I see in the 2nd pic. In my climate, I should do this, and in a month expect new growth.
Be aware this one doesn´t seem to have the same growing pattern as kirkii, so try to understand the way it grows to make a plan on its future.
Thanks for your confidence on my opinion, but try to find answers on more expert growers...

 

[ZombieNick]

@Fidur You seem to be the only one doing much with Coprosma on here- I saw one at a local home store with a deep discount (70% off sticker) and some interesting movement on the trunk so I thought I'd give it a try.

I know this is a different variety than what you've grown but I'm curious if these back bud much when you cut them? This was the most compact one on the sale rack but it still had most of the growth towards the ends of the branches. I've cut some of the branches to see if I can stimulate back budding but I'd be curious to know your thoughts. Also, how about root work on these, should I wait until it warms up or is winter/early spring an OK time to do that as well?

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I stumbled on this post from @Fidur's recent reddit post, and I thought I would reply because I have actually tried this exact variety for a couple years. It eventually died because I neglected it after I got frustrated with it. They do backbud, more than you would like, and I haven't had any trouble with root work (in the spring). The problem is, they throw long, spindly, shoots that I've had trouble ramifying. The growth you are seeing is their natural habit. They also take forever to thicken. I have another one, "fireburst," that I am half-assing, but same issues. Fidur is right, these colorful ones you find around here seem like they have a totally different growth habit, that's actually why I clicked his link in the first place, I was intrigued. You've had this for a few months now, have you had any success?

 

[LuZiKui]

I stumbled on this post from @Fidur's recent reddit post, and I thought I would reply because I have actually tried this exact variety for a couple years. It eventually died because I neglected it after I got frustrated with it. They do backbud, more than you would like, and I haven't had any trouble with root work (in the spring). The problem is, they throw long, spindly, shoots that I've had trouble ramifying. The growth you are seeing is their natural habit. They also take forever to thicken. I have another one, "fireburst," that I am half-assing, but same issues. Fidur is right, these colorful ones you find around here seem like they have a totally different growth habit, that's actually why I clicked his link in the first place, I was intrigued. You've had this for a few months now, have you had any success?

I feel like I've let down the Coprosma crew. I actually ended up bringing this to my last bonsai club meeting and donated it to the club raffle. It found a loving home with one of the other members and I asked him to keep me posted on what he ended up doing with it.

There were a couple reasons I ended up getting rid of it. For one, after staring at it for a couple months it never really spoke to me. One of the issues was I couldn't really decide on a good trunk line:


Both A and C would have left a big scar that I wasn't sure how it'd heal. B was OK but it has that weird 90 degree branch right at the B that I didn't like. Also, I trimmed it up a little bit and it did see that it back budded pretty readily. However, as you mentioned, I observed that most of the growth would shoot up and there would be 1"-2" in between leaf sets. I know it could probably be improved over time but it didn't seem ideal.

So, after a couple months of holding it and debating what to do I figured I'd pass it along to someone else and let them try. I'm tight on space so I have to be a little more selective with what I keep.