Jaboticaba from 8,000 ft

[Colorado]

I went skiing and came back with a Jaboticaba...

Yes, the Colorado High Country is full of ancient yamadori. But today I came home from the mountains with a different prize.

I went skiing at my favorite mountain today, and every time I make the drive on I-70 I pass a small building with a sign “Bonsai Creations Colorado.” Today I stopped in. This greenhouse - and I use the term loosely - was chock full of tropical bonsai.

Willow leaf ficus...tiger bark ficus...and then this nice exfoliating bark caught my eye!


This tree breaks my self-imposed rule of “shohin only” for tropicals...but that bark was just too pretty to pass up. I was just admiring @Clicio beautiful Jatobicaba posted recently. Any advice on the species is welcome!

Skiing and bonsai, what a great day.

 

[leatherback]

Lucky you!

I think it is about time to a jaboticaba-outside-the-tropics thread to share experiences!

 

[Clicio]

I went skiing and came back with a Jaboticaba...
View attachment 341677
Yes, the Colorado High Country is full of ancient yamadori. But today I came home from the mountains with a different prize.

I went skiing at my favorite mountain today, and every time I make the drive on I-70 I pass a small building with a sign “Bonsai Creations Colorado.” Today I stopped in. This greenhouse - and I use the term loosely - was chock full of tropical bonsai.

Willow leaf ficus...tiger bark ficus...and then this nice exfoliating bark caught my eye!
View attachment 341678

This tree breaks my self-imposed rule of “shohin only” for tropicals...but that bark was just too pretty to pass up. I was just admiring @Clicio beautiful Jatobicaba posted recently. Any advice on the species is welcome!

Skiing and bonsai, what a great day.
View attachment 341679

Beautiful!
Plenty of water, they like wet feet.

 

[Colorado]

Well this one did not grow a single leaf for the past 5 months. I placed it in my sunroom with all my other tropicals. And while my tiger bark ficus and company were growing all winter long in the sunroom, this one just moped about.

But now it appears that it is finally ready to come out to play



Branch selection and possibly some wire this summer.

 

[Colorado]

It grew very well once outside and in the sun. And lots of water, as recommended!


But the branch structure was very poor. Little to no taper or ramification. So I cut it back very hard in August to start rebuilding the branching for a tall, upright tree.


It responded with vigorous growth. Although not any budding from the trunk or old wood. Yesterday I wired it out to establish some basic structure.


Do these typically grow all through the winter if the conditions are good? @Clicio @leatherback ?

 

[leatherback]

Do these typically grow all through the winter if the conditions are good?

Last winter I had several flushes!

 

[Clicio]

It grew very well once outside and in the sun. And lots of water, as recommended!
View attachment 403090

But the branch structure was very poor. Little to no taper or ramification. So I cut it back very hard in August to start rebuilding the branching for a tall, upright tree.
View attachment 403092

It responded with vigorous growth. Although not any budding from the trunk or old wood. Yesterday I wired it out to establish some basic structure.
View attachment 403099

Do these typically grow all through the winter if the conditions are good? @Clicio @leatherback ?

Well, here in Sao Paulo it grows non-stop all year round but the flush is stronger in the Spring, not surprisingly.
They are defoliated twice a year if healthy; by the end of the Winter, and again by the end of the Summer.

 

[leatherback]

again by the end of the Summer.

So trim & defoliate when I bring it in one of these days?

 

[Clicio]

So trim & defoliate when I bring it in one of these days?

Well, I am talking about tropical weather.
Fall here goes on and on for four months, most of the days very warm, so it grows a nice green leaf mass before winter.
I am not really sure how yours would behave indoors after Summer defoliation. Could be tough on the tree, I believe.
But we'll never know until one tries it!

 

[Colorado]

This tree continues to do exceptionally well in my garden/sunroom. It is backbudding on the lower branch stubs and even on the trunk, right where I need them. It continues to grow steadily after bringing it into the sun room for winter.


With these new buds, I will be able to fill in the large void on the right side of the tree, like this:

 

[Colorado]

I repotted the tree earlier this spring into a red rectangle container. However, the container was simply too small and I had to severely mound the soil to get it to fit.


This really bothered me for a few months so I decided to lift it out of the pot and place it into a larger container. Now I feel the pot is slightly too large, but at least the mound is less severe and the roots have some room to run for development.


At the next repot I think I’ll be able to remove a large, high root on the back of the tree that will allow me to eliminate the mound. I’d like to get it into a slightly shallower, slightly smaller oval, perhaps a cream color. That will be a project for next year…if I find a pot by then

 

[Colorado]

I am looking to sell this tree. It’s just too large for me to keep in my little sunroom windowsill over the winter.

Send me a PM if interested!

 

[Colorado]

This tree has been sold.

I enjoyed working with this tree. It grew very well for me in the 2 years I had it. It was a very thirsty tree and I kept it mostly in shade, with just a couple hours of direct sun in the morning and evening. Overall a really nice tropical species, this tree was just too large for my overwintering space.

 

[leatherback]

This tree has been sold.

sad, but congrats!