My 1st "bonsai" - Fukien Tea #1 tree progression (Poink88)

Here is my first bonsai and the one that started this hobby. I purchased this from eBay on October 2011.

As received - October 17, 2011


As of December 2, 2011 (1.5 months after), I decided it needs a new front. After cleaning/removal of lots of "bad" branches.


As 0f May 19, 2012 (7 months later) showing my chosen new front and foliage re-built. Still have a ways to go but getting closer. This will be re-potted in a few months.

Nice trunk, once you build up the ramification it should look nice. Also what pot are you going to put it in?

Dario,

you may find it easier on your nerves to temporarily use a larger pot.

Easy shrub to work with, I give them lots of sun and a high nitrogen fertilizer at 1/3 strength [ lawn fertilizer ] on a weekly basis, but I am also in the tropics.
Please keep us updated, good specimen to keep admiring.
Khaimraj

* Doesn't Texas have a local variety?

I have always loved fukein tea trees, unfortunately the only nice one I found locally turned out to be crawling with scale which quickly led to its demise, great find for ebay

Thanks guys.

I don't think we have a local variety but this works really well here. I just water it twice a week w/ miracle gro all purpose, it seems to love it. If I repot it, I will do it on this same pot, just rotate the plant.

Nice tree!

If it were mine -- which it is not (apologies for the crooked red line (one of my meds makes my hands shake to much for fine work anymore -- much less tryping):

Thanks Jim. I did (at one time) considered air layering the top right where you marked it but decided against it eventually. (wife also don't want me to ...so no need pursuing it )

Nice thick trunk on this.. when you work the branches all out and ramify, it'll be a terrific tree! Chopping there would only give a bad scar that wouldn't heal and taper that would take forever to catch up.

Our local tree, the sandpaper tree, or Anaqua, is called Ehretia anaqua. Fukien Tea is Ehretia microphylla. I guess there is a connection, but if you looked at each of them side by side, they're worlds apart!

Just un case anyone in Texas wants to go looking -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehretia_anacua
Khaimraj