Arbutus Unedo "irish strawberry tree"

[krittas]

Just wondering if anyone has had any experiances with growing these trees as bonsai...i have one which i think will make a great little tree....If anyone has any care instructions to help, it would be much appreciated...something differant i thought..

[banksia]

Had one for about 2.5yrs now and I've found it to be very forgiving. Treat as you would most evergreens (i.e repot Spring, handles clip and grow & wiring no probs etc..) Beautiful flowers and fruit (if you can get them to ripen fully ) There's a nice one at the moment on IBC posted by Walter Pall (although not his tree). Not often seen as Bonsai but a very worthy subject indeed...IMHO

Cheers!
Anthony

[krittas]

Had one for about 2.5yrs now and I've found it to be very forgiving. Treat as you would most evergreens (i.e repot Spring, handles clip and grow & wiring no probs etc..) Beautiful flowers and fruit (if you can get them to ripen fully ) There's a nice one at the moment on IBC posted by Walter Pall (although not his tree). Not often seen as Bonsai but a very worthy subject indeed...IMHO

Cheers!
Anthony

thanks anthony.... i think there was one on display at the bonsai show in fremantle the other week so was hopeing someone on here may now about them...

[nealweb]

You must be from Perth then krittas, i saw that one in Freo too and thought it was great. Alot of fruit, I asked whose it was so I could ask then about it but the guy I asked didn't know. I have two of them but have - like banksia suggested - found it hard to get mine to hold mature fruit. I have just repotted my second into akadama after the first responded very well to it. It is starting to flower now and i am hoping to get some fruit tohold on, not drop and develop full colour. Though I didn't get to talk to the owner I thought that his tree looked like it had had a harder life than mine, ie maybe I was watering and feeding mine too much, his/hers had smaller and paler leaves, it also had lots of fruit and looked great.
I agree they are a nice bonsai subject, good luck with yours. they have appeared here before so if you search around you may find some other threads.
Good luck,
n.

[bonzaidog]

Spot on Neal...Rob..there's a good thread started by Craig w titled Arbutus ,and I remember reading a Bonsai Focus edition ,can't recall which ed. that ran an article on them...my Croatian mate recalls growing up with them all over the place on the island he grew up on,hacked back for firewood ,or stock feed....they back bud on old wood no problems and as such would be a good larger Yamadori prospect and /or ariel layer project....there's a lot more around the Perth metro area than you may realise too! ....Dog.

[krittas]

thanks guys...have found some information about them....ie drought tollerant,hardy shoot from old wood etc etc...but none on or from ppl using them as bonsai...i thought there maybe more ppl on the east coast that may have used them....will do a search on here tried before but used the common name....

hey dog how are those olives going now? mine are now going ballistic since the heat has arrived.....

[Craig]

Hi krittas, From my experiences arbutus dont like to be overcared for, i treat mine the same as i treat my pines/junipers,, water often allowing the pot to dry out slightly before next watering. They are Drought and Lime tolerant and mine get fed with powerfeed every 10days,,,, Craig

[krittas]

Hi krittas, From my experiences arbutus dont like to be overcared for, i treat mine the same as i treat my pines/junipers,, water often allowing the pot to dry out slightly before next watering. They are Drought and Lime tolerant and mine get fed with powerfeed every 10days,,,, Craig

thanks craig.another WEST OZ.was that your tree at the show??.what about trimming when is the best time...was thinking now...what do you reckon....

[Craig]

Hi mate, No not my tree at the show. they can be trimmed all thru spring and most part of summer, same for wiring, altho i tend to let the new shoots lignify first as i dont like touching the spikey hairs on the new shoots,they stick in your finger tips What i love most about Arbutus is the flaking and shedding bark Craig