Spirea Japonica “magic carpet”

[JudyB]

Hey @JudyB id love your opinion on how you approach pot choices for your shohin trees. How would you handle a pot choice for a tree like the above one pictured? I know azaleas sometimes go in to unglazed pots, but I also know shohin trees are where you can be a bit more bold with pot choices and colors.

I would definitely look for something glazed and bold for this tree, even a nice two color painted pot would work well. A painted pot needs a bit of a complex tree to stand up to it. This tree has that going for it. I’d choose a oval blue and white painted pot with simple design.

 

[Hartinez]

I would definitely look for something glazed and bold for this tree, even a nice two color painted pot would work well. A painted pot needs a bit of a complex tree to stand up to it. This tree has that going for it. I’d choose a oval blue and white painted pot with simple design.

Judy B! Coming through with the great advice! Thank you very much. I will def look for that combo and see if I can’t come up with a nice one.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The shape was the main thing. The feet are more subdued. The lip is more pronounced, and the small flat band just above the feet, are features I like. The Terra Cotta above it lacks a lip. It has a band, but it's not pronounced enough to be a lip.

And the color is in the white and blue pallet, which is what I think is needed to contrast with the pink flowers. Color could go from subdued, as in this one to fairly bold even a solid bright blue glaze could work.

I like Judy's color and pattern suggestions. But if that 3rd pot is in your collection, it is a good option for a couple years until you find a pot as Judy described.

 

[Hartinez]

The shape was the main thing. The feet are more subdued. The lip is more pronounced, and the small flat band just above the feet, are features I like. The Terra Cotta above it lacks a lip. It has a band, but it's not pronounced enough to be a lip.

And the color is in the white and blue pallet, which is what I think is needed to contrast with the pink flowers. Color could go from subdued, as in this one to fairly bold even a solid bright blue glaze could work.

I like Judy's color and pattern suggestions. But if that 3rd pot is in your collection, it is a good option for a couple years until you find a pot as Judy described.

Unfortunately the pot is not in my collection. But an unglazed round in similar style and dimensions can be found pretty easily. I also like Judy’s idea, but I’m worried about excessive dieback on this tree and don’t want to buy a highly unique pot only to have the tree under perform or die. I’ve been reading from multiple people that their spirea has experienced pretty significant dieback each year. Before I commit to a truly original pot, I’d like to see how this tree handles a few more seasons of bonsai life in a less expensive pot.

 

[Colorado]

Unfortunately the pot is not in my collection. But an unglazed round in similar style and dimensions can be found pretty easily. I also like Judy’s idea, but I’m worried about excessive dieback on this tree and don’t want to buy a highly unique pot only to have the tree under perform or die. I’ve been reading from multiple people that their spirea has experienced pretty significant dieback each year. Before I commit to a truly original pot, I’d like to see how this tree handles a few more seasons of bonsai life in a less expensive pot.

I have three spirea japonica ‘neon flash’ that I dug out of the garden at our house when we moved in. Last fall I pruned one of them back pretty hard, and the other two I left alone. The fall pruning resulted in extremely extensive dieback which almost killed that one. The two that were left alone still had some die back after being left outdoors all winter in Denver climate, but not nearly as severe. If I were trying to develop any fine ramification, I would definitely protect.

 

[Hartinez]

The flowers on this one faded a few weeks ago so I went ahead and did a heavy cutback. It has really begun to flush nicely again. I removed a problematic bar branch to improve the long term structure.

 

[Hartinez]

About fully flushed again.

 

[PiñonJ]

This tree definitely deserves a glazed pot. To help with color selection, I refer to this color wheel at canva.com

When dealing with multiple colors, I like to use the triadic option. Here’s the result for the foliage and flower colors:


If you use the complementary function, here’s a similar result just putting in the trunk color:


Here’s the triadic when skewed more towards new and established foliage color:


If you choose complementary using established foliage color, it comes out more purple:


I agree with @JudyB, glazed and bold for this tree.

