Impulse buying . . .

. . . . I thought I'd outgrown it. But today at our little town's last farmer's market of the year, I bought -- purely on impulse -- a little Cryptomeria japonica 'Pygmaea' in a 3 gallon pot.

I searched the IBC for info on Cryptomeria, but only found queries from people with brand new plants like mine, and few very helpful responses. I have the IBC, Bonsai4Me, and Craig Coussins' "Species Guides" on Cryptomeria, so may have all I need -- HA!. Especially since, while they mostly agree, they don't agree on all aspects of Japanese "cedar" care. I'm about to start scouring the almost-always-inadequate species guides in my collection of bonsai books.

This will end up being an informal upright shohin-size tree. Any of you who know what you're doing with Cryptomeria are welcome to offer suggestions.

Hi Jim,

Here is one of my cryptomerias (though I dont know if it is same var.)
I acquired it in 2007 or 2008, but:
- it is susceptible to hot climates (like mine)
- it is susceptible to low humidity (I think! probably!)
- and it never grows (I observed almost no growth or branching during 3-4 years)!

So I gave it away!

These are just my observations.
May be I did not apply the correct treatment for it, I'm not sure!
(Also, I could not find useful helps about it either!)

I have been given at least two by people who were in a company gift pool with me and thought they would get me something Bonsai, they are sold in the Big Box Stores down here as miniature Christmas tree. All of them died fairly quickly in out Peninsular Florida heat and humidity.

Cryptomeria japonica (Tsugi) are the second most populous tree in this cool misty upland rainforest after Metrosiderous polymorpha (Ohi'a). They are huge magnificient trees that love water. I don't think they'd do well in your summers without creating a microclimate. But good luck.

Wow! How to build confidence! <G>

At least I see them growing here, so I know they do grow around here. Dirr says they'll do zones 5-8 (and sometimes 9). So my zone 7 should be ok.

Maybe, someday, I'll have a long 50-picture progression to show.

"At least I see them growing here, so I know they do grow around here."

Oh, well then, didn't know they grew there. Shouldn't be a problem.

Hi Jim,
I posted to day the same plant. I am in Africa and I have them all over the garden. I grew mine from a cutting and it is two years old. I guess I am funny zone 10. Hot dry half year and wet rainy 5 month.
They grow like weeds here and I dont even fertilize them. Just grow them in a packet with plain loamy soil.
I started styling one today too.
Any progress on yours, or advise. How is it doing?

Neli wrote:Hi Jim,
I posted to day the same plant. I am in Africa and I have them all over the garden. I grew mine from a cutting and it is two years old. I guess I am funny zone 10. Hot dry half year and wet rainy 5 month.
They grow like weeds here and I dont even fertilize them. Just grow them in a packet with plain loamy soil.
I started styling one today too.
Any progress on yours, or advise. How is it doing?

I'm not doing anything to mine until spring. Reportedly they do not like to have anything done to them in the winter months -- and I can fully sympathize.

But, you might consider that yours could be a Chamaecyparis of some sort. Here is my C. pisifera. To me, it looks very like your tree.

Yes Jim,
Mine looks like this one, and I like what You have done to it. Here is just starting out summer. We are opposite to You. So it is a good time for me to torture them. Plants are just opening their buds.
How old is yours? I like it. It is dainty and pretty.

How old is yours? I like it. It is dainty and pretty

Well, for me, this is a very large bonsai. It stands about 18 inches (36-37 cm) from the pot rim. As to its age, I don't know. I rescued it as a dried out potted plant that stood by the front porch of a cabin we bought in the mountains. I have no idea how long it had been in that neglected state.

Maybe I did not understand, You said 36cm is very big bonsai. Do U mostly do tiny ones? I see some are 1m+ those are large for me.

Do U mostly do tiny ones?

Yes.

He he he! I am scared of those ones. The very first bonsai I bought this year, was from Japan. The pot of that bonsai Acer was 1" diameter. I killed it before I even reached home. I think those can dry/die very easily.Just forget to water one day and is gone.I think the first day I posted on this forum was from Japan, trying to find out how to look after it.