Shefflera Arboricola and Rhizophora mangle bonsai

[DannyBonsai]

I'm back, and while I was gone i have taken a single stem of schefflera and gotten tons of aerial roots and backbudding. it is now half the height it was originally, and has three branches now growing like mad. there are around twice as many buds on the trunk, which is about 1.5-2" around, and woody, so my question is, how to get them to grow out without defoliating the other branches too much? also, I bought some nice red mangroves, and several are starting to branch and throw prop roots. hopefully I can get some nice pics sometime. I will try to post pictures tomorrow if my camera cooperates, last time I tried it didn't work out so well.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

How are you growing the mangroves? Are they in water?

 

[DannyBonsai]

Freshwater, one is in about 4" of mineral mud, the other is suspended just above it to tease the roots down. I have several other seedlings, but there is only one large branching one that i bought just for this purpose, about 3' tall, and a smaller one with only 2 leaves but really good roots. they are both inb about 18" of water, and I am letting the soil be fine and deep for a purpose: they only form prop roots in anaerobic soil. so, really excited, hope this turns out well.

 

[stacy allen muse]

mangrove do not necessarily need to be grown in water as long as the soil is able to retain moisture.
If you want to grow it in water, I have found two things work well as a substitute for soil, one is spagnum moss, I also use this with one of my bald cypress that I have been growing in water for more than a couple of years now.
The other is crushed beach shells... when I am at the beach and find the seeds floating while swimming, I usually grab a plastic cup and put them in with shell and water and the do just fine.

 

[reefed419]

Any update on the mangrove? I am waiting to try one. I have a few seeds I am germinating. These are slow growing trees, so interested in seeing how yours is coming along.

 

[Giga]

Since this is a revival of a old thread how bout I add some spice to it. My older red mangroves. About 24" tall and a lot of roots growing in my in wall salt water aquarium

 

[carp]

i don't consider the red mangrove to be a good subject for bonsai; the growth habbit doesn't look like bonsai...BUT....the black mangrove makes an excellent subject for bonsai. Enrique Castano of Mexico has several fine Black Mangrove bonsai. i have wanted to try the black and white mangroves for quite some time, but to disturb a mangrove in Florida is a very serious and enforced offense. you can't even trim a mangrove growing on your property.