camellia ready for spring

Here's another old camellia (shi-shi gashira) that I've been working on for a few years now. First is a really bad picture I took back in December...



Second is from today, finished wiring and repotted...



Funky nebari...



Close-up of the head...



Come on spring!!!!!!!!!

Russell

Hi Russell.
I bet the flowers are gonna be lovely. please post it again.

regards,
jun

Hey Jun.

That will have to come next winter, as it has already bloomed. But I will post then!

R

Russell,

wouldn't it be nice if we had flowers like that in the caribbean -

Is that sphagnum moss?

If it is, is the sphagnum long strand moss, to help grow the normal moss ?
I noticed that if I place normal moss on our cocoa moss, in a few weeks, the cocoa moss will be covered in green.
I have also noticed certain trees really encourage moss to grow as well.

Thanks for posting, and what patience with that wiring.
Khaimraj

Hi Russell


I really like your tree. Here, unfortunately, only for me to grow as indoor. I look forward to a photo of the flower.

Pavel

Hey Russell, I like the tree, its well done, but I love the pot!!

Thanks,
John

Funnily enough I just clicked on to say those very same things.

Thanks y'all.

The pot is Tokoname, memory tells me that it is by Shuho - but memory lies to me a lot these days. I ordered it for this tree because I liked the flower shape and the color, both I thought very appropriate.

Khaimraj, yes, that's sphagnum. I let it soak for several days in water until it softens, then put a thin layer over the new soil. Our soil mix is loose and this seems to hold everything in place, and keeps things cooler in the summer. New fine roots seem to appreciate the cover and it really helps moss grow, although that's not really an issue here. If you stand outside long enough you'll grow moss too!

Russell,

thanks for the reply. Loose soil, you mean heavily inorganic, I am thinking.
Living on the side of a breezy hill, will make you appreciate moss.
Until.
Khaimraj

Yes, the typical red lava/turface/pine bark recipe - with some other things I throw in. I've never used Kanuma soil or akadama here, but in Japan we used milled "mountain moss" exactly the same way. This recipe and Kanuma soil have a similar consistency and weight, so the moss helps it stay put until the new roots can catch. Of course it is also cosmetic.

So that's what healthy camellia leaves look like! Nice tree, thanks for the update.

Soil question, do you prepare your own mix? If so, what is your source for "red lava"? I can obtain the turface and pine bark locally with no problem, but am not sure about the red lava.

Chris

Chris,

Yes, I mix my own and vary it accordingly. Our club, or a member, buys a pallet from one of the nursery supply houses. I don't think they stock it but order it for us. Bill V. doesn't have it?

Not sure if Bill has it...he does have a packaged bonsai soil mix, but I'm not sure about the individual components. Will have to check.

It sounds like the red lava component is similar to turface in that it is fairly porous with good water
holding ability (is it a pumice)? What is the benefit of adding the lava, as opposed to using more (or all) turface?

Chris

For Russell,

It's almost time for the Sasanqua Camellia's to begin flowering again. I just thought I'd post a pic of one of my seedlings that has flowered for the first time this year. I'll start training it in the next few years once the trunk has bulked up a bit more but I just love the flower and thought you might enjoy it too.

Nice...I really like the simple elegance of the single-flowered camellias.

Chris

coh wrote:Nice...I really like the simple elegance of the single-flowered camellias.

Chris

I do too! Very "ume-esque". I've been going through old issues of "Bonsai Sekai" and I find camellias, but not sasanques. The camellias are usually the simple red bell-shaped flowers of the wild species camellia. Rarely are the fancy camellias shown.

The "beni kan tsubaki" that I started with in this thread looks great and is full of buds. I'll be updating soon.

R

Russell ,,This one looks really good.. I missed a chance to get one but will look for one again.. please post if your tree is in flower now.. take care john

like your tree, russell

best wishes, sam

Hot Damn, it's Camellia Season on the Coast again! We'll have beautiful color in our gardens from now until March, then the azaleas start. It don't get no better!

The wire from February is still on, but the summer recover and bud set where both really good. Here are a couple of flower pictures...





Russell

Looking good. You don't see many decent camellia's as bonsai. Great to see one.
Ours in the gardens are starting to bloom now as well.

Very nice, thanks for the update!

Chris

Very nice.
The pot color looks real nice with the blooms.

D.

Very nice,

I seldom see Camelia Bonsai, but this is the best I have seen so far.

Thanks y'all.

Dale, I ordered the pot especially for this tree - shape and color.

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Russell,

wouldn't it be nice if we had flowers like that in the caribbean -

Is that sphagnum moss?

If it is, is the sphagnum long strand moss, to help grow the normal moss ?
I noticed that if I place normal moss on our cocoa moss, in a few weeks, the cocoa moss will be covered in green.
I have also noticed certain trees really encourage moss to grow as well.

Thanks for posting, and what patience with that wiring.
Khaimraj

Khaimraj,
You should be able to grow Camellias.