Potensai?

Saint Jonny · Thu May 19, 2011 10:20 am

Moved into my house 9 months ago and there's the tree below in it that I reckon would be lovely if it were trunk chopped and Bonsai-ed! I don't know what it is though. Can anyone help?

[img]https://micradendra.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/dsc03553.jpg[/img]
[img]https://micradendra.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/dsc03554.jpg[/img]

kdodds · Thu May 19, 2011 11:43 am

Rose of Sharon, looks like. Leaves do not reduce well, so it would have to be a larger bonsai, around the 3' mark. Flowers, as well, are quite large, too large, IMO, to make a nice bonsai. You might want to try, then, Anisodontea scabrosa or Pavonia praemorsa.

Saint Jonny · Thu May 19, 2011 1:49 pm

Looks right after google searching "Rose of Sharon"! I was only considering it cos it's right there in my garden and because the trunk has a wonderful bit of tapering going on in the first 8 inches or so. I may have to think again before chopping it down then! Thanks!

kdodds · Thu May 19, 2011 1:51 pm

No worries... they're weeds anyway, in a few years, if unchecked, you should can more than a dozens "recruits" with bonsai potential. My father in law curses them and pulls hundreds of foot high seedlings every year.

froggy · Thu May 19, 2011 2:04 pm

Lol, there I was going to say 'but it looks like a hibiscus to me' - duoh, it's a kind of hibiscus....
I planted some branches that the snow plow hacked off this winter - they sprouted leaves right away, but are only now putting out roots. only the bigger cuttings made it through the move though... (about 4" long and 3/4" thick)
So you could probably quite easily root good sized cuttings to play with.
They also grow very well from seed.