Brazilian Rain Trees in the Canadian Prairies...

[Random User]

... so after a conversation with another member a couple of days ago, I asked a large garden supplier in Manitoba about the supply chain regarding a BRT for bonsai.

He had never heard of them before (not surprisingly), but he said that all of the suppliers get together once or twice a year to order in a truck load of specialty items, like pre-bonsai, bonsai materials like pots, etc.

He said that everything was sourced or bought from Vancouver and then divided when it hit a large centre; something like Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg...

He also said that on the odd occasion they will source stuff from California, and the supplier is totally responsible for getting it through Customs so they don't have to.

Obviously, if I ordered something through him, I'd have to take what I got... and what I got might not be at all suitable for bonsai.

So, for anyone in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba who might have been wondering how this system works, I'm pretty sure that he was giving me the straight goods with that bit of info.

 

[Random User]

I thought I'd follow up on this thread in case anyone tripped over it in the future.

I did manage to find a number of BRTs in a large garden centre in Regina just before Christmas.

I have them under full spectrum lighting along with a bougainvillea, heated from under a shelf with a space heater, inside a light cabinet... this is only a temporary set up until the day/night cycle gets more balanced toward the day side.

They were about the thickness of an ordinary HB pencil when I got them, promptly repotted (without much root disturbance) into Gaia Green Living Soil blend and added mycorrhizae to the root ball before transplanting.

I gave them the first trimming today to prevent the canopy from shading out lower back-budding that I want to encourage. (When I got them home, they were sparse to say the least, so to be trimming this soon speaks to their vigor.)

I also air layered one that has a funky rootball, but has a nice top... otherwise I would have just cut the top off and kept the bottom. Just short of 5 weeks as an airliner with sphagnum moss in loose clear plastic and there was 3 longish (20-30mm) healthy looking roots showing, so I cut the airliner off and planted it. I will keep it under clear plastic for a week before hardening it off again by cutting holes in the bag.

All that to say, IF you've ever wondered about these trees in the Prairies, and IF you ever run across one in your travels, definitely buy it.

They are by far the most interesting and toughest tropical that I have ever seen and grow quickly when happy.

 

[Handsome John]

Ive noticed over here too that they're becoming more common along with other usually uncommon plants used for bonsai. Maybe bonsai is getting more popular in Canada these days so its worth bringing it in since they'll sell or people are really into strange tropicals haha either way it is a good sign. When did you do the airlayer? cause Ive tried doing some airlayers on tropicals in march before they went outside and no luck getting a jumpstart on them.

 

[Anthony]

Sub-Tropical, much more resistant to cold

 

[Random User]

The one I air-layered was bought on January 7th-ish (I think). After being in the house for a few days (and showing signs of the same vitality as 2 that I bought just before Christmas from the same nursery) I decided to take a risk and air-layer it... I removed the air-layer on the day I last posted (Feb 3rd)... so at the very best it was in spag and plastic wrap for barely a month. (I guess I did say that it was 5 weeks (as an air-layer) in the post above.)

However, it has stalled since the separation but I tend to think it is rooting and not actively growing on the top... I have no doubt that it will survive.

It has a great supply of nutrients and a 12/12 light cycle. Using lake water with a ph of 5.5-6.5.

If you see one you kinda like John, you should buy it... I am really impressed with them.

 

[Random User]

Anthony, this morning it was -31C (without the wind chill) outside. It might get to "sub-tropical" temps (in Saskatchewan) in mid-July to the end of the first week or two of August... these BRTs will never see the outdoors.