 

[Hartinez]

This tree definitely deserves a glazed pot. To help with color selection, I refer to this color wheel at canva.com

When dealing with multiple colors, I like to use the triadic option. Here’s the result for the foliage and flower colors:
View attachment 389313

If you use the complementary function, here’s a similar result just putting in the trunk color:
View attachment 389315

Here’s the triadic when skewed more towards new and established foliage color:
View attachment 389319

If you choose complementary using established foliage color, it comes out more purple:
View attachment 389318

I agree with @JudyB, glazed and bold for this tree.

Yeah I think a blue and white glazed would be really great. Maybe that on a dark bodied clay. I thought purple also, but I’m not sold on that idea just yet. Helpful images though thanks Renny!

 

[Carol 83]

I thought purple also,

Always a good choice!

 

[LanceMac10]

Blue And White Glazed Shohin Size Tokoname Bonsai Tree Pot Koyo 4 7/8” | eBay

<p>Hello,</p><p>This Pot is made by Koyo, a long time Tokoname based potter.</p><p>He's known for great Glazes and this one is no exception.</p><p>I have a lot of Koyo pots, please take a look at this one and then the others.</p><p>Thanks,</p><p>Matt Ouwinga</p><p>kaedebonsai.com</p><p>Pot size...

www.ebay.com

Probably too small/shallow, but the glaze looks nice.

 

[Hartinez]

I have completely allowed this one to grow untouched. I want as many shoots to fully harden off with anticipation of some dieback. Though I’m thinking that if i give the tree a chance to lignify fully before dormancy that i will not get dieback like others have reported with theirs. Well see.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Mature, lignified branches definitely have a better chance of surviving cold winters.

 

[Hartinez]

Mature, lignified branches definitely have a better chance of surviving cold winters.

It’s something I think I have not been great about and something I feel I see too often. I/we all want our trees looking good and in shape all the time but too often they are cut back when they shouldnt be and the winter does a number on them. Ive got a number of deciduous at the moment that are shaggy and out of shape but will hopefully experience a strong resistance to winter colds.

 

[Bu-Jetjet]

Amazing specimen! Definitely an eye-catcher

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

It’s something I think I have not been great about and something I feel I see too often. I/we all want our trees looking good and in shape all the time but too often they are cut back when they shouldnt be and the winter does a number on them. Ive got a number of deciduous at the moment that are shaggy and out of shape but will hopefully experience a strong resistance to winter colds.

I usually stop pruning most trees around July 15, which is roughly 90 days before our first frost. Though lately first frost is getting to be unpredictable. Last year, we had a hard cold freeze before Nov 1, dipping to near zero (-16 C). A year or two earlier first frost wasn't until December. So our first and last freeze dates are not as predictable as they used to be.

As a general rule, for most trees, pruning stops about 90 days before first frost.

Autumn pruning can start right about first frost, as the cold will keep trees from putting out tender new growth. Some species tolerate autumn pruning better than others. I usually don't autumn prune, I usually wait until spring, after the tree wakes up.

 

[Hartinez]

Had a bit of a scare with this guy. I had left the growth to extend after the flowers dried up and I cut back. Well, as the newest growth extended and hardened off the leaves began forming yellow spots then browning from the inside out. Which is a bad sign in my experience. I tried to just stay on top of watering properly and plenty of sun. I ended up losing all of the leaves only for the tree to begin to re flush. I will probably lose quite a bit of twinging over the winter but that’s par for the course if you ask me. It’s also got a nice yellow tinge at the moment which is a nice fall yellow.

 

[Hartinez]

Not the most attractive naked. But that never stopped me from going to the beach!!

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Dammit, now I want one, lol. Great progress, good luck through the winter

 

[Hartinez]

Dammit, now I want one, lol. Great progress, good luck through the winter

So far so good. It’ll be interesting to see how much of the twigging dies. This’ll be the first winter that I’m bringing several trees into my unheated garage. This being one of them. With all that said though, they back bud and push growth so fast and readily that I’m confident I could grow a quality silhouette and canopy every year.