Thoughts on this Flowering plum?
- Thread starter Scrogdor
- Start date
shinmai
Chumono
It looks like great material! Hard to tell about the branch stubs from the photo, but you can shape them as you see fit. I would not chop it. You’ve got the most important thing in a great plum—that massively thick trunk with that beautiful craggy bark. It looks like it’s a hundred years old.
SeanS
Omono
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shinmai
Chumono
I’ve started developing shohin sand cherry and flowering apricot. I’d give my right [fill in the blank] for material like that.
Scrogdor
Chumono
Love it
Which nursery is this from? Grove Way?
Scrogdor
Chumono
yeah it is. I never ended up grabbing it. Car got stolen so, had some extra costs in life this year. So who ever wants to bring them some business, can check in
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
They have a very short lifespan. Know that. Ripped one from our landscape as it was heading out...I also planted it. At the time was unaware of the short lifespan. Personally I wouldn't put time in one for bonsai. Just knowing of that short lifespan.
Scrogdor
Chumono
what is their life span? I feel like people pay a lot of money for them.
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
Not Ume. Prunus mume = Japanese flowering apricot
If it's the true "flowering plum", it's Prunus triloba
If it's the true "flowering plum", it's Prunus triloba
KikurageOtomo
Shohin
The complicated answer is that plants dont have the same finite lifespan that most organisms do, they are recorded not displaying senescence for thousands of years potentially. The more practical answer is that eventually certain trees will become too weak and susceptible to its various pests and diseases and will inevitably fail, which is where the rough estimation of an age range comes in. Species that are prone to dying from those causes certainly can have a shorter lifespan on the bonsai shelf, but preventative maintenance and diligence can also result in a much longer life than what would be expected.
It sounds like Plum is quite short lived in the landscaping scene at roughly 20~ years, Ume should live well over 100 if you are applying techniques to maintain vigor and potentially graft in its old age.
jandslegate
Shohin
I was going to say the same thing about the life span. I have one in the ground that is probably past it's half way marker. I've taken a few props from it and for the last few seasons considered digging it out for styling but I think I'll probably just let it do it's thing. It's a shame as they're so pretty when they flower.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
10-15 years. Once ours went into declining stage. I didn't keep it. It was crazy how quickly it went once it started to show signs. I yanked it out. It just was so sad seeing the thing full of beauty decline so quickly. I couldn't watch it die.
Flowering Purple Plum is also a short lifespan. Summer help at a nursery didn't realize it. And sold us a memorial tree for the birth of our son. I paid a landscape company to offer it treatments to slow growth down and do different things to slow the process. But it's now declining. We removed a lot of dead off it last year.
River's Edge
Masterpiece
Life is Short, might as well make the most of it. For inspiration here is some temporary enjoyment.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
What is the species/cultivar? It too has a short lifespan?
River's Edge
Masterpiece
It is regular Prunus Mume, natural white form. No specific variety or cultivar. Considered to be very disease prone and short lived compared to many other trees suitable for Bonsai. That does not stop Bonsai enthusiasts from collecting, developing and appreciating their beauty over the time it is possible to maintain them. My point was that life spans are quite relative, even our own. If a tree can live for a relatively Shortt time of fifty yers, then that is lots of time for the average human to enjoy during their live time. Particularly given most of us begin bonsai later in our own lifetimes.
Here is another beautiful short lived species for consideration. Toyo Nishiki Quince. also part of the Kokufu display. Small to Medium trees.
I would be happy to have this floral display in my garden for a few short years. Particularly at my current age.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
I can wrap my head around 50 years. I detest I'm losing my flowering purple plum...and watching my sandcherry die when it was beautiful. I want more than 10 years.
Toyo Nishiki are short lived.. really. I've a ROR and a nice neagari of them. Gifted... had no idea that the case.
