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Bonsai Camellia Shawa Nu Sokae

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Ton_hannink  Send Ton_hannink a private message!



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Posted on Thursday, February 14, 2008 - 03:56 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I have bought a beautiful bonsai Camellia 'Shawa Nu Sokae' for only € 9.75 in buds.

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Ton_hannink The Netherlands
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Hans_jorgen_kuus  Send Hans_jorgen_kuus a private message!



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Posted on Thursday, February 14, 2008 - 11:30 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Very beautiful Ton...

Hans_jorgen_kuus - Nordborg, Zone "6 South Denmark"
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Pinkdamsel  Send Pinkdamsel a private message!




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Posted on Friday, February 15, 2008 - 07:19 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Oh Ton, I just love it! Please, keep us posted about your bonsai. Will you be keeping it outside?

Pinkdamsel - Louisiana, Zone "9a"
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Kitten101  Send Kitten101 a private message!


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Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 03:43 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

So Beautiful

Kitten101 - la, Zone "8"
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Treelover  Send Treelover a private message!




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Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 03:51 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Well, its a fine Camelia indeed but its not bonsai yet.

Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"
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Pinkdamsel  Send Pinkdamsel a private message!




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Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 04:52 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

treelover, your criteria for bonsai?

Pinkdamsel - Louisiana, Zone "9a"
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Treelover  Send Treelover a private message!




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Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 05:08 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Pinkdamsel wrote on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 04:52 pm:

treelover, your criteria for bonsai?


oh here we go....

a bonai is a woody plant that has undergone extensive training over a long period. It has a relatively thick trunk with fine graduating taper, and finely defined branching, arranged usually in layers up the tree. Only after a long period of training and /or growing in open soil should it be transferred into a suitable bonsai pot.

i.e. most plants sold as bonsai are simply trees stuck in a pot with a bit ot thinning done and a label and price tag stuck on.

Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"
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Vpal  Send Vpal a private message!


Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 10:59 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I agree with treelover
the camellia shown is a beautiful plant
but by putting it in a small pot and labelling it a bonsai only serves to increase the price tag. If the plant were to be potted in say a 10 inch pot and allowed to grow for 2 or 3 years with regular feeding and pinching
it should develop into very handsome bonsai
Right now please call it a pre bonsai material

Vpal - kerala, Zone "?"
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Stephie  Send Stephie a private message!


Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 11:21 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Bonsai is literally Japanese for "potted plant"; however, there isn't miniaturization of this plant yet so it isn't a mature bonsai..but what the hell...it's beautiful and with some care, it will live up to the real "bonsai" tradition. I have a Flying Dragon orange from seed that I am presently working on...she has naturally crooked branches so that will prove to be a blessing..I hope.

Stephie
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Treelover  Send Treelover a private message!




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Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 10:36 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Thanks for that vpal, pre bonsai, yes, or as I call them, potensai(potential bonsai)

I'm not dissing the plant, I'm just saying that many (mainly wholesalers)are too quick to label something a bonsai because its in a bonsai pot.

Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"
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Nojazz  Send Nojazz a private message!




Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 10:32 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Treelover,
I would love to know what you think Of my plant. I used it as the pic on the left. If you need a bigger pic tell me and I will try to post it. You know alot about trees and plants. What do you know about this? It is somekind of ficus. It was labeled "bonsai" at the store where I bought it. But...no treelike form. And...no layered branching. I would love your opinion.

Nojazz - Kansas, Zone "zone 6"
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Nojazz  Send Nojazz a private message!




Posted on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 10:43 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Well, I decided to post a bigger picture anyway. For the experience. It was not as hard as I thought it would be. Hope you enjoy it.
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Nojazz - Kansas, Zone "zone 6"
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Treelover  Send Treelover a private message!




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Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 08:57 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Yes it is some kind of Ficus,possibly Ficus Too Little, grown in the exposed root style of bonsai,not to my taste personally (the style not the plant) but it has its charm. How big is it? By the look of it its a few years old but ficus plant form those thick ariel roots naturally in the wild over time,so it is simply exploiting that natural tendency. I'd probably be tempted to buy it if i saw it tho cos I like Ficus.

Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"
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Nojazz  Send Nojazz a private message!




Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 01:04 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

It has a few more leaves since the picture. I measured from the top of the soil to the top of the tallest leaf. It measured about 7 inches. I agree. I really like the other forms of bonsai better. I bought the ficus because I knew I could identify the leaves easier than the other bonsai available. (They all had tiny leaves) I wanted to look it up on my computer and learn how to take care of it. One day I will tackle another one. I like the ones that look like tiny trees. But, none of the plants where I bought this one are labeled. Thanks for your input.

Nojazz - Kansas, Zone " 6"
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Fbonsailady  Send Fbonsailady a private message!



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Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 02:27 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Looks like Ficus 'Retusa' to me Angela, one good point is, it is very easy to keep, can stand a whole lot of neglect in respect of watering/not watering etc, a good one to try

Kath Zone 8b UK
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Treelover  Send Treelover a private message!




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Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 02:42 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Nojazz wrote on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 01:04 pm:

I really like the other forms of bonsai better. I bought the ficus because I knew I could identify the leaves easier than the other bonsai available. (They all had tiny leaves)



and if you want smaller leaves later on you can cut the leaves off leaving the stem attached, which will eventually drop off. Then new leaves will be forced to sprout which may be smaller(doesnt work on all species)

Should only be done on a healthy established tree tho as theres a chance it could die.

Treelover - County Durham,UK, Zone "8/9"
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Rogervanloon  Send Rogervanloon a private message!




Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 03:23 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Ton, that is certainly a splendid Camellia, congratulations. I wonder where you bought it, it is clearly an imported plant, and such varieties as this are not often seen here (yes I’m a bit jealous!)
However, I wonder a bit about the name. There is a Camellia Showa-no-sakae: this is a picture of Showa-no-sakae from the ‘Meikan’ (the book of all Japanese camellias):

And, I agree with Treelover, it is not yet a real Bonsai, plants like this are called ‘prebonsai’, meaning that after some years of training / pruning / wiring they may become a bonsai. Yours has a stem which is no too thin, and I think it has real potential for becoming a beautiful Bonsai (if you are patient).
This is a good site to learn about Bonsai and their different styles:
http://www.en.bonsaiempire.com/index.html

As to Nojazz’s ficus (probably Ficus benjaminii) – it may be an interesting curiosity. But, to be quite frank, I do not think it has the necessary qualities for ever becoming a beautiful Bonsai. If you want to know why, please see the link above.

Rogervanloon - Flanders, Zone "USDA 7b"
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Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 - 03:27 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Sorry. I meant to say 'Ficus retusa' (like Kath said), not F. benjaminii.

Rogervanloon - Flanders, Zone "USDA 7b"
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Nojazz  Send Nojazz a private message!




Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 - 01:23 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Thank you Kathy and treelover. And thank you too Roger. The ficus has definately been fun so far. And a good starting plant. I will check out the web site mentioned and do some more research about what makes a bonsai before I purchase another. And I appreciate the help with its identity as well.

Angela

Nojazz - Kansas, Zone " 6"
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Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 - 02:56 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Angela, don't get me wrong. Yours is an interesting plant and I hope that you will enjoy it very much, as well as others like it that you might buy. But, growing true Bonsai is different. It is a special (not too easily learned) form of art, with its own rules and aesthetical values, and everyone who intends to become a Bonsai enthusiast has some studying to do.
By the way, Ficus species can be very good material for indoor Bonsai, so if you successfully grow yours, you have set a first step on how to grow them.

Rogervanloon - Flanders, Zone "USDA 7b"
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Nojazz  Send Nojazz a private message!




Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 - 08:36 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I understand completely, Roger. I still love my ficus!! I have enjoyed it alot. As my first ficus ever, it has been a learning experience. I knew nothing about them when I got this one. I do love the "true bonsai" however. I have been reading and searching the internet for info about bonsai. I want to learn more. I would like to try to care for one one day. I will wait till spring. The plant type I choose, I will have to grow one just to learn how to grow it before attempting to make it a bonsai. I dont want to kill it. I need something that will do well in Kansas. It gets pretty dry here in the summer. Or another indoor variety.

Do you have any bonsai you could share a picture of?? If you do have bonsai, do you use moss on top of the dirt or gravel? If moss, what kind? Mine has dried stuff but I was thinking of using a real moss. I like the way it looks.

Angela

Nojazz - Kansas, Zone " 6"
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Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2008 - 08:14 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message