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Indoor Species Suggestion..
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Author:  JoshB [ 28 Aug 2015, 21:02 ]
Post subject:  Indoor Species Suggestion..
Hiya,

I have a banyan ficus and an upright informal chinese elm. They were both on my south facing window, but it proved too warm for the elm, and leaf scorch was a problem - I've currently moved it to a north facing window sill and it seems to be doing much better.

I very much like sinuous raft and semi-cascade styles and am trying to work out a species to work with. I really like Hawthorn, but although nowhere vaguely mentions indoors, I'm relatively sure it's a no-go? I've seen raft chinese elms, but given I know the window sill gets too warm, I'm looking for another species.

I've been looking at japanese pepper and holly, and fukien tea. I'm aware that the tea can be fussy, but it seems to lend itself towards what I'm aiming to achieve.. It also seems to do better at warmer temperatures than the elm.. any thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

Josh
Author:  Padi [ 29 Aug 2015, 08:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: Indoor Species Suggestion..
First is there any reason why the trees cannot live outside,all trees live outside.The so called in-door trees just come form a different temperate zone to say the UK and need more cold protection.But trees like the Chinese elms will do there best outside but might need some frost protection if weather is very cold.Elms will lose its leaves if out-doors winter time so just put in a very cool room like say a garage. As they have no leaves they will not need a lot of light but dont let the soil completely dry out.Myself would not recommend any so called in-door tree other than the ficus,or privet type.As most of these so called in-door trees are harder to keep especially trees like the fukien tea.
Author:  bonsaibirdy [ 29 Aug 2015, 08:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: Indoor Species Suggestion..
JoshB wrote:
Hiya,

I have a banyan ficus and an upright informal chinese elm. They were both on my south facing window, but it proved too warm for the elm, and leaf scorch was a problem - I've currently moved it to a north facing window sill and it seems to be doing much better.

I very much like sinuous raft and semi-cascade styles and am trying to work out a species to work with. I really like Hawthorn, but although nowhere vaguely mentions indoors, I'm relatively sure it's a no-go? I've seen raft chinese elms, but given I know the window sill gets too warm, I'm looking for another species.

I've been looking at japanese pepper and holly, and fukien tea. I'm aware that the tea can be fussy, but it seems to lend itself towards what I'm aiming to achieve.. It also seems to do better at warmer temperatures than the elm.. any thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

Josh


IMO if you have to keep a tree indoors I would stick with something like Ficus or Sageretia,they will tolerate low light levels better.Carmona is nice but a very temperamental tree,it will drop it's leaves if it's unhappy.I have one which I've had for over two years.It lives outside in Summer but when I bring it in for Winter it drops it's leaves,they grow back,I repot it it drops them again but so far they have always grown back and it seems healthy enough.I have a new one I got cheap about a month ago,put it into a bonsai pot with new compost and it will live on the kitchen windowsill.Now it did lose a few leaves but it's throwing out new shoots and flowering so I'll see how it goes.If you can get one cheap try it.

Cheers

Mo :201thumbup:
Author:  stymie [ 29 Aug 2015, 10:28 ]
Post subject:  Re: Indoor Species Suggestion..
As Padi says. There are no indoor species. All trees grow outside naturally. We interfere with nature by bringing trees from a warmer climate into our winters which they cannot withstand. These have to have some protection during the cold days but still grow much better outside when temps are above freezing.
Author:  JoshB [ 29 Aug 2015, 13:09 ]
Post subject:  Re: Indoor Species Suggestion..
Thanks for the replies - I live in an apartment, so I am having to utilise what I do have, and pick species that stand the best chance.. The Gordale bonsai weekend had a Japanese holly that I've just picked up for very cheap - the roots have pushed the tree up out of the pot, and the trunk has been wired to look unnaturally bent, but it may work quite well for a raft style, so the issues can be worked with for only a few quid to try it!

Josh
Author:  splendidplumage [ 29 Aug 2015, 16:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: Indoor Species Suggestion..
If you want to try raft and cascade styles, the species is less important than the shape of the tree. Most indoor species are only available as already styled bonsai and most will have been turned into curved informal uprights. It will be difficult to turn them into the quite different styles you are looking for.

So you want to be looking for ones that you can envisage looking credible lying on their side or being lent over. Might be tricky, depending how fussy you are.
Or find a tree that's young and skinny enough that it canbe rewired and altered.
Or, if you have the patience, take cuttings from existing appropriate species and grow the resulting trees in the styles you want because you will have full control of their development.
Lastly, see if you can identify a section of a tree with the desired shape that could air layered off to create the trees you want.
Author:  ironhorse [ 29 Aug 2015, 20:39 ]
Post subject:  Re: Indoor Species Suggestion..
Fukien Tea is not difficult to keep - but likes consistency in its environment, so putting outdoors in Summer and indoors in Winter is a good way to upset it. I have said before, they are more suitable from growing indoors all year round in our climate.
Ficus Benjamina is a good indoor candidate too, cheap to buy and quite fast growing, easy to care for and cuttings root quickly.

Dave
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