Hello.

My local nursery has a garden sale this weekend, and one of the interesting
things bonsai-wise was some Olive trees they had.

They are not trained as bonsai, but they were not expencive, so I was
wondering whether I might buy one and train it. The plants were about 20
inches tall, with a trunk dia. of about 1 - 1,5 inches. There were not many
branches low on the trunk, all the branches seem to come out around halfway
up the tree height, where the trunk parts in a fork. These branches then
extends upwards. There is no drastic taper, and the foiliage seem to be at
the end of all the branches. They are probably shoots that have come from
the trunk.

I know it's not very good described, but does it sound like something worth
buying ? Could it be possible to turn this into a respectable tree in the
not to distant future ?

I have read the Olea does not develop new branches easily, so my concern is
that if I am to prune this plant, it will be a bit hard, since all the
foiliage is at the end (halfway out) of the branches. To reduce the height
of the tree I need to get new growth closer to the trunk...

Any help would be appreciated : ) Links to Olea Europeae pictures would help
me to get the impression of what styling might be possible and how that
could be applied to the ones on sale.

Best Regards & Happy Easter
Eirik Kjølsrud
Hamar, Norway

Hi, and thanks for your reply to my post.

When you say "as low as possible", what do you mean by that ? Does one have
to leave branches with leaves below the trunk chop ?
Also, where you in a position to put the olives outside after trunk chopping
them ? Allthough it is supposed to be spring here, it snowed yesterday, so
to be on the safeside frostwise, it's to early to put the trees outside. If
I decide to buy, should I wait with the trunkchop until the tree can be put
outside, or will it manage fine inside ?

Best Regards
Eirik Kjølsrud, Norway

----- Original Message -----
From: "camry"
To: "Eirik Kjølsrud"
Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2003 11:56 AM
Subject: Should I buy an Olea Europaea ?


Hello,
I have bought a few olives and have cut the trunk as low as is possible. I
have obtained numerous shoots on every plant.
Regards,
Victor
Australia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eirik Kjølsrud"
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bonsai
Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2003 1:35 AM
Subject: Should I buy an Olea Europaea ?


Hello.

My local nursery has a garden sale this weekend, and one of the
interesting
things bonsai-wise was some Olive trees they had.

They are not trained as bonsai, but they were not expencive, so I was
wondering whether I might buy one and train it. The plants were about 20
inches tall, with a trunk dia. of about 1 - 1,5 inches. There were not
many
branches low on the trunk, all the branches seem to come out around
halfway
up the tree height, where the trunk parts in a fork. These branches then
extends upwards. There is no drastic taper, and the foiliage seem to be
at
the end of all the branches. They are probably shoots that have come
from
the trunk.

I know it's not very good described, but does it sound like something
worth
buying ? Could it be possible to turn this into a respectable tree in
the
not to distant future ?

I have read the Olea does not develop new branches easily, so my concern
is
that if I am to prune this plant, it will be a bit hard, since all the
foiliage is at the end (halfway out) of the branches. To reduce the
height
of the tree I need to get new growth closer to the trunk...

Any help would be appreciated : ) Links to Olea Europeae pictures would
help
me to get the impression of what styling might be possible and how that
could be applied to the ones on sale.

Best Regards & Happy Easter
Eirik Kjølsrud
Hamar, Norway