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Another season for bonsai wisteria

felixcat
15 years ago

Hello, Another season has begun for my bonsai wisteria which has not disappointed. It is of course much earlier than my outdoor ones as it is grown in a cold greenhouse. I have placed it outside next to some erythroinums and daffs to have it's picture taken and it will go back inside as it the temperature is dropping to freezing tonight here in the U.K. My plant is now around 15yrs old and was bought as a year old grafted seedling named macrobotrys.

Hazel.

{{gwi:7743}}

Comments (16)

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    15 years ago

    Excellent, wonderful!
    I have only in-ground wisterias, but I've long considered one for bonsai.
    Nice upward spiral/curving of the branches.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Josh

  • felixcat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hello Josh, Do give wisteria a try as bonsai. I don't think you will regret it.
    Here is the same variety grown against my house. You wouldn't think it was the same would you?
    Hazel.

    {{gwi:7744}}

  • beachplant
    15 years ago

    That is awesome! I really admire anyone with the energy for wisteria bonsai. I've been trying to kill it in my yard for years now. I think as a bonsai I would have to prune it daily here in the south.

    Thanks for the picture. The daffodils are very pretty and really compliment the bonsai.
    TallyHO!

  • felixcat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hello beachplant, The secret is to restrict the roots even on the outdoor ones as this does keep them more under control although they do need pruning severely. They need oceans of water too.
    We planted this black dragon in a huge pot with holes and after training it around a pole we buried it ( the pot I mean!). It works very well and as with the bonsai soon stops sending out unwated growth.
    TallyHO!!!!
    Hazel.
    {{gwi:7745}}

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    Beach, if she has to give it oceans of water in the UK, you'll have to put it in a pond! LOL!
    I want an Asian wisteria to make up for the lack of scent in my North American wisteria so I was thinking Bonsai would be the way to control it. I've seen it eat a house here and we have less water than you down there. I'm guessing only the Bonsai need extra water? PJ

  • felixcat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hello pjtexgirl, The japanese macrobotrys is very highly perfumed and as you can see makes for both outdoor or bonsai work. I found that lack of water even on the outdoor wisteria makes the flower buds abort so when it's a dry summer which is rare here in the U.K.I turn the hose pipe onto them for a while. The bonsai can even stand in a dish of water to soak it up without any harm. Hope this helps.
    Hazel.

  • beachplant
    15 years ago

    It's beautiful. I'm not even sure in the pond would be enough water, I've had to add water to all the ponds several times this year already. We got some rain but still toooo far behind. I'll just drool!
    Tally HO!

  • felixcat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    My dear beachplant,Oh dear! perhaps you had better stick to cacti!!!
    TallyHO!HO!HO!
    Hazel.

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    thanks felix!
    I wonder why they eat houses in DFW? I've seen a whole green belt absolutly purple with wild growing Wisteria.It might have been swampy I didn't check.

    Gardening is so dang tricky! I have a rain garden that's next to a future pond. I'll be doing water changes into it very soon. It now has Cypress and Possumhaw (swamp plants) it will never be quite dry. Are you SURE I won't get root rot????

    OMG Tally did you just get all your water at once for the next year? Dry or drown that's Texas for you! PJ

  • felixcat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hello pj.The wisteria must be a wonderful sight on mass. I love them and the perfume too.
    You won't get root rot no matter how much water you give them. I leave my bonsai outside during summer standing in a dish of water if we are going away. Here is a picture of the roots. If your weather is dry you will do better with a bonsai as you have control over the watering.
    Hazel.
    {{gwi:7746}}

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    Wow that is what I have in my head as "severely potbound" LOL!!!
    This is gonna be tricky even for just one plant. I'm going into new territory for a single season flowering plant!
    What on earth do I feed it with? I have an organic/native thing going so all I remember is using miracle grow way,way in the past. Blooming is high phoshorus(sp?) PJ

  • felixcat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hello PJ, because it's pot bound the plant can't "get away" and just keep growing those long non flowering tendrils. I use Chempak bonsai tree fertilizer very sparingly say only three times all season.The formula is 10% nitrogen,60% phosphorus,30% potassium. I find this is also perfect for my plumerias which I can also only grow in pots in the greenhouse here in the U.K.
    If you do decide to try the wisteria make sure you buy a grafted seedling as those just grown from seed may take years to flower.
    I hope you do give it a try and are successful as they might only flower once every season but they are worth it.
    Good luck
    Hazel.

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    Thanks :).
    Sorry about all the questions! If a standard nursery variety Wisteria vine is flowering when you buy it from the store does that mean it's grafted? Can you turn a regular (blooming) Wisteria vine from a nursery and train it into a Bonsai?

    What is the difference between a standard wisteria and a bonsai Wisteria? Looking at your Wisteria I would've assumed it was a standard because of the size.

    I'm asking for a guess on this question. Bone meal encourages bloom on Plumeria. Do you think it might encourage bloom on Wisteria? I believe it's high in phosphorous.
    Thanks!! PJ

  • felixcat
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hello Pj, Any reputable grower would sell only grafted plants as you are not likely to get flowers for years from an ordinary seedling also seedlings don't always come true to type. A standard plant of any kind has a long straight trunk with only top branches. A bonsai just means it's a plant in a pot.
    My husband uses bone meal in the garden but I have never used it, if it's high in phosphorus it could be o.k. but perhaps someone more knowledgable might help. I don't feed my wisteria much anyway as I understood they don't need it.
    Hazel.

  • brianhancock
    14 years ago

    Those are beautiful examples of Wysteria. I have a nice one at my house that I would like to turn into something someday. Right now it's an out of control mess! Too late to transplant and hack it up so I guess I'll be waiting until the fall.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Brian Hancock

  • head_cutter
    14 years ago

    MMMMMMMMMMM nice!

    With some of the movement on the left side I'd be tempted to turn that into a cascade.

    Bob

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