DECIDUOUS IN THE TROPICS???

[Loretta]

Hi there folks,

Mojo in his welcome to Jase has stated that cedars and various elms are as tough as old boots and cope with the dry heat of Adelaide. I was wondering and hoping...would any of these trees cope with the dry tropics and the humidity??
Maybe not as they're never in the nurseries but I'd love to try them. Please give opinions
thanks Loretta

[craigw60]

Hi Loretta, the best thing you could do is research the tree species and their native habitat and see what kind of temp./humidity they cope with there. I think cedar are cool climate trees and love the winter chill, I noticed a marked improvement in mine just moving from central Melbourne to here in the hills where it is about 6 degrees cooler. You have such wonderful tropical species you can grow, why not stick with them and they will really flourish for you.
Craig

[Loretta]

Hi Loretta, the best thing you could do is research the tree species and their native habitat and see what kind of temp./humidity they cope with there. I think cedar are cool climate trees and love the winter chill, I noticed a marked improvement in mine just moving from central Melbourne to here in the hills where it is about 6 degrees cooler. You have such wonderful tropical species you can grow, why not stick with them and they will really flourish for you.
Craig

Of course you're right Craig but deep down I'm still in love with all those magnificent trees that grow down south and also britain. My sister often tells me I live in the wrong country Sure I know we have beautiful trees up here and I've started collecting a few, but all the talk on this forum is about cold climate stock as the great majority of members are southerners...and I get very envious I'll have to stop thinking like that and be happy with what I can grow successfully.
Thanks for bringing me back to reality. I guess there'd be a few of you who would love to grow tropical trees too.
cheers Loretta

[craigw60]

Hi Loretta, its the human condition to want what we can't have. I was in the Cairns botanic gardens a few weeks ago and of course immediately wanted a tropical garden the plants are so beautiful and lush. I often look at the fabulous tropical bonsai around and would love to be able to grow some of them, but its not to be.
Have a look at the post I put up of the casusarinas from the Philipines, now there is some amazing tropical trees.
Craig

[Mojo Moyogi]

Hi Loretta,
from speaking to Noah78, Chinese Elm and Zelkova grew pretty well in Rockhampton, if you compare the climate graphs for Rockhampton and Townsville they have similar profiles, Townsville is quite a bit wetter and slightly hotter in mid summer, Rockhampton is slightly cooler in winter. Both have drier winters than most QLD coastal locations.

With Chinese Elm, it is not that Townsville is too hot, because they survive 40 degrees plus down here, what I would strongly recommend is that you use a open and free draining soil and be careful about using very shallow pots. You are probably going to need shade cover, I would doubt that you could grow Chinese Elms in full sun like we (should ) do down here.

Chinese Elm does not seem to need dormancy in the winter and will happily grow year round, I know that in Taiwan they grow Chinese Elm and Zelkova commercially.

In regard to Junipers, Shimpaku (J.chinensis) would be a better choice for your climate than J.squamata or J.procumbens

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Mojo

[Jamie]

hi loretta,

i cant agree more with craig and mojo, the best thing you can do is grow species that love it up here, there are also some deciduous that will grow well. the likes of celtis, swamp cypress, chinese elm, liquid amber, plantree's, zelcova.

the prob with deciduous and cold climate trees up here is not so much the how hot it is, or how cold it gets but its the high humidity that causes problems, i have found chinese elm are great up here, celtis seem to love it too, ofcourse swamp cypress as well.
if you can lower the humidity you will be able to grow some of the deciuous species, if you can eliminate the humidity you should be able to grow a wider variety, i am still trying to figure it out, was thinking of a green house and a de-humidifier but it would be quite expensive to try with no guarantee's of it working.

the best thing we can do up here is grow the trees that thrive in our climate, this way we get the most out of our trees and minimal dissapointment

Jamie

[craigw60]

what about pomegranate ? They make great bonsai.
Craig

[Glenda]

Hi Loretta,

Both Chinese Elm and Zelkova do just fine in Mackay. I have a Japanese Black Pine that is doing well, and a cypress and a cypress pine. I also have a Daintree pine you should investigate. Can't tell you about cedar, but there is a species here called Mackay Cedar (which I don't think is really a cedar). If you are after connifer type things, swamp cypress are just wonderful, and they turn georgeous goldy brown in winter, too. Fast growing and easily propagated.

