How to Create and Care for Osteomeles Bonsai from Mountain-Collected Stumps
The greatest feature of Yunnan Osteomeles is that it stays evergreen year-round and has strong vitality. You can imagine that if you use it to make bonsai, it will be a beautiful scenic sight through all four seasons. Below are the cultivation, care and management techniques for Osteomeles mountain-stump bonsai. Friends who love flowers and plants, follow along with this editor and learn about it.
Form and Habits
Osteomeles (Osteomeles anthyllidifolia): a deciduous or evergreen shrub of the genus Osteomeles in the Rosaceae family, also known as black fruit, paste-fried bean, and winged fruit tree. It is widely distributed. In China it is found in southern Gansu, Sichuan, northern Guizhou, Yunnan and southeastern Tibet, at altitudes of 1500-3000 m, in mountain-slope thickets or dry areas beside fields and roads. Its vitality and adaptability are extremely strong; it can grow well even in relatively barren rock crevices, making it one of the very best materials for bonsai.
The common Osteomeles in Yunnan has 7-15 pairs of elliptic, elliptic-oblong or obovate-oblong leaflets, 0.5-1 cm long, with acute or abruptly pointed tips; the hypanthium and sepals are slightly pubescent or nearly glabrous, and the base of the style is hairy. Osteomeles schwerinae, by contrast, has 5-8 (15) pairs, nearly round, rarely obovate-oblong, 0.4-0.6 mm long, with rounded-obtuse or short-mucronate tips; the hypanthium and sepals are pubescent, and the base of the style is hairless. Osteomeles anthyllidifolia var. rounded-leaf, which grows in northern Guangdong (Renhua), Japan, the Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands, the Philippine Islands and Taiwan, China (Hongtouyu), differs slightly from Osteomeles schwerinae: leaflets 5-8 (15) pairs, nearly round or obovate-oblong, 0.4-0.6 mm long, tips rounded-obtuse or with a short mucro, hypanthium and sepals pubescent, base of ovary hairless. Some people treat the Osteomeles schwerinae produced in China as a variety of this species, and there is indeed good reason for this. These three are truly closely related species, but each has its own characteristics in form and geographical distribution.
I very much like bonsai made from Osteomeles. Whenever I see one at an exhibition or in a bonsai garden, I walk up close and admire it slowly. I observe its wild charm and naturalness, appreciate its elegance and unrestrained freedom, sense the creator's conception and design, and savor it in detail, perceiving the uncanny workmanship of nature, my mind wandering endlessly with the scenery. So-called technique is nothing more than dressing it up and applying makeup.
In nature, limited by its living environment and its own attributes, Osteomeles develops a natural posture only about a chi tall, of venerable age, with a trunk as thick as a sickle handle, and full of the marks of time. The gnawing and trampling of livestock along mountain roads, and the chopping and breaking by woodcutters carrying their loads, have further trained its "graceful and charming" handsome beauty. This beauty is an unrestrained ease won through decades of tempering and every kind of hardship; it is different from the kind of "panache" that wealth can arrange. It is a true panache that from the very bone can laugh proudly at the world and see through worldly affairs. "Trees have no distinction of high or low; people differ in taste." That is why I am devoted to Osteomeles.
In Yunnan, wherever there are mountains, it can be found. Large Osteomeles stump material is not plentiful, and material with a trunk diameter of more than 10 cm is very hard to obtain. Stumps can generally be transplanted in both winter and spring, and early spring is especially good. Its sprouting ability is extremely strong; small seedlings can be trained into forest-style or miniature bonsai. It tolerates pruning, has dense branches, bright green leaves, and takes shape quickly. Moreover, it offers three scenes in one year. In early spring when the new buds emerge, it is full of vitality and dripping with verdant green; entering April, the whole tree is covered in white flowers like snow in winter, and from more than a zhang away you can smell a faint delicate fragrance, giving a sense of "after the winter snow melts, a lingering fragrance remains"; after June, the tree is covered with fruits in green, red and black, rich and colorful, a magnificent sight that makes one reluctant to put it down. The fruit is edible, and the leaves and roots can be used as medicine. They have effects such as astringing and stopping diarrhea, clearing heat and detoxifying, and dispelling wind and dampness.
