Bouganvillea winter color

This is a "just goofing around" bouganvillea hybrid with orange flowers. I stuck a cutting in this pot, with the thought of eventually lifting it to expose the roots. Pot is 8 x 2 x 2 inches. I like the back side today, shortly after the photo the tree was pruned. It lives year round under T-5 lamps in a 48 inch fixture. This is the second time in 2014 it has bloomed, last bloomed in April, then again in December. As an indoor bonsai, I'm liking bouganvillea.

Not very well developed yet. I am not settled on which side is front. If the summer 2015 growth does not smooth out the reverse taper in the middle of the trunk, I'm thinking of chopping down to first branch. At least that branch has some shorter internodes and movement. Thoughts on what to do are welcome.

I apologize for having to use flash with my point and shoot, but I broke my tripod.



the "back side" which is the pot's front side.
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very nice leo... nice to see color in the winter-time...
i was thinking of picking up a small bougie when i am in florida visiting my mom...

with my geraniums i tend to cut the flowers off when they start to bud so as not to take energy away from trunk thickening, but i have let some go now in the winter, just for the color.

Love the pot with it Leo.

Great combo.

Sorce

P.s. BCS, I'd love to see those geraniums. I want to get some soon!

Sorcertree wrote:P.s. BCS, I'd  love to see those geraniums.  I want to get some soon!

as you wish:

this is one from this past summer (it has of course developed quite a bit since then)
they really do get nice woody "trunks" and the leaves reduce nicely over time...





...and flowers that get smaller and shoot out on progressively shorter and shorter stems



i dont take them seriously as "banzai", but they are fun to play with and make a nice accent...

i currently am working on one that i have down to about 2' tall and want to see how small i can go...

google geranium bonsai and you will see some stellar ones

Nice thanks!

I saw these (what I guessed were geraniums) that had black trunks and purple flowers. Out in landscape here.
Should have taken a pic. Looking to get one.

Thanks for the tidbits too!

Sorce

What is that in the background, bro? Looks like a sick bank, perfect for goofy-foot. Black tube across bottom....security?

LanceMac10 wrote:What is that in the background, bro? Looks like a sick bank, perfect for goofy-foot. Black tube across bottom....security?

a-yup and yup and you betcha... gotta keep the gummybear munchers off it when i aint around...

here is a link to a session
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMigo8_P5yQ
(i'm the guy in the white shirt, blacks sleeves and camo shorts...)

if you want we should take it to the PMs from here
i just got one from another boarder (skate/snow/surf) new to the forums "bc roller", and theres MrFancyPlants a surfer too...

Sorcertree wrote:I saw these (what I guessed were geraniums)  that had black trunks and purple flowers. Out in landscape here.
Should have taken a pic. Looking to get one.

black trunks w/ purple flowers ?!?!?!? rad !!!

i hope you get back there as i would love to see those !
and if you do make it back there, cuttings should work well...
and i would be happy to send you my mailing address

Very nice tree, would love to see an update.

Funny you asked for an update. It is still with me, and in bloom today. May 7, 2016.

It is a small tree, from trunk to flower bract, only 7 inches (17 cm) and from base of trunk to highest point only 4 inches (10 cm). Trunk is only 3/8ths inch in diameter ( 1 cm). It really has not changed much at all. Trunk is no thicker. I should really put it in a large pot to grow out for a few years, but I enjoy it just the way it is.

It usually blooms 2 or 3 times a year. After blooming I prune it back hard, then let it grow until it blooms. It lives year round under a 4 lamp T5 fluorescent fixture in the orchid light garden. Never goes outside, mainly because I'm afraid the pot would get broken. Pot I picked up sometime in the 1980 to 1990 time period, I forgot where it came from. I think it might be USA artist made, don't know who, can make out the marks on the base. It is one of a set of 2 matching pots.

So here it is again. 17 months after the last photos.

That pot is far out man! Fun little tree! I kill Bougies like they were pimples!!

Thanks Lance.

I'm sure purists would not even want to call it a bonsai. And I would not argue with them.

My intent was to keep it fun, or humorous. The orange flowers of the bougie do compliment the pot, and it was the pot I wanted to use, I got tired of it being on a shelf "waiting" for the right tree. Originally thought maybe a full cascade, The pot is only 2 x 2 in the interior, so no "larger" bougies root systems would not, could not, be squeezed into the pot. So I am slowly growing this one to fit. The pot holds very little soil, more water sensitive species I tried in it perished because it would dry out suddenly. Bougies are great because they do tolerate, or at least come back from a hard dry out.

But I like the fun image. When out of flower the pot is the focal point. I think it might be an early Jim Barrett pot, but I am not sure.