Japanese Silverberry - Eleagnus Umbellata

[Patmet]

This is a Japanese Silverberry I found at a nursery last year. This particular variety is Eleagnus Umbellata var. Rotundifolia so it has rounded leaves as opposed to the standard oblong leaves commonly used for bonsai.

So far I have repotted into a shallower pot, tidying up the roots. I've been gradually clipping and growing to pull the foliage back in, it was very leggy and bare on the interior. At this point now I have cut all the unfavourable branches that wouldn't work with the direction I want to head in. I can already see several back buds popping up along the trunk. It's a cool species with the striking silver underside of the leaves, and it will be great to get edible berries on it one day.

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August 2022 from nursery in grow bag

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The trunk that led me to choose this one from the bunch

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Initial root work

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October 2023 after several cut backs and growth

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October 2023 ready to head in the current chosen direction

[Patmet]

I did some more work on this in a Scott Martin workshop when he visited WA last year. I was unsure what to do with the lower left branch, and if it was worth keeping. We ended up deciding to remove it which I think is going to be better in the long run.

Not long after the workshop I repotted into a large terracotta pot in pumice/lava/pine bark mix to improve root system.

Still very early on in development but I'm feeling better about its direction. Letting the lower branches grow strongly to thicken while pruning the top more to promote more branches.

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12/10/24 before workshop

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After workshop

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19/11/24 after a repot into new substrate

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31/12/24

[melbrackstone]

It certainly sparked up from your first pic Pat! Love where you're taking it.

[Patmet]

It certainly sparked up from your first pic Pat! Love where you're taking it.

Thanks Mel!