Celtis africana - Ignorance produced a nice little tree.

[lennard]

I would like to share the progression of this Celtis over a two year and three months period:

This is the tree July 2009, 10 months after the chop:

VERKLEIN PYLE.jpg

This Celtis Africana grew as a selfsown seedling, for about three years, in this bag that had another plant(it died) growing in it.

October 2008, when I started in bonsai, I did a "trunk chop" my way (The chop looked ugly and I carved a scar to give the smooth trunk "character)......... it survived

The ugly chop and scar:

scar close-up.jpg

It had a few big roots growing out of the holes in the bag which I cut off. The three roots growing through the drainage holes would add to the character of the tree.
(I did not knew it then )

The trunk of the tree stands about 17cm high.

This is the tree October 2009:

after replant.jpg

Two months after cutting a lot of thick roots, cutting back and replanting in my new mix the tree was growing well.

Still October 2009. I have cut back again and did some wiring/styling. The promise of a nice nebari formed by the mentioned three roots are visible:

side b.jpg

March 2010- A Celtis in the Boabab style?

1.jpg

The tree today:

Front A

Front A.jpg

Front B

Front B.jpg

I really enjoyed the journey making this tree into a bonsai. There is some minor changes I still have to make and I need to grow out the little wired twig in the middle of the tree. The tree will be defoliated tomorrow.

Any advice and comments welcome.

Lennard

[Taffy]

Nice tree Leonard. I think I prefer photo 'A' as the front. Certainly a good strong looking trunk.

[Graeme]

I reckon you go with Taffy's suggestion as well, nice little tree on the way there mate.

[Mitchell]

Sorry Lenard, does not do it for me. I need a story.

But seriously, other one had a whole heap of character, I'd like to see that in this.

I'd like to see more ramification/branching before I'd pick a front. Either looks good atm.

[lennard]

Thanks for the compliments Graeme and Taffy, I really like this tree.

Mitchell, the tree is still under construction. Because the leaves reduce tremendously and the twigs get very fine I am probably going to build smaller distinctive pads in the current pads - that will make the tree looks much older.

I call this a Baobab style but that is not 100% the branch structure of a real Boabab. It's only the trunk and silhouette that resembles a Baobab.

The pot is also not suited for the tree and style but to show it of at club meetings I have potted it in the oversize training pot.

Thanks for replying.

Lennard

[lennard]

An update of the Baobab style Celtis in it's winter silhouette:

June 2012.jpg

The tree is coming along nicely and in it's winter silhouette it really looks like a Baobab. I have started to build the smaller canopies and ramification of the branches is also coming along nicely. The accidental/stupidity scar is also healing nicely and the cambium is rolling over the chopped areas.

A drawback at this stage is that the very fine twigs(needle thickness) is dying back to the thicker tertiary branches - no big problem because they can be regrown. Next season I will not pinch them back so late in autumn to give them the chance to mature.

Any thoughts on a new pot(if necessary) will be appreciated.

Lennard

[Bougy Fan]

Love it Lennard

[Andrew Legg]

Hey Lennard,

Starting to look good mate. I think you have two options for this tree for pots, and in my mind it depends what you are trying to achieve with the tree. It could work well as a bonsai in a pot, or even better (in my opinion as part of an African scene. The nebari of the tree is not great, and this is one reason why I think it will work better as part of a bigger planting. So, were it my tree, I'd look for a nice big flat oval pot with no glaze. The idea would be to create the sense of openness in which these trees often grow.

I've heard that the trick with Celtis africana is to give them a good low nitrogen feed (tomato food etc) in late summer and autumn, and then give them a good solid winter pruning. I believe this helps to prevent die-back.

Cheers,

Andrew

[Tony Bebb]

Looking very nice Lennard. Got the Boabab look alright.

I agree with Andrew on the pot, but I think an oval pot the length of what it is in now or just a little bigger, but shallower, would be nice. Grey unglazed would be a good colour if you can find it. A little off centre to the left.

Good feeding coming into winter and then a late winter prune does work well for most deciduous trees. Late summer and late winter I give them a stuctural clean out and tip prune. Gets them ready for good growth in autumn and spring.

Nice work

Tony

[Craig]

Very nice Lennard, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY aswell mate, Take care eh.

[Andrew Legg]

Lennard,

Here's the kind of pot I envisaged, but I probably put the tree a little to far to the left, and you'd need to throw in some rocks etc. Even a small accent plant - succulent maybe on the other side of the planting?

lennard.jpg

Cheers,

Andrew

[lennard]

Thanks for all the positive replies - I really appreciate it.

I like the idea of the shallow unglazed oval pot and also the idea of putting a rock and a succulent, like a miniature Aloe, imitating the natural habitat of the Baobab tree. The larger oval pot will also give the tree enough root run.

Thanks for the growing advice also.

Will update as soon as I have re-potted the tree.

Lennard

[Barry1]

Fantastic progression of a very nice tree ...listen to Taffy he knows what he is talking about

Barry

[Andrew Legg]

Thanks for all the positive replies - I really appreciate it.

I like the idea of the shallow unglazed oval pot and also the idea of putting a rock and a succulent, like a miniature Aloe, imitating the natural habitat of the Baobab tree. The larger oval pot will also give the tree enough root run.

Thanks for the growing advice also.

Will update as soon as I have re-potted the tree.

Lennard

Hey Lennard,

In a shallow pot like that, just keep an eye out for the roots getting heat stress in the height of summer.

Cheers