Tropical - Research - New Species ? - Fustic - clorophora tintoria

Hello to All,

I have been away from the posting of images for a while here. What I have been doing for a long time,since I started Bonsai as an 18 year old or so, is trying local or localised trees.Some work many don't and I haven't really found anything as refined as seen on Chinese elms or Zelkovas or many northern trees. Additionally, this island features Amazonian vegetation. However we still try.

I was drawn to this tree, which is naturalized as far as I know it. Brought in for the colouring matter in the wood, a yellow I believe.
Anyhow long story short, I collected a few small specimens, some as seedlings, some as stumps.
The twigging is very delicate and abundant --- aha maybe a tropical type zelkova. The largest trees I have seen have a simple upside down bowl on a trunk.

Healing is excellent. The tree loves sun,needs a freely draining soil and eats fertilizer. Seems to prefer to be pot bound.

Alas, there are thorns and with cool weather it goes dormant and can lose fine twigs, especially if underfed. Will also lose leaves in times of heavy rain. With a large container, the trunk thickens well and the root takes on the classic eagles claw.

Soil used is my typical sifted all, home made compost, crushed porous red brick from our construction hollow clay blocks, sharp sand and some cocopeat. Some perlite may be added as well.

Here are a few examples.

This was collected from a drain near our eastern seacoast, and was about 3 feet or so tall and had no taper.Cut down to 8 inches and being grown for 1 year or so. Presently, about 12 inches tall.

I have thinned the tree out to let the viewer see into the tree.

With this tree, one can find two leaf types, one as a normal elm type leaf and the other as though an ant has bitten a chunk out of it.

This one is about 2 years old 5 inches tall and from a seedling of 2 leaves.

This one was found on the oil refinery, has a 2.5 inch trunk and is a little over 14 inches tall.

This is my oldest about 14 years old from when collected. It was about 8 inches tall at the time of collection .Allowed to grow hairy and around January next year will be repotted and tightened up as the twigging goes.

Side note - when I am not exhibiting, I allow the trees to rest and go hairy, within limits.

I will add on an image as I make the time, showing how I plan a design for a tree.

Just to let you know I train by Grow and Clip.
Khaimraj

Okay this is still the clearest image to try and explain what I do.

[1] I start with small trees and explore through soil mix, fertilizer response, placement in light and response to pruning.
This may take 3 to 5 years to master or at least figure out. Fustic is still after years a bit of a rabbit in the hat tree.

[2] As this is the tropics I don't need to pull up large specimens. I can get a 5 inch diameter trunk in 2 years or less, and change angles/branches in 3 more for say Tamarindus or Fukien tea.
This is why I discourage collecting from the wild.

[3] Using a drawing, I can plan out a tree's eventual shape.

I am a traditionally trained Fine Artist out of Florence, Italy and my training is purely from nature/life.
The drawing technique is Sight-Size, you can read up on this on-line.
What the technique allows me to do is draw a tree as it actually appears in nature.
Because I also had memory training, I can after working with some things, trees for example, draw it as I wish it to be.

These drawings are to analyze negative spaces, patterns that appeal to the eye and volume. Which will enhance the tree's natural abilities.

I tend to work with nature as my teacher and so for example you will see I have no Tamarinds that are other than slightly off straight in trunk. The reason is, on our side, all the trees are either straight or leaning slightly.
The Tamarind is a tree that desires to be straight.

We had a over 100 year old specimen, and it's natural shape was a straight, but flaking bark and lifts off of the base of the trunk. In sand on flat land the surface roots did not exist.
The branches were heavy and long, it was an incredible tree.

Well here is the drawing.

The lower section deals with the fustic of 18 inches in height.