Glenda

[Jamie]

what about pomegranate ? They make great bonsai.
Craig

Pomegranate would do very well up there, i would have them if they were easier to obtain.

jamie

[cosmo123]

Hi Loretta...although I am a wee bit more south than you...I have a 5 year old Chinese Elm forest that is currently budding like crazy. The forest gets the same treatment as all the other plants and actually is one of the most rampant growers of the lot...you would maybe keep an elm in a deeper pot up there to prevent it drying out...give it a run and see what happens...good luck.

[Matthew]

Ok From my 3 years of growing bonsai in rockhampton. From best performing to least

Chinese elm ( cork bark and normal, dont even bother with seji and hokkidi they wont make it)
zelkova (do very well for some reason and grow quick The new spring growth is very attractive
crape mertle grow very quick here
pomigranite ( have only grown the drawf variety with good succuss, flowers heavily looking for the normal one atm)
liquid amber (american sweet gum not the chinese varitey do well you may get abit of colour with a cold year, watch leaf burn in summer)
swamp cypress( keep moist and watch them grow )
trident maple ( needs alot of care and the right micro climate i grew them for 3 years but a hassle
japanese maple dont even bother they need a long dormant period and dont like the heat of townsville

conifers
shimpaku juniper does extremily well up north ( since moving south mine have tuned brown with the frost and cold this is however normal, they seem to be ok not having a long sleep
japanese black pine and jbp yatsubushi did not have any problems growing them for 3 years
casarinas boom on not much experiance
deodara cedar seems fine, atlantic will be doomed
squamata ok no problems , procumbans much fussier ( good thing is with alot of humidity red spider mite almost non exsistant)
japanese red pine did have a hiussy fit up there , looking much better since been south
mugo, scotts and white pine FORGET it
any of the spruces , firs YOUR KIDDING

evergreens
FIGS any of them!!!!!! since moving south i have had to build a humidity, heat controlled greenhouse for mine,i do miss the growth rates north but tridents and japanese maples make up for it
bouganvillas grow sooo quick and flower 9 months of the year (mine has taken on a decidious state sice moving south, very much still alive)
Privett keep it wet and watch the thing grow almost daily with constant pruing ramification is quick
lilly pilly fast growing
powder puffs
buxus no problems
brazian rain trees grow quick attractive bark
olives the african did better than the europerian variety

there are plenty more but thats mainly what i had

[Jamie]

Powder puff are calliandra spp. by the way.

If any of the people up north are after them i will have some solid stock and where from 2 inch trunk to 4-5inch which will be ready late spring/early to mid summer. let me know if you guys up north are interested

Jamie

[Graeme]

Loretta, I grew Chinese Elms when I was up in Darwin. Can't tell you anything of their long term viability as they never lasted long enough in my care, damn customers kept buyin them
I grew all my stock from seed obtained in Adelaide (from a friends swimming pool )
One thing I did find with them up there was that they HATED drainage, preferring a more heavy mix. My elm mix (Darwin) was about 75% fine potting mix to 25% course grit. The potting mix I used was the stuff that passed through my 1/8th mesh, the stuff I used to throw away when mixing 'normal' Bonsai mix.
Another tree you might like to try up your way is Tammarind. I have one which, believe it or not is totally deciduous in the pot. In the ground they are only partially deciduous, but in a pot mine drops every leaf. Easy to grow, tough as nails and makes a nice Bonsai. And yes they flower, but I have yet to get any fruit for some reason even though the last three years my tree has been totally covered with little yellow flowers.

[Loretta]

Hi Loretta,

Both Chinese Elm and Zelkova do just fine in Mackay. I have a Japanese Black Pine that is doing well, and a cypress and a cypress pine. I also have a Daintree pine you should investigate. Can't tell you about cedar, but there is a species here called Mackay Cedar (which I don't think is really a cedar). If you are after connifer type things, swamp cypress are just wonderful, and they turn georgeous goldy brown in winter, too. Fast growing and easily propagated.

Glenda

Hi Glenda

I don't remember ever seeing any of these trees in the nurseries here...maybe I just haven't noticed them, but I will be going with a list in my hand next time. If I can't buy them here maybe someone on the forum can organise something for me I was checking different sites and came across an alamanda bonsai...absolutely beautiful

Loretta

[Loretta]

what about pomegranate ? They make great bonsai.
Craig

Pomegranate would do very well up there, i would have them if they were easier to obtain.

jamie

Actually Jamie, I saw pomegranates at Mitre 10 just the other day, quite expensive if I remember correctly!! Might go and have another look or I may just have to take a drive to Mackay for all those fabulous trees Glenda mentioned

Loretta