Cultivation and Management
Prune the root system and branches of Osteomeles appropriately according to your own conception and design, and it can be potted directly. In the first year of growing the stump, you can mound extra soil around the pot surface to increase survival. In the second year, remove the soil mounded on the pot surface to expose the original stump material, and thin out inappropriate new shoots and buds. If there are few new shoots and buds, you may skip pruning and wait until they grow stronger the following year before pruning branches and removing buds. When the branches grow to the thickness of No. 5 aluminum wire, you can do the first wiring to fix the branch positions. After styling, observe more, and when new leaves grow again, apply a suitably diluted liquid fertilizer to increase nutrients and promote growth. Osteomeles likes light; after it survives, place it in a ventilated, airy position with ample sunlight. Before it has taken shape, control the number of flowers and fruits as much as possible, and first build up strong branches and trunk. As long as care is done properly, in 3-5 years it can take shape or begin to take shape. Osteomeles has strong sprouting ability; the more it is pruned, the more vigorously new buds grow, so be careful to remove inappropriate buds and encourage the retained branches to thicken and take shape. For shaping Osteomeles, the combination of pruning and wiring is most suitable. Use wiring on thick branches to adjust form and direction, and mainly pruning on thin branches. Prune diligently, otherwise it will grow too dense and the small inner branches will easily die back. As the bonsai's age increases, crab-claw, deer-antler and weeping-willow forms will all develop once the years of work are sufficient. At that point, pot after pot of Osteomeles bonsai with gnarled roots and trunks, ancient and elegant, can take the stage.
Pest and Disease Control
Osteomeles has few pests and diseases; there are mainly two:
First, aphids. They generally occur easily in March-April and September-October. You can spray with beta-cypermethrin and abamectin, and 1-2 applications are enough.
Second is the most difficult-to-treat tree tumor gall. Once discovered, it must be isolated for treatment, because the gall is caused by a contagious mite and will quickly infect other Osteomeles bonsai, and it is especially hard to cure, bringing devastating harm to Osteomeles. Therefore, start with prevention and control: the placement site must be ventilated and airy with ample sunlight, and pay attention to routine water and fertilizer management. When watering, try not to spray water on the branches and trunk; if the branches and trunk are often wet from spraying, disease is likely to occur. During the vigorous growth period, spray carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl 1-2 times per month, and you can also mix in abamectin and spray together for a better effect. For galls that have already formed, use a metal piece or bamboo strip to clean out the gall thoroughly, then apply limewater or lime-sulfur mixture to the affected area, and after the limewater dries, apply abamectin or carbendazim. Do this once every half month, and it must be applied more than 3 times to be effective.
There are many categories of bonsai, but this editor believes Osteomeles is the best choice of bonsai material, because it not only has high ornamental value but mainly has strong vitality and is easy to keep alive. Friends who like bonsai can give it a try.
How to Make Yunnan Pine Bonsai? Cultivation, Styling, Care and Management Techniques for Yunnan Pine Bonsai
I think everyone knows about bonsai. The hardest part of bonsai cultivation is not whether it can be kept alive, but how to create the bonsai styling. According to what this editor has learned, bonsai with very good styling on the market are all extremely expensive, so how do we create bonsai styling? Below this editor will tell everyone about the cultivation, styling, care and management techniques for Yunnan pine bonsai.
Yunnan pine, commonly known as flying pine and long-haired pine, is an evergreen large tree of the genus Pinus in the Pinaceae family, Latin name: Pinus Yunnanensis. The bark is brownish-gray or reddish-brown, split into irregular scaly blocks or tortoise-shell-like plates, rarely shedding in piled masses. Winter buds are reddish-brown. Needles are in bundles of 3, with leaf sheaths, 10-35 cm long, soft. Cones are conical-ovoid, and the seeds have wings, which facilitate wind-borne dispersal.
I. Distribution
Yunnan pine is mostly distributed in eastern Tibet, western and southwestern Sichuan, Yunnan, western and southwestern Guizhou, and northern Guangxi. It is a major native tree species of the southwestern region. It is mostly distributed vertically in areas at altitudes of 1000-3200 m and is a strongly light-demanding, deep-rooted tree species. It has strong adaptability, tolerates dry winter and spring climates and poor soils, and can grow in acidic red soils, red-yellow soils or slightly limestone soils. It grows best in fertile, moist, acidic sandy loam with good drainage on north-facing or semi-shaded slopes.
