Asawa Ko's Guava

[grouper52]

Well, having moved to the tropics - to my wife's homeland of the Philippines - to retire, I thought I'd be posting any new trees I got in the "Tropical Forum." This was especially the case since my gnarly tastes in bonsai tend away from any interest in flowering or fruiting bonsai, which are, of course, plentiful here in the tropics. Well, I failed to factor my wife into that equation, and she does really "do" bonsai, but has in the past gotten flowering trees and insisted I care for them. And now, here, she starts off with a flowering tree: a huge yardadori guava. "Asawa," BTW, means "wife", and "Ko" means "my." Hence the title of the post.

Well, enough back-story: here are some horrible initial photos. Horrible, because, 1) it's huge and entirely unpruned since it was just re-potted into a reasonable size pot, and we thought best to wait on pruning for awhile, 2) It sits on the very narrow 5th floor lanai that serves as my bonsai work area at the apartment where we are temporarily staying while our house is being built, and 3) all my good cameras are in storage, and I'm using Asawa Ko's cell phone.

The tree sits a meter tall above the soil, has a gorgeous and interesting trunk, and beautiful mottled/patchwork bark. Leaves are large, but perhaps they'll reduce some with time. We're assured that this will produce edible guavas in time. I'll post updates as it progresses - my very first fruiting bonsai!

 

[quietobserver]

Cool bark and deadwood. Reminds me a little of a Chinese quince. Very cool.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Aa always...love reading your posts. You just draw in the reader...you can't help it.

What a scrumptious beast! Gnarly trunk...exfoliating bark...even if leaves don't reduce a lot...I wonder if just a later defoliation could help it...like one does with sea grape.

 

[grouper52]

Aa always...love reading your posts. You just draw in the reader...you can't help it.

What a scrumptious beast! Gnarly trunk...exfoliating bark...even if leaves don't reduce a lot...I wonder if just a later defoliation could help it...like one does with sea grape.

Thanks for your kind words about the writing, Judy. And you're right: I seem incapable of not trying to draw the reader in . . .

But you've drawn me in with the suggestion of a "later defoliation ... like one does with [something called] sea grape." Can you say more about this technique - which I may be familar with, but not with the "sea grape"? Thanks.

Will

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks for your kind words about the writing, Judy. And you're right: I seem incapable of not trying to draw the reader in . . .

But you've drawn me in with the suggestion of a "later defoliation ... like one does with [something called] sea grape." Can you say more about this technique - which I may be familar with, but not with the "sea grape"? Thanks.

Will

It's Darlene...but that's okay names run together here. My friend Barb...has an amazing Sea grape...known for large leaves...but defoliates to keep it in check. It's at Epcot right now...let me ask her how often she does it. Being a tropical...I think they can handle such treatment far easier. But that is just my gerbil spinning on its wheel theory.
My friend Barb Hieser's Sea Grape


This photo gives the visual of the size of the trunk...setting up at Epcot.

 

[grouper52]

So, so sorry to get your real name wrong! I know your name well, and I have no idea why I made such a mistake, Darlene. Humble apologies.

I've used repeated defoliations at various intervals to reduce foliage on other trees occasionally over the years, but this being "Asawa Ko's" tree, and one I'm unfamiliar with, I will likely tread very cautiously, given the enormous amount of health and happiness at stake ...

 

[Cadillactaste]

So, so sorry to get your real name wrong! I know your name well, and I have no idea why I made such a mistake, Darlene. Humble apologies.

I've used repeated defoliations at various intervals to reduce foliage on other trees occasionally over the years, but this being "Asawa Ko's" tree, and one I'm unfamiliar with, I will likely tread very cautiously, given the enormous amount of health and happiness at stake ...

No worries...but here is an article on defoliation of the species...trying to decide if it effected fruit. So ones have defoliated it before...and even looks like a study was done of it.

http://www.pakbs.org/pjbot/PDFs/45(2)/32.pdf

 

[Cadillactaste]

But I can see why you would treat this one with kid gloves. ?

 

[milehigh_7]

FWIW, it looks like Strawberry Guava, (Psidium cattleyanum)

If so I would use caution with defoliation. I tried it on 2 and killed both. Maybe go for a partial.

 

[Wilson]

Amazing trunk, and bark! I am sure your new collection of tropicals will amaze you with their growth.

 

[grouper52]

It's Darlene...but that's okay names run together here. My friend Barb...has an amazing Sea grape...known for large leaves...but defoliates to keep it in check. It's at Epcot right now...let me ask her how often she does it. Being a tropical...I think they can handle such treatment far easier. But that is just my gerbil spinning on its wheel theory.
My friend Barb Hieser's Sea Grape
View attachment 186425

This photo gives the visual of the size of the trunk...setting up at Epcot.
View attachment 186426

Without fiber optic cable here in our current P.I. digs, it takes photos large fractions of a hour to load - I didn't wait for those two images to make it, so didn't see them until just now .... WOW! Quite the tree!

 

[grouper52]

It's Darlene...but that's okay names run together here. My friend Barb...has an amazing Sea grape...known for large leaves...but defoliates to keep it in check. It's at Epcot right now...let me ask her how often she does it. Being a tropical...I think they can handle such treatment far easier. But that is just my gerbil spinning on its wheel theory.
My friend Barb Hieser's Sea Grape
View attachment 186425

This photo gives the visual of the size of the trunk...setting up at Epcot.
View attachment 186426

Without fiber optic cable here in our current P.I. digs, it takes photos large fractions of a hour to load - I didn't wait for those two images to make it, so didn't see them until just now .... WOW! Quite the tree!

 

[Cadillactaste]

FWIW, it looks like Strawberry Guava, (Psidium cattleyanum)

If so I would use caution with defoliation. I tried it on 2 and killed both. Maybe go for a partial.

You have a point!!! My friend uses this book... it states to defoliate sea grape...but not the guava!!! This is from Tropical Green Sheets by Martha Goff.

 

[grouper52]

FWIW, it looks like Strawberry Guava, (Psidium cattleyanum)

If so I would use caution with defoliation. I tried it on 2 and killed both. Maybe go for a partial.

Good cautionary note, Clyde - frankly, I'd really rather not risk the wrath of Asawa Ko if I can help it, (having been there before ... many times ... )

 

[grouper52]

Amazing trunk, and bark! I am sure your new collection of tropicals will amaze you with their growth.

Thanks, Wilson. Having never lived in the tropics before, I'm hoping that's the case!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Side notes for Sea Grape which leaves are the size of a dinner plate. Same book...interesting how such large leaves...the species can be used for bonsai.

 

[milehigh_7]

You have a point!!! My friend uses this book... it states to defoliate sea grape...but not the guava!!! This is from Tropical Green Sheets by Martha Goff

I had never seen this book but it is exactly on point with what I have learned about pineapple and strawberry guava over the past 2 years with the exception of pests. Every piece of information I have found is that there are no known pests that attack strawberry guava which is why it is so invasive. However I have witnessed that they do tend to attract fungus gnats which weaken them significantly.

 

[LanceMac10]

https://bonsainut.com/threads/strawberry-guava-will-it-live.29347/

@c54fun is developing one......interesting bark.

https://bonsainut.com/threads/my-strawberry-guava-tree.24567/