Advice on Fall repotting of a juvenile Delonix Regia (Royal Poinciana)

[BJC]

Hello! I am fairly new to bonsai and this is my first post. I'm glad to be here, and could use your extensive knowledge to diagnose some issues I'm having with my DR bonsai. I started from seed back in early Spring, and the tree has done better than I could have imagined! The small tree is now 8 months old, and has been experiencing some slow leaf drop over the past few weeks. I have researched and tried to do everything I could think of to resolve the issue. I tried watering more/less, increased fertilizer usage to once every 2 weeks with a ratio of 1-1-1 as not to burn the roots. The plant is placed on a southern facing windowsill and gets direct sunlight about 6 hours a day. I even have a small humidifier next to it because I thought maybe the air was too dry. There is still new growth from the top, but it has been very slow compared to the summer and spring months. I'm located on the Gulf Coast Panhandle of FL in growing zone 9a, so I've read that these trees can experience a dormancy period depending on the growing zone. I figured this might be normal? After all that, the only thing I can think of is that the pot has become too small for the plant and needs to repotted? I have ordered a new pot and it should be here next week, but I am concerned about repotting at the wrong time. I would really hate to repot when it doesn't need to be and then have it die during the winter months. On the other hand, I'd hate to not repot if it needs to be and then it still dies. I really love my little office tree! If you have any advice or experience growing these species, I would really appreciate some guidance!

Cheers!

 

[Cajunrider]

Where you are this tree will lose all its compound leaves and go bacark to a stick in December or January. Protect the tree from frost and freeze. It will come back around March. Do not repot now. The pot is the right size for it even for next year.

 

[BonsaiRae]

Your tree looks nice. I lose a few leaves occasionally when the cold air conditioning hits it in the summer. I did a chop on mine to keep it short but the trunk is not thickening much.
Have fun and good luck.

 

[Cajunrider]

@BJC @BonsaiRae
Unless the temperature outside is below 40 F, you want your DR to be outside. DR will not grow well indoor normally unless you have sufficient artificial light.

 

[BJC]

Where you are this tree will lose all its compound leaves and go bacark to a stick in December or January. Protect the tree from frost and freeze. It will come back around March. Do not repot now. The pot is the right size for it even for next year.

That is great news! I really appreciate your insight. During my research I read that it had potential to go dormant and have leaf drop due to my growing zone. I was right on the threshold though, so I was kind of hoping it wouldn't. Do you really think that the current pot is sufficient for trunk/overall growth even next year? My reasoning is that when I test soil for moisture I can feel some decent sized thickness roots running all around the pot. And then there are a couple roots that have started coming out of the top of the soil. I know this specific species is known for some aerial roots, but it got me thinking it was time for a new home. No roots are visible from the bottom of the pot. Maybe a good solution is to add some fresh soil to current to help bury some of these top roots? Again, thank you for all of your help regarding this subject matter. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[BJC]

Your tree looks nice. I lose a few leaves occasionally when the cold air conditioning hits it in the summer. I did a chop on mine to keep it short but the trunk is not thickening much.
Have fun and good luck.

Nice! I like your tree to. Thank you for sharing. Originally, I didn't think much of the little plant until it started growing some compound leaves. I just love that the tree "opens" in the morning and then will "close up" during the evening. I had never known trees were capable of such things. Very cool. I would also agree with Cajunrider. I think I have had the best growth personally by placing in direct sunlight a few hours per day.

 

[crab apple]

You might need to wire a little movement into the trunk while its still pliable, maybe wont be able to bend it next season.

 

[Cajunrider]

That is great news! I really appreciate your insight. During my research I read that it had potential to go dormant and have leaf drop due to my growing zone. I was right on the threshold though, so I was kind of hoping it wouldn't. Do you really think that the current pot is sufficient for trunk/overall growth even next year? My reasoning is that when I test soil for moisture I can feel some decent sized thickness roots running all around the pot. And then there are a couple roots that have started coming out of the top of the soil. I know this specific species is known for some aerial roots, but it got me thinking it was time for a new home. No roots are visible from the bottom of the pot. Maybe a good solution is to add some fresh soil to current to help bury some of these top roots? Again, thank you for all of your help regarding this subject matter. It is greatly appreciated.

Check out my DR thread. I am in the same growing zone as you - 9a. DR drop their leaves every year for me. If you read my thread, you will find out when they will bud out again as well.
Be prepared for growing this tree at least 4-5 years if not more before you get any flower. Also plan for a large bonsai. With compound leaves that can be as long as 18", DR cannot be a small bonsai.
Note that my DR was misidentified as a Tamarindus indica in the first year. I was planting a bunch of them together and they got mixed up.

Cjr Delonix Regia

Tamarind grew from seed last fall. It survived the winter indoor but lost all its leaves. It finally grew some leaves last couple weeks.

www.bonsainut.com

 

[BJC]

Check out my DR thread. I am in the same growing zone as you - 9a. DR drop their leaves every year for me. If you read my thread, you will find out when they will bud out again as well.
Be prepared for growing this tree at least 4-5 years if not more before you get any flower. Also plan for a large bonsai. With compound leaves that can be as long as 18", DR cannot be a small bonsai.
Note that my DR was misidentified as a Tamarindus indica in the first year. I was planting a bunch of them together and they got mixed up.

Cjr Delonix Regia

Tamarind grew from seed last fall. It survived the winter indoor but lost all its leaves. It finally grew some leaves last couple weeks.

www.bonsainut.com

I looked at the thread and there was lots of useful info in there. Thank you! So it appears I'll have to move him to a different location than my office once it gets big enough? I'd really like to have a smaller, Shohin size bonsai for my office. Any suggestions that might be a good fit for a novice like me in my zone? I was thinking about some kind of maple, or perhaps a juniper? I currently have a ficus ginseng and some sort of sprout here now. I'm open to any and all suggestions! I genuinely appreciate y'all taking time to share your wisdom. I'm so glad I found this site.

 

[MSGhero]

You might need to wire a little movement into the trunk while its still pliable, maybe wont be able to bend it next season.

I agree with this. I practiced wiring in May, and that same section is no longer pliable now. I'm all-indoors as well

 

[BJC]

I agree with this. I practiced wiring in May, and that same section is no longer pliable now. I'm all-indoors as well

Any suggestions on what type of bend or curve I should try? It already has a slight bend from natural growth and I've attached a picture. The trunk is just about 1/2 inch now and is already starting to not be pliable. Thank you for all the advice!

 

[MSGhero]

Any suggestions on what type of bend or curve I should try? It already has a slight bend from natural growth and I've attached a picture. The trunk is just about 1/2 inch now and is already starting to not be pliable. Thank you for all the advice!

Oh don't ask me if you want it to look good. Mine was about 16" tall with no branching, so I began a mostly horizontal curve with the top 3-4". Idk what to do next, maybe make a full 180 then back down a bit?

If it ever branches, that could change the plan.

 

[crab apple]

Anything but an "S". The bottom 5 or 10 inches is probably all that will mater. After several years of fatting up the trunk you will likely chop it off down low somewhere and it usually will back bud from there. Then you'll start all over from that cut.