II. Taming and Cultivation
The documented history of Yunnan pine cultivation dates to 1922, when the practice of cultivating it was already common among the people of Lijiang. However, it long remained at the stage of "styling" by suppressing nature and twisting the plant's form. True modern bonsai styling was, without doubt, influenced and inspired by the '99 World Expo, benefited from the development of the modern internet, and is inseparable from the leadership of the Yunnan Provincial Bonsai and Viewing Stone Association.
The growth of Yunnan pine is inevitably linked to geographical location and altitude. Taking an altitude of 2000 m as an example, from early January to mid-January the pine buds begin to swell, and as time goes on growth accelerates; from mid-February to mid-April is the fastest growth period. Yet January-May is precisely Yunnan's dry, rain-scarce season. Under such environmental conditions, Yunnan pine still enters a vigorous growth period, showing just how remarkable its drought tolerance is.
The root system of Yunnan pine consists of a vertical downward main root and multi-order branching lateral roots, forming a radish-like shape. Its main root can reach soil layers below 2.5 m, while the lateral roots spread horizontally. During the growth of the Yunnan pine root system, mycorrhizae also grow alongside it. Mycorrhizae are symbiotic bodies formed by fungi in the soil and the young absorbing roots of Yunnan pine, parasitic on the Yunnan pine root system. The huge fungal mass enhances the root system's ability to absorb soil nutrients and water, promoting the growth and development of the Yunnan pine root system and its drought resistance.
To tame and cultivate Yunnan pine, it is best to do so during the dormant period, that is, from October to January of the following year, heeling it in the ground with a soil ball for 1 year. After that, repot it into a flat-mouthed stump-growing pot, and it is best to use acidic sandy soil to facilitate drainage. Let it settle in the pot for two years, aiming to grow roots and force buds. According to the principle of apical dominance in plants, carry out bud-forcing or branch-loss retrenchment work.
III. Pest and Disease Control
Yunnan pine has many insect pests, including Cryptomeria caterpillar, Simao pine caterpillar, red spider mite, and scale insects. Diseases are mainly powdery mildew and sooty mold. Based on mature and safe experience, spray omethoate plus thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim once a month. The dosage is 2 capfuls of omethoate per watering can of water, with carbendazim as appropriate. Lime-sulfur mixture or imidacloprid can also be used. Some reference books extensively introduce experience with trichlorfon and dichlorvos for controlling Yunnan pine pests and diseases, but my personal lesson is that these two pesticides are forbidden.
IV. Two Varieties
It is generally believed that Yunnan pine has 2 varieties: one is fine-leaved Yunnan pine, and the other is ground pine.
V. Styling Methods
When heeling Yunnan pine into a stump-growing pot, choose a pot with a flat bottom and moderate depth. Let it settle in the pot for 2 years, which completes the root-growing and bud-forcing stump-growing period. During this time, promote full development so it grows a root system radiating in all directions, and carry out retrenchment work to adjust branch loss. There is a folk saying: dry promotes roots, wet promotes leaves. Therefore, reasonable and effective water control is key. Styling methods include breaking the trunk to bend it, cutting a groove to bend it, and bending without breaking the trunk. No matter which method is used, the first thing is to follow the theory of the "four branches method" in Chinese painting principles: emphasize momentum, emphasize qi, emphasize posture. To achieve this effect, one must do the following: a tree must first have its trunk, and once the trunk is established, adding points creates a dense forest. Transposed into modern Chinese: to make a good bonsai, you must first bend the main trunk into a reasonable position before working on the branches. Only in this way can a perfect state be achieved. Conversely, if the main trunk does not change, any change to the branches is meaningless.
This editor is not talking nonsense: good-looking bonsai really are not cheap. If any of you are interested in bonsai cultivation, you can talk about the Yunnan pine bonsai cultivation, styling, care and management techniques this editor has shared.
How Do You Plant Stump Bonsai? Key Points of Stump Bonsai Cultivation and Care Techniques
In recent years, bonsai has won many people's affection, and among them stump bonsai is one of the most richly colored types of bonsai. So how do you cultivate and care for stump bonsai? Below, the editor of Huinong Network will talk with you about the key points of stump bonsai cultivation and care techniques.
