Carl:
Thank you for the reply. I also found this information:
http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/serissa.html
Being new to bonsai, I'm hesitant to prune anything, but I realize that
I'll have to learn this eventually.
Here's the recommendation of the page I just cited:
"Pruning and wiring: When in bloom, remove fading flowers to encourage
further flower production. Prune as needed; the Serissa is a fast grower
and may need radical or repeated pruning to maintain its shape. Will bud
back on old wood; in fact, some books recommend occasionally pruning
back beyond old growth to help the plant maintain its shape. Wire during
the growing period. Serissa will grow air roots and is often used in
exposed root or root over rock styles. Eliminate unwanted suckers
extending from the base. Suitable for all styles except formal upright
and broom. Suitable for extra small to medium sizes."
I'm eventually looking for bonsai that will hold up in a high school
classroom environment. I teach a World Religions class, and some hearty
indoor plants would be very nice. I want to care for them properly. In
the classroom the temperature can drop to th 50s at night during the
winter. I've read that some books recommend placing bonsai on heating
pads, water bed heating pads, etc.
Thanks again.
GK
Carl Rosner wrote:
GK:
This is a tough little tree. In fact I just dug one up that I planted seven years ago, and it is doing well. It has been out doors in zone 6/7 for the seven years.
I treat it as any other tree, other than the fact it does like to be in cooler areas. Hopefully it is in very loose soil. Water only when it is almost dry.
I apologize for the fact the following is in large Caps:
SERISSA foetida KYOTO
CULTIVATION
SITE IN FULL SUN. WARM LOCATION, MINIMUM TEMPERATURE 54 DEGREES. PROTECT FROM COLD AIR.
WATER DAILY DURING GROWING SEASON, MISTSPRAY TO MAINTAIN HIGH HUMIDITY, EXCEPT WHEN IN FLOWER AS DAMPNESS DISCOLORS PETALS. KEEP SOIL RELATIVELY DRY IN WINTER WHEN DAYLIGHT HOURS ARE SHORT. THE PLANT DISLIKES A SUDDEN CHANGE IN LIGHTING (MANY DIE FROM LACK OF LIGHT WHEN BROUGHT INDOORS. AND INDIVIDUAL TREES MAY SHOW DIFFERENT HARDINESS (A SERISSA GROWN INDOORS FROM YOUTH WILL WITHSTAND A GREATER VARIATION IN TEMPERATURE THAN A SERISSA PURCHASED FROM A GREENHOUSE) IF BROUGHT INDOORS, DO NOT PLACE NEAR A HEAT SOURCE OR IT WILL LOSE ITS LEAVES.
FERTILIZE EVERY TWO WEEKS DURING GROWING SEASON, FOUR TO SIX WEEKS IN WINTER. (20-20-20). LIKES SLIGHTLY ACID SOIL CONDITIONS. THE OCCASIONAL ADDITION OF MIRACID IS APPRECIATED.
REPOT EVERY SECOND TO THIRD YEAR IN EARLY SPRING, USE BASIC BONSAI MIX. THE NEWLY PRUNED ROOTS WILL EMIT A WRETCHED ODOR. PRUNE MODERATELY.
TRIM NEW SHOOTS TO ONE OR TWO PAIR OF LEAVES AFTER REPOTTING.
TAKE SOFTWOOD CUTTINGS; THEY ROOT EASILY IN SPRING OR SUMMER.
TRY FOUR INCH CUTTINGS IN A GLASS OF WATER THE MASSES OF WHITE, STAR-LIKE FLOWERS, WHICH BLOOM IN SUMMER, GIVE THIS EVERGREEN SHRUB ITS COMMON NAME “TREE OF A THOUSAND STARS” OR A “SNOW ROSE”, WHILE THE UNPLEASANT ODOR OF ITS ROOTS AND BARK AMPLY JUSTIFY ITS BOTANICAL NAME OF Serissa foetida. NATIVE TO SUB-TROPICAL AREA OF INDIA, CHINA AND JAPAN, THE PLANT CAN BE GROWN AS AN INDOOR BONSAI IN TEMPERATE AREAS OF THE WORLD. IT PRODUCES SMALL , SMOOTH GREEN LEAVES, AND THE WHITE FLOWERS CAN BE EITHER SINGLE OR DOUBLE. THERE IS A FORM WITH PURPLE FLOWERS, AS WELL AS ONE WITH VARIEGATED LEAVES.
RED SPIDER MITES, SCALE, WOOLY APHIDS ARE NOT AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM AS A SUDDEN CHANGE OF LIGHT OR TEMPERATURE
Carl L. Rosner
GK wrote:
I was at a garden shop in Pittsburgh, and they had a section called
"Pre-Bonsai." Pre-Bonsai at this shop is basically some small junipers,
some trained well, and some plants in from bonsai shops that looked
pretty good.
I bought a Variegated Serissa, Serissa foetida 'variegata', and it looks
like a perfect little tree.
The tag in the dirt says it came originally from New England Bonsai
Gardens, http://www.nebonsai.com.
Does anyone know this plant? Any tips on growing it? Right now it's
showing a few little white flowers.
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Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
www.carlrosner.com
http://www.yessy.com/arteacher3725
http://rosner.becanz.net
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++