Life Expectancy

[MelaQuin]

Some plants are knocked back because they are reputed to have a short life expectancy. The attitude is 'why bother if it is going to die?' Well, I have seen dead black pines and they have a long life expectancy. I have also seen, now deceased, a 12 [as in twelve] year old full cascade alyssum which is a flowering annual, not even a shrub. And it was lovely. So why not enjoy a short term beauty while cultivating other longer lived species? Wattle is supposed to be short lived but Ray Nesci has long cultivated a stunning longifolia bonsai that is now over 30 years old.

The average orchard age of a cherry tree is 120 years... Japan has cherry bonsai that are over 300 years. So our careful cultivation obviously increases the life of a plant so don't use 'it doesn't live long' as an excuse to avoid trying a species. After all, in the final analysis who are you going to pass your collection to? It is a very specialised interest and the children/grandchildren are more than likely not interested. So play with what you want to play with just because it is fun. If we live in a world of immediate gratification so what's wrong with short lived trees for short term pleasure.

Zieria are reputed to be unstable and short lived but I am cultivating two with the hopes of a few seasons [and a few seasons more] of their lovely shiny deep green leaves and the tiny pink flowers. So it soon dies [maybe]... so I can have a spot to get another plant. In the meantime... I am ENJOYING.

[kcpoole]

I have always thought the put a plant into a pot and care for it like we do will extend the life indefinitely.
Sy you mention Ray has Wattles that are old as well as Lantana and others

Ken

[Bretts]

I have given this some thought latley. Colin lewis states in his care manual book that a tree dies once it has grown to big for the nutrients to get from the roots to the leaves. He states that a tree in bonsai cultivation will never experience this. He suggests that in theory a tree in a bonsai pot can live forever. I have given this thought concerning Ray's Wattle. Possibly the shorter lived trees such as wattle have less resistance to this, as in a much shorter tree is unable to transport the nutrients.. Still as long as the roots and branches were regulary trimmed it seems in theory even the wattle may be able to live forever.
My one problem with Colins theory is that a tree will back bud for many stress reasons. I wonder why a tree would not back bud and let the top die of to avoid death. Mother nature works in strange ways?

Orchid trees start to slow down in production after a certain amount of years but I have read that if the tree was dug up and root pruned as well as branch pruned it has a re-emergance of vitality. Apaerantly it was cheaper/easier just to grow new trees. I can't see that.
There was an article in the local paper here about gratfing new stock onto old orchid root stock. It stated that the grafted stock grew very fast on the established root stock. There was some mention of this vitalising the top of the tree but The main benifit was a change of variety to suit the market
I have a picture in my mind, of a farmer jumping a tractor through a hoop that is held by a woolies executive with a wistle in his mouth

[Pup]

When I started in Bonsai like all beginners grab what you like the look of. Even variegated ficus!!.
I did not know what was or was not long lived because at that stage. I was on my own.
Then I joined the Bonsai Society of WA.
What an eye opener.!!
If a woman can lift it it was not a Bonsai natives die when you touch the roots. These are short lived .
Well I have always been one for it cant be done I will try. In our Climate here in the West I have said it is a challenge to keep alive a Shito sized tree.
I was challenged 5 years ago you wont keep that alive till Easter by one of the Bonsai nursery people here in the west. I not only kept alive. It is as is all the other Miniatures I have in my collection thriving.
Today is going to be a challenge because we are expecting 41 with strong gusting East winds. So I will have to water them at least 3 maybe 4 times to day.
If you are going to grow tree's you have to provide the right environment for them. So in doing that you will have trees with you all of your natural life. As I have said when I am dead and have moved to the void, mortals can then look after them.
By the way the President of the club at that time was oft heard to say and I quote ( when you prune the roots of a plant it is like giving it a new heart. Which will keep growing, so as not to tax it too much we must prune some of the excess limbs to help it to keep pumping. ) I think that summed it up for me. So I have been working with short lived plants ever since. As you can see in my post Houdini Pup

[MelaQuin]

And enjoying every moment of them,I reckon Pup.... even if beauty is shortlived it still stirs the heart and mind and is worth the trouble.

Do you put wicks in your small pots and keep them in water trays? Works here. I must admit, luckily I was home on our 45 degree day and it was watering every 2 hours and even then I had some losses... nothing serious but still, one loss upset me. But that means more room on the bench.