Gmelina Hystrix

Hi IBC,
My 14 years young Gmelina Hystrix, stands (rather leans) 18 inches tall and is 21 inches broad. Am making efforts to give some movement to the straight portion in the upper half of the trunk.
Suggestions and comments will be appreciated.

Regards,
Mohan.

Mohan,

gmelina responds very well to simple clip and grow. If something is too straight, it can be pruned shorter.

What do you envision down the road for this shrub?
Khaimraj

Hi.
IMHO the branch going to the apex doesn't seem to go with the flow of the slanted trunk. If it were mine I'll cut it near the trunk and form a new apex that can follow the slanted form.

regards,
jun

Hi Khaimraj and Jun,

Appreciate your comments and suggestions. Thanks.

Regards,

Mohan.

Hi IBC,
Feel that if the Members could post pics of their Gmelina Hystrix, it will contribute greatly to a learning experience. Comparative study of all the specimens in one thread will visually highlight the characteristics and capabilities of the species leading to possible design solutions for it. Thanks.

Regards,

Mohan.

Mohan,

I have a few, and in the topic - Tropical - defoliation, all those Mame are also gmelina.
It's a bit wet today, so I may not get a chance, but I will post for you to see.
Khaimraj

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Mohan,

I have a few, and in the topic - Tropical - defoliation, all those Mame are also gmelina.
It's a bit wet today, so I may not get a chance, but I will post for you to see.
Khaimraj

Of course you do. I am blown away by the fact you have at least a few of any given type of tree, hahaha.

Hi Khaimraj,
Thanks. I had seen your group of beautiful defoliated Shohin Gmelinas presented in the thread Tropical - defoliation, confirming the suitability of the species for that. Eagerly await the additional pics.

It would be nice if other Members of the IBC post their Gmelinas to complete the picture.
Regards,

Mohan.

Mohan,

a beginning -

The quality of the Gmelina - in memory of Mr. John Yip Young [ died Feb.2011 ] - one of the founding
fathers of Bonsai in Trinidad [ the others are Mr. John Fung Yew and Mr. Johnny Lee - John is a very popular name for Chinese men by the way - My grandfather was also a John - wonder what John sounds like in Chinese - Penjing / Bonsai in Trinidad is supposed to be somewhere around the late 1800's with the arrival of the Chinese immigrants ]

http://www.trinibay.net/?q=node/217

I have no connection to this page or business.
Enjoy.
Khaimraj

Okay Mohan,

here are 2 examples.
[a] First is from either seed or cutting and is about 28 years of so old.
Second is perhaps 12 or so years old from a cutting from the first.

Please note after I re-pot, I wait a month and then defoliate to change the old leaves. If it is going to exhibit about 2 months before the show I defoliate a second time. The leaves reduce to 1/3 the size.

The properties of the gmelina are,

[1] Leaf dense, but not branchlet dense.
[2] Has great surface roots if the design needs it.
[3] With age a strange sort of bark cracking.

So I imagined a tree with domes on domes [ upside down bowl ] and like a pine, few but very thick branches. Tree gives a great sense of volume.

[4] This shrub also has two leaf shapes, diamond and frog foot. Plant is called by the Chinese - the indoor maple.
[ I am leaving this for those new to gmelina or newly exposed to the shrub.]
Khaimraj
________________

Heh heh Jesse ------ that's why you grow around 200 trees to begin, lot's of choices. Dare you
____________________

Placement is full sun. Easy shrub to grow.

1st tree - front



The design -



The side -



The back -



The second tree - no drawn design, I haven't decided what I want as of yet.

Hi Khaimraj,
Thank you very much for the detailed information on Gmelina. I am sure that the write-up must have created a lot of interest in Gmelina, amongst IBC Members.
Your 1st Gmelina is a very good mature specimen of the species and the 2nd shows a lot of promise. Thank you again for sharing.

Regards,

Mohan.

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:
________________

Heh heh Jesse ------ that's why you grow around 200 trees to begin, lot's of choices. Dare you
____________________

"...around 200 trees to begin" How many would you guess you have now? We only live on .28 of an acre Not sure where I can field grow anywhere close to as many as you seem to. I am getting close to wiping out a chunk of our landscaped backyard to be used for bonsai purposes, haha. I have a daughter who is 3 and a 6 month old little boy who need play area though. How to balance things out...might need to take over the backyard all together and send them to play at the park nearby

I absolutely the first tree you posted.

Mohan,

your most welcome and that's the last you will seeing of my gmelinas as I am continuing on with the training.

Jesse,

Care to share a few memories ?
I used to live in Lafayette. Lousiana, and at that time all I had to use was the red cedar porch space. Though we had a large actual backyard, it was at the time a rented house, so --- no digger de lawn.

Working with children, is simple, just choose the spot you need and fence it. Here at home, mom had her untouchables, and all it took was a no, or I will tan your hide, and the shrubs became untouchable.
We also had a habit of running through the house and also got the, touch my ornaments and I will tan your hide.
We broke nothing.

From the time we could walk, until we could play unsupervised, we had a nanny, so we learnt very quickly to respect other peoples' property.

Before you go thinking we were prisoners, note we also had permission to set up bed sheet tents on the lawn and built forts from the morris chair cushions on cleaning days [ about once a month.] and a slip and slide on the old linoleum from the washroom also on the lawn.
My parents were strict, but could be wacky.
Thanks for looking.
Khaimraj

Hi Kahaimraj,

You have stated “Leaf dense but not branchlet dense".
Since the Gmelina does not ramify well despite defoliation, has grafting of branches been attempted and with what success?

Regards,

Mohan.

Mohan,

I study the properties of trees, what makes them special, what drew your eye to the plant. With leaf density, you can create an effect similar to say, a mango tree, when seen at a 45 deg. angle, morning or evening light.
On our side, gmelina is a hedge shrub, and any shape goes.

That said, no I haven't, but at the same time I wouldn't need to.

Why not try and see what happens.
Khaimraj

With regards to leaf dense, just in case anyone is confused. I will try to clarify.

Example -
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-photo/bronwen/africa/1139329560/06_mango_tree.jpg/tpod.html

Dark zones, shadows created by the leaf masses. You have to do --- to fully understand and appreciate.
[If you are going to claim it is sculpture, you have to think like a sculptor - leaf masses.]

Drawn diagram, which loosely follows the light and shadow pattern of the tree. Using the abundant leaves of the gmelina, you grow a simple branch seen in the lower section, and add just a few branchlets, the v's and use the leaf mass to create the mound, just follow the arrows.

No need to try and genetically change the gmelina, simply use it's natural properties.
Questions?
I will try to explain.
Khaimraj

Hi Khaimraj,

Thanks for the input.

Regards,

Mohan.