Bucida Spinosa Bonsai Care
Bucida spinosa like to be well watered do not allow them to get to dry.
Bucida spinosa bonsai care. Tends to drop leaves if dry for to long. But more normally 70 deg f high around 86 deg f for about 30 minutes. On my side grows easily freely draining soil and our low is around 68 deg f for say 5 to 8 hrs once in a while after christmas until february march. Supplement feedings with liquid fertilizer during warm months.
Wrapping the wire too tightly will cause scarring. Pruning wiring this plant s natural growth pattern makes it ideal for bonsai. Native to the caribbean and the florida keys this delicate tree grows into a bonsai almost by itself. The plant s natural growth makes it ideal for bonsai.
Repeat the process as needed. The black olive bucida is generally windswept. It changes direction at every internode making a bend of 25 to 35 degrees which can be incorporated into the styling. Begin at the base of the bonsai tree and slowly wrap the wire around the trunk to anchor.
It is very salt tolerant making it a good choice for bonsai lovers by the sea. Fertilize 3 times a year in spring summer and autumn with a top quality granular fertilizer. Today bucida spinosa in its native habitats including the bahamas puerto rico and cuba is illegal to collect. New shoots need to be shortened only a little.
It is an evergreen tree with a smooth gray brown trunk small compact foliage and branches in horizontal layers. In the old days of south florida bonsai wild dwarf black olive trees were frequently gathered from the shorelines of the bahamas. Even a fruit tree jaboticaba can be trained to a lovely shape. It is deciduous in colder climates or the first cold snap however in the spring it will flush out with a new set of bright green leaves.
Water on a regular basis but don t keep the area overly wet. Continue along the branch you wish to train. Wait till summer to decide whether branches will re sprout or it s okay to remove them. Fertilizer we use a 6 month time release 18 6 8.
Though commonly called black olive this tree does not produce any edible olives but rather a small seed pod. Bucida spinosa a thorny small leaved dwarf form of black olive takes well to bonsai training and is a favorite with beginners.