A little bit of the tropics in the low lands

[iHasaki]

Good evening/morning depending what place in the world you are

I collected this new specimen called Calliandra Surinamis. I really like the mimosa puddica that I grow and it seems this species also have the mechanic stimulation to the leaves. Also the flowers are quite nice (eventually..)

For now I have this multi trunk type situation and i'm not sure how I should threat this to keep the ratio's pleasant to the eye. So my question would be which cuts I could make to best the chaos it is now. For now I will repot in a little more acidic and inorganic soil.

Any experience with this kind of species and in what kind of places it sprouts when cut back?

Have a good one!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

You will need to organize the trunks - in much the same way as you organize individual trees when planting a forest arrangement. One trunk will need to be the most important - and it is usually the tallest and the thickest, but it is not always the one in the middle. Then you will need to select a second trunk that will be less important, but will compliment the primary trunk, then a third, perhaps on the other side of the main trunk from the secondary, and then a back trunk to give the composition depth, etc... I am not trying to give you a specific plan, but I am trying to suggest the steps you need to go through to plan your design. The important thing is that each trunk should have a role and should not be exactly like any other trunk.

Also you need to make sure that your trunks as a whole make a pleasing composition. You should avoid trunks that cross in front of or behind each other, or trunks whose movement conflicts with the other trunks or the movement of the design as a whole.

Because this tree in the wild has a beautiful weeping growth habit, you will probably want to go taller and more graceful with your design. That means you will need to leave plenty of room between the trunks to capture the weeping growth - without it looking like a mop.

 

[iHasaki]

I love this picture of Suriname (I assume?) where they grow in the streets. Cant imagine the contrast on a rainy day

Thanks for the summary. Its a good point that I should start with arranging the few trunks it has. And this in the fashion that it helps the weeping growth habbit. At this moment it has quite a few branches low on the trunks that cross in front of each other.. The benefit I see is that they dont grow straight up but decline somewhat to the side.

Still one question I retain; Assuming that I see new random sprouts on the lower trunks, can I strip a branch/trunk off all its leaves so It will backbud again? And this way force the middle ones to grow thicker in the end?

 

[iHasaki]

Oh and maybe a stupid question; why aren't there any comparable or even other multi trunk Calliandra on the interwebs? Is it that this isn't a desirable feature and people for instance trunk chop it or is this a weird appearance that normally just doesn't happen with this species?

 

[Cypress187]

The thicker the higher most of the time.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

@Clicio is a fan of these trees. Perhaps he can chime in with suggestions!

 

[Clicio]

Oh and maybe a stupid question; why aren't there any comparable or even other multi trunk Calliandra on the interwebs?

We have both here in Brazil, single trunk and multiple trunks. Usually most Calliandras trained as bonsai here are single trunks, and all the ones I have bloom 3 or 4 times a year.
Here's one of mine in full bloom:

 

[iHasaki]

That's a really nice tree Clicio! Very dense flowering going on there. I assume that has something to do with the weather there in Brazil

Can i ask you what age this tree is? Since mine doesn't bloom yet i'm trying to figure out if it is the fertilization of the previous owner or just the age of the tree. For now I have it on a balanced fertilizer (20-20-20) to see if it will make flowers.

 

[Clicio]

@iHasaki , I don't know the exact age of this tree, but I guess it's 10/12 years.
Maybe it is not only the fertilizer that promotes blooming, but warmth and sunlight play also a big role. I fertilize with Biogold all year, and 4/14/8 in the Fall.
They like dappled sun and usually they bloom after a period of dry weather, when the humidity gets high again (just before the rain).
Local folklore says when it blooms it is a sure indication of rain coming soon.