After a stump is dug up, it should be planted immediately. Before planting, prepare the needed items, such as nutrient soil, flower pots, and branch shears. Stump bonsai generally requires soil that drains well, has good air permeability, is nutrient-rich, and is rich in humus. For planting new stumps and established bonsai alike, you can mix the soil yourself. The method for making pot soil is as follows.
(1) Take 5 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold, 1 part rotted bean-cake residue, 2 parts rotted cow manure, 2 parts plant ash, and 2 parts yellow sand or river sand, mix thoroughly, and use.
(2) Dig up needle-leaf soil that has already rotted over many years from beneath pines and cypresses. Needle-leaf soil is acidic soil, loose and airy, permeable, and beneficial to plant growth. After digging it back, you can also mix in some garden soil and use it.
(3) You can also make it by composting garden soil with tree leaves. Compost one layer of soil, one layer of tree leaves, and one layer of human excrement or cow manure; in winter turn it over to freeze, and sieve it the following spring.
For rough stock, it is best to plant in a clay pot. Cut off the stump's damaged roots and diseased roots, and disinfect the roots; when conditions permit, add rooting agent during planting. For large wounds on the trunk, cover and tie them with plastic sheeting, or apply wound glue, to prevent the trunk from losing water. The planting method is the same as for general potted trees: first place a tile over the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, then add a small amount of nutrient soil to the bottom of the pot, then put the stump in, add soil around the roots, and keep pressing with your hands until the roots are buried in the soil.
What are the cultivation and care methods for stumps?
After the new stump is planted, water it thoroughly so the soil and roots make full contact. Then place the stump bonsai in a semi-shaded environment. Water thoroughly again the next day. After that, water only when the soil is on the dry side, but every day you should mist or sprinkle water on the stump several times to reduce water evaporation from the stem and prevent it from drying out. Note that the amount of misting should not be large; try not to let the pot soil become too wet, to prevent root rot from excessively wet soil. Pot soil that is too wet is also unfavorable for the growth of new roots.
Because rough stock loses some water during digging and transport, in the early potting stage the priority should be keeping it alive. After new leaves grow, it can be moved to a place with suitable light for care, and the stump bonsai can gradually be moved to a brighter place for cultivation. As the new stump grows, you can keep or remove branches according to styling needs, laying the foundation for future bonsai creation.
In growing the rough stock, besides water and fertilizer care and management, pay special attention to the following points:
(1) Cold protection
This is key to stump survival. Stumps planted in autumn and winter are themselves already damaged and lack cold resistance; if cold protection is neglected, the stump will find it extremely hard to survive. Methods of cold protection include placing it in a greenhouse, building a frame, or burying the pot in the ground and covering it with soil for warmth; as long as the pot soil does not freeze, it is fine. Because newly planted stumps have a very strong root water-absorption capacity, newly planted stumps also must not be placed in a greenhouse with relatively high temperatures, to prevent the stump from losing water and drying out. If the ambient temperature is relatively high, pay attention to frequently misting the branches and trunk to reduce water evaporation from the stump.
(2) Preventing the "false life" phenomenon
As soon as a newly planted stump sprouts, some people think it is already alive and relax management; in fact this is the "false life" phenomenon. Because the plant body itself has nutrients, as long as environmental conditions are suitable, even if new roots have not yet grown, the branches and trunk will produce new buds. At this time, pay attention to management, ensure water supply, and prevent the stump from losing water. "False life" is the first step toward true life, because these new buds, leaves and branches can carry out photosynthesis, promoting earlier rooting and manufacturing nutrients to improve survival.
Water Suitable for Watering Tree Bonsai
(1) Tap water. Most households use tap water. When using tap water to water tree bonsai, it is best to let the water settle in a bucket or vat for a day before use.
(2) River and lake water. Residents in remote areas and mountainous areas mostly use river or lake water for daily living. When using river or lake water to water tree bonsai, be careful never to use polluted river or lake water, otherwise it is unfavorable to tree growth and in severe cases can cause the tree to die.
(3) Groundwater. In some areas residents draw groundwater for use. Because groundwater temperatures vary greatly, when using groundwater to water tree bonsai, it is best to leave the groundwater in a bucket or vat for a day before use. When the plant height is about 160 cm, choose a sunny day to cut and harvest, spread the green grass evenly and let it dry in the sun for 2-3 days.