Saturday, February 16, 2008

Burning Bush


This flowering native to Japan, China, and Korea is a deciduous shrub that has distinctive wings of corky tissue attached to either side of its green twigs.

The burning bush's attractive foliage turns red in the fall. It likes a good amount of indirect sun.

Learn more about the burning bush shown here.

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Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Bonsai Proportions

A bonsai tree will look its best if it is proportional. There are certain guidelines for how tall a bonsai tree should be relative to its trunk diameter as well as where the first branch should start on the trunk. MelloBonsai has created a bonsai proportions calculator for calculating these values.

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Monday, February 4, 2008

Aphids suck

Horrible timing for a bug infestation is right when your tree is weakened. I just repotted this gardenia to have it attacked by aphids. I've been lucky actually that this has been my first issue with them.

Fortunately, they were not too hard to get rid of and it looks like my gardenia bonsai is going to make it. Learn more about getting rid of bonsai aphids here.

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Sunday, February 3, 2008

Chinese Fringe Flower as Bonsai


The Chinese Fringe Flower (loropetalum chinensis) has naturally small oval leaves that are dark green to purple in color. It is considered an evergreen shrub and may produce deep pink, fragrant, flowers. It tends to form a wide profile as its branches spread.

It does well in full sun and is cold hardy in temperatures above 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant in a bonsai soil that balances toward acidic. The Chinese Fringe Flower does best in soils with large organic content that still drains well.

Learn more about the chinese fringe flower shown here.

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