I just bought a fuchien tea tree from a big box store. How can I determine the age?
- Thread starter camjan
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Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
When it dies, cut it in half and count the rings.
Fukien teas are difficult if you don’t have good conditions.
Post a photo and we can take some guesses at age.
Fukien teas are difficult if you don’t have good conditions. Post a photo and we can take some guesses at age.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Although he says it in jest, Brian is correct.
Only way to get an accurate age is to count the rings on the trunk and to do that you'll have to cut it which will kill it.
Only way to get an accurate age is to count the rings on the trunk and to do that you'll have to cut it which will kill it.
jszg
Shohin
My Fukien Tea stopped aging soon after I bought it.
I genuinely don't understand what their cultural requirements are- if they are produced in mass volume, surely they are easy to grow, right?
I genuinely don't understand what their cultural requirements are- if they are produced in mass volume, surely they are easy to grow, right?
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
They are notoriously finicky as bonsai
Nope, not so much.
vp999
Masterpiece
If the tree is labeled as a "bonsai" you automatically add 50 years on top of every year that you own it.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Unfortunately it is not possible to estimate the age of a tree just by looking. Trees can be grown fast so a thicker trunk may be relatively young or if it has not had great conditions it can grow very slow and still be skinny when older.
Age is probably the least important factor in bonsai. Much more important is what it looks like and how old it looks.
A young tree that looks good and looks older is far better than an older tree that still looks like a stick or has no real redeeming features or character.
Age is probably the least important factor in bonsai. Much more important is what it looks like and how old it looks.
A young tree that looks good and looks older is far better than an older tree that still looks like a stick or has no real redeeming features or character.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Although it might appear to be an important thing to those just getting into bonsai, age is vastly unimportant for bonsai--unless you have a tree that exceeds 100 years or more--which is common with collected trees, not so much with nursery grown stock like your Carmona or Fukien Tea. "Real" age can alter how you care for a given tree, as older specimens may not appreciate aggressive "feeding" and root care for instance. Younger trees can be a bit more resilient.
There is no completely accurate way to judge age of a bonsai, unless as pointed out, you can actually see the growth rings inside the trunk, or have records of care for it from previous owners.
With tropical trees, counting rings really isn't accurate either, as tropical species do not experience yearly season-driven growth cycles as temperate trees species do. Tropical species mostly grow according to availability of water--monsoons, etc. They can have several growth spurts during a given year, depending on that. Nursery grown trees don't even have to rely on natural conditions.
Your tree is most likely sourced from a grower who has a greenhouse and propagates thousands of seedlings a year under steady conditions of light, watering and fertilization. It's probably a safe to estimate your tree is likely about 5-10 years old--with 10 being a bit on the higher side of possibility.
All this Doesn't make any difference, really. The bottom line question for ANY tree, is "does it LOOK old."
There is no completely accurate way to judge age of a bonsai, unless as pointed out, you can actually see the growth rings inside the trunk, or have records of care for it from previous owners.
With tropical trees, counting rings really isn't accurate either, as tropical species do not experience yearly season-driven growth cycles as temperate trees species do. Tropical species mostly grow according to availability of water--monsoons, etc. They can have several growth spurts during a given year, depending on that. Nursery grown trees don't even have to rely on natural conditions.
Your tree is most likely sourced from a grower who has a greenhouse and propagates thousands of seedlings a year under steady conditions of light, watering and fertilization. It's probably a safe to estimate your tree is likely about 5-10 years old--with 10 being a bit on the higher side of possibility.
All this Doesn't make any difference, really. The bottom line question for ANY tree, is "does it LOOK old."
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