Vireya Rhododendron

[MattA]

Mentioned this tree in another post yesterday, it was due for a bit of a look see. It is a Vireya hybrid (viriosum x macgregoriae) x christianae. Bought from a nursery & was about 10yrs old at the time. I have had it for 7 years and I have learnt alot from it. It will never be a traditional looking bonsai, more a potted oddity. The deadwood is naturally formed as a result of over pruning it in the early years. You have to be very gradual about how you cut wood out and when you do there has to be enough local growth to continue the sap flow otherwise it just dies right back.

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Last spring I pruned out all the new growth and repotted. It has put out lots of new growth since then but better still it has started to back bud all over the place. Normally vireya's are lanky & sparse branching so to get the backbudding i am is fantastic. It gives me hope that in time i can bring the foliage masses closer into the trunk. The tree has never been healthier so I decided to remove all the new growth since spring to force the tree to put its energy into the developing buds.

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I did have a photo of it in full flower last autumn but cant find it at the moment. It usually flowers spring & autumn & spot flowers thruout the rest of the year. In full flush the whole tree is covered in bright orange trumpets.

Matt

[anttal63]

Hey Matt; Yes a load of character on that wood but a damn shame about its growth characteristics. Still it can be your potted sweeat heart always waiting.

[MattA]

she is my sweet heart. It was in a hanging basket & i just fell in love with the way the branchs rolled up & down. I did alot of research on growing them before pruning it 5yrs ago but still lost over half the tree to dieback. It had a few years of free growth & 2yrs ago it had regained enough strength to start testing pruning methods.

As i said i have learnt alot from it about how it grows & how i can work with its natural habit. Before repotting the leaves had reduced by half & the shoot length had also shortened considerably. Shortening all first stage shoots by half reduces the next shoot length & leaf size and increases ramification.

I estimate it will be atleast 3-5yrs before i can look at shortening branchs back to the new buds. Maybe in another 20-50yrs it might look more like a bonsai than an oddity. One of the joys of bonsai for me is the ability to grow tree species that i dont have room for or need special conditions to thrive.

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Another view of the trunk and roots. I love the maturing bark this tree has, when bits peel off its a beautiful red brown underneath.

Matt

[MattA]

A quick update as i took a couple pics the other day... The backbuds have grown strong enough for me to consider shortening a couple branches come spring but the new apex will need another year or so before its at the same stage. Overall I am happy with her progress & am given hope it may be possible to turn this into something half worthy of the title of 'bonsai' in 20yrs not 50

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[MattA]

Thought I would share this tree while it puts on the best show of flowers in many years. The display will continue for a month or so as many new buds burst open.

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I ended up removing the top back branch during august as the tree really fired up with a huge flush of new growth. As each branch finishes flowering it will be shortened back to the nearest fork, my hopes is this will push even more energy into backbuds closer to the trunk.

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Other 3 sides for reference.

Matt

[Andrew F]

That's purdy.

[smithb]

@Matt: Thanks for sharing the pictures. The blossoms are fantastic. Love the color of them. I once used a flowers UK free delivery and on their website I saw similar flowers but I cannot remember their name. Of course it was not a bonsai. Maybe I can find them again. I also would love to have such a flowering bonsai.

[MattA]

Thanks guys, I love it and even more now. I was given a beautiful pot last week & I couldnt resist repotting the day I got home... I just had to make sure the nebari would fit. ?.

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With a bit of wiggling & lots of odd angles she just scraped in... I removed all the flowers & buds so it could concentrate on gettings its roots down into the new mix, 1/4 rich garden soil, 1/2 well composted mulch (3yr old load from a tree lopper, composted orchid bark would be an alternative) 1/4 3-5mm basalt chip... She showed a bit of wilt in a couple of new shoots for a day or 2 but otherwise its looking good. Its still in its permanent position getting full sun.

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Now the tail is no longer restricted by the pot, stay tuned for some string work

Matt

[anttal63]

Yep still a sweet heart !!!

[Craig]

it's a nice little tree alright, looks better in the new pot Matt,

[MattA]

@ Antonio, yeah mate she is definitely the sweet heart of my trees.

@ Craig, little I have never measured but just did, tip to tail is just under 100cm

It has settled into the new pot beautifully and has a heap of new flower buds forming, I cant wait to see it in full bloom again

[MattA]

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[The Hacker]

Hi Matta

That's a very tree I do like it very much I also like the pot that you have it in

Regard's The Hacker

[MattA]

Thanks Hacker, This is close to the back of the tree, the front is not so good..

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I got some good backbudding including one that will eventually fill the void on the right side of the apex, might try a virt later to show where i see it heading.

Matt

[The Hacker]

Hi Matta

I do like it from close to the back as you can see that very nice blue pot & also I do like very much how this side show's the gray colour of the trunk I think & that's only my opinion this would make a very nice front & over time you can just train it with a little tip pinching here & there

Regard's The Hacker