What is (are) your dreamed tropical bonsai?

[penumbra]

I don’t have one, but I keep admiring the Vietnamese Blue Bells that I see on the Wigert’s website.

I have several in training that were purchased from Wigerts. They are incredibly flexible. You can literally tie them in knots. They do well inside under lights in winter.
The spines are vicious and very long. Long and sharp is enough to deal with but they are long to the point of distraction.

 

[LanceMac10]

Hoping to make a BRT forest if that is possible .

...scroll down a bit....

The Florida Bonsai Magazine: February 2018

From the desk of the PresidentBy Ronn Miller Hi all, I would like to give you a quick update on the status of this year’s convention. It is looking like it will be one of the best times had for all…

thefloridabonsaimagazine.com

 

[dbonsaiw]

Desert Rose.

Banyon - really anything with aerial roots.

 

[hemmy]

Pemphis acidula, small leaves, amazing deadwood. A dream only because this mangrove-type tree is native half the world away and to collect one is to take it from a sensitive coastal habitat.

Circles, Semi Circles and Waves

I'm not sure if it's his doing or the natural look of collected Pemphis acidula (most likely a bit of both), but Gede Merta's bonsai, especially his Pemphis, have a distinctive look that's easy to identify

stonelantern.com

The Premna microphylla are pretty cool also, Wigert’s has them.

 

[Katie0317]

Nice! You nailed it Hawaiian palm trees. Not sure of your Enchanted Mitten destination, but we have a lot more to offer than most realize. We have about 12,000 inland lakes, 300 waterfalls, 38 deep-water ports, and more miles of coastline than any state but Alaska, and more lighthouses than any other U.S. state. We also have tourist-friendly fare such as cherries, blueberries, peaches, apples, wine, Vernors & BetterMade Potato chips. lol I love MI!


Going back here at the end of August. View attachment 447624

Beautiful! That's what I mean about being from there. You know all its secrets. Am going to be in Detroit for two weeks and have been once before but didn't find any blueberries or waterfalls. I'm from Fl so don't like snow so that's a deal breaker for me. I don't think it will be snowing when I'll be there but we'll try to find something wonderful. I want to like it!

 

[Badge30]

...scroll down a bit....

The Florida Bonsai Magazine: February 2018

From the desk of the PresidentBy Ronn Miller Hi all, I would like to give you a quick update on the status of this year’s convention. It is looking like it will be one of the best times had for all…

thefloridabonsaimagazine.com

Thank you. Inspiring me to give it a go.

 

[BonScience]

Banyan! More aerial roots!

Pemphis acidula, small leaves, amazing deadwood. A dream only because this mangrove-type tree is native half the world away and to collect one is to take it from a sensitive coastal habitat.

Circles, Semi Circles and Waves

I'm not sure if it's his doing or the natural look of collected Pemphis acidula (most likely a bit of both), but Gede Merta's bonsai, especially his Pemphis, have a distinctive look that's easy to identify

stonelantern.com

The Premna microphylla are pretty cool also, Wigert’s has them.

Those look outstanding! I guess that's the dream for me because it doesn't seem like it'll be feasible to get one ethically. Deadwood on a tropical like that looks amazing!

 

[Cajunrider]

I happen to have a climate that let me grow almost any kind of species. So far I have conifers, maples, decidious, and tropicals (ficus, fukien, bougies, jade, tamarind...).

In the last times I've developed some taste for tropicals (flower and fruit). So I'm tryind to decide wich new species I'm gonna atempt. I only have some preconditions....they must be sold in my island nurseries. Here, there are a good bunch of tropicals for sale, but always as little saplings. I know it will take time, so I want to stick to only 5 to 10 projects.

There is not much information about beautiful, flower and fruit, tropicals that naturally lead to great bonsai....

So, wich would be those that stand out as better tropical projects?...so far I know I will try Ixora and Carissa

Ixora, Water jasmine, Vietnamese Bluebell are my favorite tropical flowering trees that make good bonsai.
Tamarind, Carambola, Jujube are my favorite tropical fruiting trees that make good bonsai.

 

[Peter.Constantine325]

I live in an apartment with no windows that get any direct sun. So to practice the art of bonsai gardening, I bought a grow tent. My dream would be to have my own house, with two attached high quality greenhouses. One for temperate bonsai, the other for tropical bonsai. And for tropical bonsai, in the spirit of Pokémon, I’d love to collect them all! Especially the different varieties of ficus. But I really love the flowering trees too.

 

[cockroach]

Number one easiest tree to grow is premna microphylla. Can be used from mame to large show stopping trees.
Ficus as always a winner all round.
But strangely, no one has mentioned Brazilian Grape Tree, jabuticaba, Plinia cauliflora. They apical dominant but make a really nice tree if given the proper care.
Lantana also make sweet bonsai. Although they are considered highly invasive in certain areas.
Hibiscus make some stunning bonsai as do Chinese hackberry, Celtis sinensis.

 

[badatusernames]

My all-around favorite tropical is probably Brazilian Raintree, though I also happen to have a soft spot in my heart for citrus - kumquat and calamondin specifically.

View attachment 447564


Trust me... you aren't missing anything. These were all over in landscape in Southern California. Last tree to bud out in the spring, first tree to drop leaves in the fall. Leggy, weak, spindly growth. Large compound leaves that make for almost impossible bonsai development. For two weeks out of the year they are amazingly beautiful... and then they go back to being a PITA.

I was a member of our HOA landscaping committee, and we were busy swapping them out whenever possible.

I like how everyone is rushing to buy kumquat because it’s “rare” right now

Based on what I saw at Bill V’s nursery they aren’t rare any longer. I got a couple from him this year and they’re fun to grow, I have a fruit! They’ll be in dirt inside with good light this winter.

I suspect it’s not these that are rare, more the one you posted. Let’s grow them so we get more of those! Just, don’t feel like there’s a rush.

The roots get very cool and thick for neagari quickly, too.

 

[hardtimes]

Desmodium- Vietnamese Blue Bell, and Dwarf Black olive

 

[Faisal Ahmad]

I happen to have a climate that let me grow almost any kind of species. So far I have conifers, maples, decidious, and tropicals (ficus, fukien, bougies, jade, tamarind...).

In the last times I've developed some taste for tropicals (flower and fruit). So I'm tryind to decide wich new species I'm gonna atempt. I only have some preconditions....they must be sold in my island nurseries. Here, there are a good bunch of tropicals for sale, but always as little saplings. I know it will take time, so I want to stick to only 5 to 10 projects.

There is not much information about beautiful, flower and fruit, tropicals that naturally lead to great bonsai....

So, wich would be those that stand out as better tropical projects?...so far I know I will try Ixora and Carissa

Ixora will be good, i had red (in my PP). and pink

 

[andrewiles]

Dwarf hardy banana. I've reduced the size of the leaves on mine to only 4 feet.