Neji-Kan "twisted trunk Pomegranate

Hello friends,

I am just realizing the rarity of this tree I picked up over the summer. I had wanted to work with Pomegranate for a few years and when I saw this one I moved quickly on it simply due to its grotesque curves and muscular veining. Bill Valavanis had labeled it a 'Twisted Trunk' Pomegranate and I'm noticing a cultivar called Neji-Kan that also goes by the name 'twisted trunk'. Several articles mention how rare and sought after the Neji-kan pomegranate is as its a full size Pom that takes a LONG time to thicken. If anyone knows more about the twisted trunks I'd love to hear about it.
This is the tree in fall color, literally glowing, in my south window sill. The photo doesn't do the trunk justice. The tree is even scarier with the leaves off....

My best and my thanks as always
-Jay

Very nice tree. You should have an awesome specimen in just a few years' time.

Zach

Thank you Zach,

It was a nice tree with green leaves, yet I had no idea the fall color was so striking and golden. Of course the tree needs tweaking a little branch work, change of potting angle, but what I was most intrigued by was learning of the unusual nature of the specific cultivar.

Its so rare for me to have a tree just get better and better the more I discover about it. From trunk, to roots, then to fall color, and now to learn what an odd cultivar it is..I love when that happens.
-Jay

Nice looking tree! I wonder if you'd be willing to post a close-up in better (frontal) lighting of the trunk and surface roots? I'd like to get a better look at that. Tried brightening the image you posted (see below) but it only shows a little of the structure.

Chris

Now that the leaves are off I thought about getting a shot of it naked, its a scary looking tree. Scary in the good way.

The washed out look was simply the sun illuminating the tree from the rear, I mostly was just so struck by the glowing foliage effect that I had to grab a shot of it while the sun was out. I had brought the tree in for the night to avoid a frost and woke up to it glowing in the window sill the next morning and I was awe struck. When I bought it I had no idea they turned such a golden yellow in fall.
-Jay

here is the tree out of leaf. Here too is my first genuine attempt to take a better photo of one of my trees, thank you for pushing me towards it Chris, don't tell my wife those are the good bed sheets though.

Hi drgonzo,

I have also a nejikan punica, and the one you have is very good. How is it going?
Is there any techique you use?

Wow, this thread is back from the vaults.

The tree has limped along looking absolutely terrible until about 3 weeks ago, then the heat really started to hit, now it has taken off and is very vigorous. When I mentioned the sad condition of the tree to Bill Valavanis some weeks ago his advise was simply, "Just wait...heat" and indeed he was right. I'm glad too as this is one of my favorite shohin bonsai.

To encourage growth I have placed the tree on a small piece of flagstone I use for display (to help raise the temp) and situated it in about the sunniest, hottest spot on my deck. Now to figure out if it, and where it, will flower.

Thanks for asking

-Jay

drgonzo wrote:Wow, this thread is back from the vaults.

I am glad too since this is the first time I saw this. Nice tree!

Something i would like to know is how do you do to ramify.

Rui Marques wrote:Something i would like to know is how do you do to ramify.

Just as you would with most trees, cutback to one or two pair of leaves after say 7-8 have extended. BUT. You do so at the expense of flowering, as these guys flower on the tips of new growth. I think I'm going to let mine flower then cut back hard afterwards.

-Jay

Hi Jay,

Would be nice to see how yours doing.

Mine is here: https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t9379-punica-granatum-nejikan

Cheers.

looking at adding one of these to my collection Jay,

how is yours doing?

Its funny you should ask as it broke bud about two weeks ago and had to be moved into my big south window with the tropicals.

-Jay

cool,

has it made a fruit yet ?

i hear from one source the twisted is harder to keep, and from another (the seller ! hahahaha) that they are really easy. I have found a beauty but it will be a steep qick learning curve with a near specimen if i buy it - i leave chinese elm, trident, outside, keep a bougenvillia in a greenhouse with the door open 90% of the winter so i guess a pome will do ok?

thanks for any pre purchase advice

Marcus

Marcus let me give you a more proper overview;

You will no doubt have a better experience with them in Cornwall then I do in Upstate NY. Up here in this zone I'm several zones outside the trees normal climate so i have to jump through a few hoops with regards its dormancy and the slow growth in the cooler spring. This tree is one of my "favorite headaches" in that it drops its leaves, comes inside to avoid the winter, then decides a month later its spring time in January and starts growing. All this growth produced indoors will be spindly and will be prone to burning in spring so I lose most of it (it sits for a good month looking like krap) then enjoy the explosion of new proper growth that the tree will produce for me once summer arrives but as I say those are MY zone issues with the species, your climate is more forgiving then mine. Up here they're a bit of a fish out of water.

As I say I have found Neji-Kan to be a strong grower once the heat kicks in. I position mine in screeching full hot sun on a piece of slate to help create even more heat..the thing loves it. One thing that is tricky is keeping them happy with watering. Its best to allow them to wilt a touch then go for a deep watering. Mine is in pure turface and does well. They must drain freely as they dislike standing water for any length of time. Mine has yet to flower but I am working on branching now and forgoing the long extension that would be required for flowers.

They are also prone to cercospora fungal attacks but I can keep it to a minimum by not soaking the foliage. They develop Zinc deficiencies early in the season but thats rather common among pomegranates and usually the tree mends it on its own once soil temps rise in summer.

If you have an opportunity to find a nice old twisted specimen jump on it as they are rare. These are very slow growing trees and the twisting and sinuous veining of the trunks takes a great deal of time to develop. I have only seen two Neji-kan Poms for sale that had fully mature trunks, the price was high for a shohin sized tree but I knew it was a rare opportunity so I grabbed it.

I would definitely recommend you do the same!

best
-Jay

Hi Jay,

Any developments on your punica?

Regards.

yes... i too would dig an update as i acquired one this summer, though no-where near as developed as yours...

also what zone are you in ?

i am in zone 5 and find these, what i call "in-betweeners", tricky at best re dormancy...

this past winter i treated my other dwarf pom, crepe myrtle, etc to just a short 2 month dormancy in an unheated garage, then back in the house for a bit, then to a sunny spot in my garden window, until it was safe to put them outside...

looking to do the same with this one...

I am from Portugal

Don't think he is with us any more.

Rui Marques wrote:I am from Portugal

sorry rui - i meant dr. gonzo...

thanks jim... i thought prior posts proclaimed "guest" when someone leaves the forum...

i thought prior posts proclaimed "guest" when someone leaves the forum...

Only when they go to the trouble of deleting themselves from the membership list.

ahhh... i see
still... looks like the good doctor visited in july of this year...