Saman Samanea - the 1 acre tree - softening the triangle

Jesse,

here is a great old tree, The Saman. Probably over 100 or so years, still young.

Can you see the triangle, even though the exterior of the tree's top is rounded ?
More questions, please ask.
Khaimraj

I see a hemisphere, not a triangle. Lovely natural shape though.

Hello Kev,

ah, hmm, this post was for Jesse, crossover from Alex's bit on his ficus, where I tried to explain to Jesse what a softened triangle was. This picture was all I had on hand.

That said, sure hemisphere is fine.

The Saman is supposed to be the most symmetrical tree in the world. So if you can imagine in your mind a perfect upside bowl, know that the tree usually has as much forward as back and on the sides.
Hope that makes sense.

trunk -
[ http://asia-tradenet-co-ltd.tradenote.net/images/users/000/411/002/products_images/274847.jpg]

AND yes, it makes a beautiful large Bonsai. My friend from England, Roy S. who is no longer with us, grew one in under 3 years. Unfortunately, when he left for England, his skill for growing went as well and the tree, faded away, in lesser hands.

In his memory, the man was a genius, for he also did something, I haven't seen since, A Delonia Rex -
Flamboyant bonsai, by thread grafting. This too faded.

[ http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/651/390390Delonix_regia.jpg ]

Also comes in lime yellow, golden yellow and shades or red/orange.

The saman will also miniaturize, by the Kamuti Technique into a under 6 inch [15 cm ] Bonsai. You may only get 6 branches, but the leaves become very tiny.
From the early days of heavy experimenting, just a memory, no camera back then.
I do however keep a few seedling around for old times sake.

A beautiful corky white bark and deep green leaves. Powder puff flowers.
Later.
Khaimraj

I do see it and I see what you are referring to when you suggested 'softening' the triangle. Thank you very much for taking the time to illustrate it with an image. I am a visual learner so this helps a lot.

Very cool tree. I want to make one like it You haven't tried one of these as a bonsai yourself? Is it expensive to acquire a good bonsai specimen of that tree? Or would you suggest trying to do it from seed?

Looking at this tree remember me this one of for my region they are very similar, the quantity of superficial roots almost the same diameter qe of the green mass:

wow...what a canopy on that tree FM

Jesse,

try on-line first for seeds. Secondly have you the space for a 3 to 4 foot [ 91 to 122 cm ] specimen ? It would also need some amount of sunlight and heat.

Why not try a zelkova and grow as a broom ? Or a celtis [ Hackberry ] ? or a trident maple [ acer ]
I have a celtis in my growing trough that is 80 inches tall [ 203 cm ] and has a 1.25 inch [3.5 cm ] trunk . Last year it was about 0.25 of an inch [ say 0.7 cm ], when it shows signs of autumn, I will cut it down and prepare it for the refrigerator around the end of January 2011, for a rest until April 1st at vegetable crisper temperature. I am going for a 3 inch [ 8cm ] trunk.
If I am lucky I will hit it next year. I may even get the first 3 branches.
You should have it even easier.

I have a Saman growing in a 1/4 black plastic barrel 55 US gallons. I need a 6 or 7 inch [15 to 18 cm ] trunk and have to be careful not to over shoot when to cut, or my first branch may push the trunk to 8 inches +[ 20 cm ].
The tree devours compost, the soil is presently mostly sifted sharp sand / melajou stone and it is about 6 feet tall [183 cm ]
Do you really want to try this ?
Khaimraj

fM you the man
So when do you show your Saman bonsai ?
Khaimraj

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:
Do you really want to try this ?

Haha, I did not realize that this is such an advanced tree from bonsai when I impulsively said I wanted to try one. I have had my eye on both zelkovas and tridents so I appreciate the suggestion.

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:
when it shows signs of autumn, I will cut it down and prepare it for the refrigerator around the end of January 2011, for a rest until April 1st at vegetable crisper temperature.

At first glance "the refrigerator" simply meant dormancy in my mind. Realizing that you are located in the Carribean though, I have to wonder if there is something more literal about it. What do you do to provide a dormancy period in your area for trees that really need one to stay healthy?

I wish you lived close enough for me to shoot down for a weekend and observe you in action when you start chopping. Please take lots of pictures during the process! Otherwise, I'll have to talk my wife into a second honeymoon to the Carribean to watch you work...hahaha.

Jesse,

fortunately, this long house / home runs almost East to West and is elevated 10 feet and then is a futher 15 feet or so to the galvanised roof. As the earth shifts around late August, the front of the house facing north goes into heavy shadow. Add on light breeze, rainy season and cold earth / stone, the trees over head and the bamboo hedge, I get a duller lighter and a pronounced cooling. So anything I brought down from Louisiana, celtis, or London, acer, ginkgo, sageretia and others I may not have noticed, start to sleep. Slowed growth and yellowing of leaves. By January, no real growth and it's refrigerator time.

I also have from seed one celtis africana, which is not quite sub-tropical and has to be clubbed over the head to become dormant.

I am only just starting to really work with the celtis. So we can learn together. I will when I start to do anything begin a topic, so just hang around.

Well you are allowed every 10 years to go on a second, third, fourth....... honeymoons
I hope your strength keeps up
Until.
Khaimraj

* I have always thought of digging out a 10 x 20 x 9 foot high room under the house and creating a temperate zone, powering an airconditioner by solar power. House ceiling bulbs are being done over for solar power and one of the lamps in the house is running permanently on solar energy as of 3 months ago.
Just a little imagination and science, weirds ways of Fine Artists.