AusBonsai

Hello everyone.
I have collected this umbrella tree and was wondering how much leaves should be left on. Very severe root pruning obviously but a fair few green aerial ones left.?
Thanks again,
Pierre

I have a Schefflera that I bought as a Life on a Rock, standing on a small oval container, with just pebbles in it. But it was the miniature kind, Hawaiian. I re-potted it in the bonsai pot it still stands in. This was in 2010 when first bought, In 2012 I cut off a metre from the four branches, it grew and grew again, I have now (2014) trimmed off around a metre from those branches again. But saved the cuttings, some outside with no leaves and some inside in a vase with leaves standing with layer of grit and sphag moss, and just covered the water. The cuttings are still well and from previous experience in 2012 they rooted, and I killed them by adding Seasol to the water, they rotted. This time I cut the bottom 2-3 inches bark and put some root hormone on them.
Personally, from what your picture shows, let it grow, as it is a nice size now and shape. There is no need to defoliate it, the leaves will not grow smaller from my experience.

Mine is a inside bonsai, but the original large umbrella tree, stays under the porch until the nights grow cold, and is brought in. (No mean trick, it is almost touching the ceiling). They say umbrella trees are hard to kill? Not impossible.
The large umbrella tree is over 25 years old. When it was small the kids drove a bike into it and severed almost one of the trunks. So I band-aided it, and it survived.

These are pics of when I first bought it. The frangi panni flower (real) gives a indication of size.

This is a full pic of new indoor bonsai, 'Life on a Rock'

And she grew and grew. But if you have taken it from the wild, why not put it in a large plant pot for a while just to see where it chooses to grow. I imagine you don't live in a temperate zone like me, but they can be grown inside in a bright warmish position. I'll get a pic of it now pruned, but have to reduce the pic size.

Cheers Pat

Hi again, I don't know if these pics will work. But I'll try.

More of the cropping and keeping cuttings.

Anyone know how to put these straight?

Hi Pat,

Thanks for the reply and pics. I have seen one of these "life on the rock", they are pretty cool, without the price tag I heard....
The umbrella tree was growing in a stag-horn on a palm tree in my garden. It is like a trunk chop, only aerial roots are left healthy and untouched. I planted it in a deep saucer with bonsai mix, as I reckon it big enough as it is and better off getting towards the right direction from beginning. I will definitely have to fight its vertical growing habit a little...
Not sure about the pics rotation, but I am pretty sure Steven posted a tutorial on that some time ago.
Pierre

Hi again, actually it didn't cost much, just $17. Four years again mind you.
But you have a lovely one there. Look after it.

Cheers

Pat

I know the dwarf Schefflera make great bonsai, this is one of Steven's: viewtopic.php?f=104&t=6366&p=173631&hil ... la#p173631

This thread has a fair bit of info (again, only on the dwarf variety though): viewtopic.php?f=104&t=9460&hilit=Schefflera

And this link also might be of some use (although relates to the northern hemi): https://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/ScheffleraBonsai.html

From what I can see, most use the dwarf variety due to the leaf size of the regular one, and have no idea whether they can be reduced or not, so might be suited to a large bonsai. They do seem to backbud very well though

Good luck!

Cheers Jason. It seems I didn't express myself clearly...
I am wondering how much of the leaves should I remove after collection and extreme root pruning? I have removed about half now but I feel there are still too many for the rootless trunk..
Cheers,
Pierre

Hi Pierre you can most of the leaves off - these are hard to kill. I think the others are suggesting this won't be suitable for bonsai due to the leaf size. If you go ahead with it keep us updated with regards to leaf reduction.

Thanks Tony.
Will do definitely.

I only remove the stem that has leaves, and the new sprouts come from there. Good article though. Good pics.

Cheers

Pat

Bonjour everyone,

For those in Brisbane, I am sure you are enjoying this sunny Monday as I am.... After a few month of growing, re-potting and chopping, this is an updated picture. I have no idea how it will heal such a large cut, but it looks like the cambium is slowly growing over the edges of it. I have been impressed by how much smaller the mature leaves are. It is only the start of the work/journey, but I am looking forward to learning heaps from it.
Pierre

Hi Pierre,

I like what you have done with this.

I collected one of these from my mother in-laws by ripping it from the ground, cutting it back hard with no leaves attached and wrapped it in wet newspaper. I then drove 5 hours home before potting it up and it charged on. Needless to say they are hard to kill. I have found new growth diverts back to full size pretty quickly and they will produce aerial roots if it's humid enough. I use clip and grow and cut above every second or third new leaf when it gets to size depending on what movement I want.

Ent

Hi Ent,

Thanks for the info. Have you ever seen a potted/bonsai one in flower?
Cheers,
Pierre

Hi Pierre,

No I haven't seen one in flower but I'm sure there would be photos on the internet. I have around 10 young ones I have in training as they pop up in my garden all the time plus the one I collected.

Ent