Tropical bonsai
- Thread starter Ian_P
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Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I've often wondered if this was a factor. I don't typically see a lot of leaf drop when I bring them in and I have often wondered if it's because I leave them out and let them get a little exposure to cooler temperatures. I do typically bring them in when we start getting lows of 50 or below at night consistently.
My theory is since they come back into warmer temperatures when I move them inside, they don't freak and drop their leaves.
It's speculation on my part, who knows.
Tums
Shohin
The night temperatures for the two-week forecast here continue to hold in the 50s and upper 40s, so I'm getting a break. Usually this is around the time that I bring them in.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Don't just go by temperature. Frost is the biggest danger. On a clear night in 40's you can have frost, and that will kill your tropical. I have had my poinciana, tamarind, rainbow eucalyptus outside all the way to 34 deg F without issue because the sky is cloudy. On the flip side, I have lost some tamarind trees when temperature was in the 40's because the night was clear and there was frost on the leaves the next morning. Soon after that, the trees died.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
This is why I bring mine in when we start getting to 50
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Yep. If there is a chance for frost, take them inside to be sure. I myself sometimes push my trees a little too hard due to laziness more than anything else.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Yea I only have about 8 tropicals so doesn't take much time or effort to bring then in. Takes more time to clean the trays and area in prep than to actually bring them in.
Tums
Shohin
Yes, now I understand why everyone in my club has been thinning out their tropical trees... Too easy to feel like a gardening god during the summer before having to get everyone along through winter.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I keep the number of tropicals I have small because I simply don't have the space for more during the winter
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Last night was the first night I brought the BRT and willow leaf ficuses into the garage. Think it got down to somewhere between 40-45. I have other ficuses (microcarpa types and tiger bark) that I leave out until temps start dropping below 40. I keep them out as long as possible in the fall to take advantage of the sun, will just be doing the 2-step with tropicals for a while. It's a long dark winter up here...
namnhi
Masterpiece
Still to damn hot here!
RJG2
Omono
By "for now," I meant until you move north
That's what I was thinking. We aren't at frosts just yet here, but why risk it for a few extra weeks outside?
MaciekA
Shohin
I have an Ohi'a Lehua (metrosideros polymorpha, Hawaii-native at all elevations) that I keep outdoors as long as it is warmer than about 28.4F / -2C. The U of Hawaii has lab-tested metrosideros for frost tolerance and around 21.2F / -6C to 17.6F / -8C are survivable without damage depending on various factors.
The Pacific Bonsai Museum (a couple hours north of me) also has an Ohi'a Lehua tree, and they shelter it in a large greenhouse when it goes below 50F / 10C. With El Nino winters coming up, there's a chance of very mild winters. I've seen Ohi'a at high elevations in Hawaii, and frost is definitely a possibility up there, especially over evolutionary time scales. If it gets cold enough, it goes in the garage. I suspect it is important that frosts be brief.
If you have a mild winter, it's worth checking Google Scholar for your species' frost tolerance literature.
The Pacific Bonsai Museum (a couple hours north of me) also has an Ohi'a Lehua tree, and they shelter it in a large greenhouse when it goes below 50F / 10C. With El Nino winters coming up, there's a chance of very mild winters. I've seen Ohi'a at high elevations in Hawaii, and frost is definitely a possibility up there, especially over evolutionary time scales. If it gets cold enough, it goes in the garage. I suspect it is important that frosts be brief.
If you have a mild winter, it's worth checking Google Scholar for your species' frost tolerance literature.
The last couple of years I've let them see cooler temperatures and they do seem to adjust better to being inside.
Millard B.
Yamadori
MaciekA , I would like to pick your brain about the Hawaiian plant Ohia Lehua- Metrosideros polymorpha. Did you have it mail ordered? From whom, ph#. My good friend of 40+ years visited me and had a couple airlayers sent ahead of him also a Hawaiian native-it also Pukiawe aka Styphelia tameiameiae- it grows from sea level to 10,000 feet, has a very rough twisted bark similar to culinary Rosemary and has similar shaped leaves about double the length of a grain of rice. He put on a few more airlayers in case the first ones failed- they failed after about 3 months. My friend caught Covid on the ride back home and died soon after. Somewhere on Ohau there are several airlayers if the fires didn't destroy them. I have called 5 or 6 nurseries to no avail. I'm trying to locate a source, maybe it could be grown in Oregon. My girlfried and I flew to Bennd Oregon in 2019 to buy and 3500 Dodge and Lance camper, we stayed the first night at Crater Lake South Entrance,11F, Oregon Cold, took 19 days to drive home to southern Palm Beach County zone 10a, What a Beautiful Country We Have!!!
Thanks in Advance,
Mill
Thanks in Advance,
Mill
Kievnstavick
Chumono
I brought mine in earlier this week sadly. My night yine lows were in the low 40s. I only have 2 days this week getting to mid 50s for the nightly low.
I figured I had a least another month, but the cold arrived early this year for me.
I figured I had a least another month, but the cold arrived early this year for me.
We've had mid 40s and a 43 one morning but not yet. I don't like these sissy trees anyway... still out but will start prepping their space and move to front porch. Sunny and concrete. Also next to their room for easy 2 stepping.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
In my experience, tropical trees can adjust to cooler temperatures. The only thing they absolutely cannot adjust is freezing. By genetics, the concentration of solutes in the fluid of their cells does not lower the freezing point much at all so freezing easily occurs and burst their cells. This kind of adjustment takes evolution over many many years. We don't live long enough to see that happen.
I'll get mine in before then. It seems like the years that I've brought them in right when low's hit 50, we'd get another week or too of warm weather and I was too lazy to haul them all back out again.
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