Carlyj
Full Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:41 pm
Location: Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

new owner to a pyracanthum.. help! (Boxwood)

I believe my bonsai tree was a pyracanthum after researching many pictures and information on google, since the man selling me it forgot to tell me what kind it was. I am trying to care for it inside since the temperatures where I live are in single digits right now. I want to take it outside in the future, but before any of that, I need to find out how to water it properly. this man gave me the pyracanthum and told me to use a pan to water it. basically fill the pan up to a certain line, and the bonsai will suck up the water through the bottom. after reading some information on this web site, it seems to me that watering it from the top is a more natural approach, and all around healthier for it. Can someone give me an opinon?

User avatar
Gnome
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 5122
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A

Carly,

Welcome to the forum. I take it that you have already seen [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1479]this[/url] but if not check it out. Consider giving the chopstick method a try, it really helps at first to determine when to water.

Watering from the top is generally preferred but it certainly won't hurt to give it the occasional soaking either. Is your plant a Pyracantha, commonly known as Firethorn? Perhaps you can contact the seller for a clarification.

Norm

Carlyj
Full Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:41 pm
Location: Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

I truly wish I could contact the seller, but it was at a home and garden expo and I no longer can find any information on him at all. I also am unsure if it is a pyracanthum, especially since I don't see 1 inch thorns on it. I took a picture on my phone and I am now waiting for my email to receive it. as soon as I get it uploaded I will surely post it. My bonsai also came with loose pebbles on the top of it, almost like gravel. I am wondering if it is necessary to keep this on the top?

User avatar
djlen
Green Thumb
Posts: 660
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:37 pm
Location: Just East of Zone 7a

Hi Carly and welcome,

Does this help:
[url=https://www.bonsailearningcenter.com/Gallery/Galleryphotos/firethorn.jpg]Here's What It Should Look Like[/url]

[url=https://www.brusselsbonsai.com/care/care_sheets/Firethorn.html]How To Care For It[/url]

[url=https://www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Pyracantha.html]And Some More[/url]

Good luck with your new tree!!

Carlyj
Full Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:41 pm
Location: Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

djlen,

looking at the picture you sent me, I feel more unsure by the minute! the bark growth is vertical, and it is a lighter color, and not shiny in the least. it has no berries right now, and I figured maybe that was because of the time of year. the leaves on the image look exactly like mine though!

Carlyj
Full Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:41 pm
Location: Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

[img]https://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx120/carlyjemes/bonsaitree.jpg[/img]

User avatar
djlen
Green Thumb
Posts: 660
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:37 pm
Location: Just East of Zone 7a

Carly,

I'm still thinking that you've got some kind of Pyracantha. Somewhere in between the shininess you see in my photo and yours is where a normal Firethorn is. I wouldn't go strictly by the shininess of the leaves for an I.D. I would, for now, go under the assumption that you've go something (very nice btw) in that family and would treat it as such.
Please take and post another picture, closer up to the leaves if possible.

Many houseplants are in the Tropical/Sub-Tropical genre and many of them do not need excessive light to thrive. I would suggest that this plant get more light, for a longer period of time, than the average houseplant. It should be in as cool an environment as you can give it.
I'll give you an idea of what would be best from my perspective. If you had an unheated room (in the 50° - 60°F area) with a south facing window that you could put it in where it would get 8 or more, if possible, hours of light that would make it happy and it would 'rest' during it's stay in that room until Spring. That's the ideal. You, like most of us will probably not be able to duplicate that environment but that's a place to shoot for and get as close to as you can.
In April, on milder days when you start to see some temps. in the upper 40's & 50's you could put it outside for the day and bring it in at night. The house is dry so any humidity you can give it would help while it's inside.
If, we feel in the Fall, that it's definitely a Firethorn we will have further suggestions for you. I have kept them before and left them outside in a heavily protected area here in Jersey but you get colder in Stroudsburg than we do so it may have to be brought in each Winter after you allow it to experience some Fall cold. That's for later.
I would just follow the instructions on the links we've provided until we find that it's not a Firethorn.

User avatar
Gnome
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 5122
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A

Carly & Len,

Do either, or both, of you see a resemblance in these pictures? Keep in mind that these are of the tree in it's dormant state. I keep them in an unheated garage. This plant will be entering it's third year.

[url=https://img718.imageshack.us/I/ftplant.jpg/][img]https://img718.imageshack.us/img718/9519/ftplant.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img191.imageshack.us/I/ftleaves.jpg/][img]https://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4774/ftleaves.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Len,

These are from the batch of seedlings I mentioned to you before. I collected them without a positive ID. The tree had numerous orange berries in the fall. I don't recall if it had thorns and the tree has since been remove so I can't go back and verify. I thought they were Firethorn but now I am beginning to wonder.

Norm

User avatar
djlen
Green Thumb
Posts: 660
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:37 pm
Location: Just East of Zone 7a

Norm,

This why I asked Carly to post a picture, close-up of the leaves. I believe that there is no serration in Pyracantha leaves, at least not the varieties I've worked with.
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rain_on_a_pyracantha_leaf.jpg]This[/url] is what I remember them looking like.
The over all picture of your plant and your description of the berries do sound and look like Pyracantha though. Variety difference?
I know that if I saw that plant in your garage I'd tell you I thought it was a Pyracantha.

Carlyj
Full Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:41 pm
Location: Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

this should help.
[img]https://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx120/carlyjemes/100_5294.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx120/carlyjemes/100_5296.jpg[/img]

User avatar
djlen
Green Thumb
Posts: 660
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:37 pm
Location: Just East of Zone 7a

Well Carly,
I believe you've got yourself a nice little Pyracantha AKA Firethorn.
Can you give it anywhere near the environment that I mentioned previously?
It will like it cool and bright at the very least. And keeping it misted and/or a drip tray with some water in it will help.
Looks like a nice light, free draining medium which when watered from the TOP should let the water pretty much run off quickly.
It sounds as though it's been indoors for a while now so it should be OK till Spring.

Carlyj
Full Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:41 pm
Location: Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

Len,
I'm happy to say that I have a perfect spot for my pyracantha until spring. Down in my basement we have a south facing window directly above ground that gives off a temperature about 50 degrees. I am going to try to find a way to keep it propped up there, as the ledge is too small and it is high up in the air lol. Thank you for all of the help. I can't wait to post pictures during the summer if it flowers like it's supposed to!

The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Hi Carlyj!

I'm 95% sure this is not a pyracantha and the only way to be 100% is to actually hold and look at the plant. So if you don't want to pay for the plane ticket and lodging, you are just going to have to settle for pretty darn sure... :wink:

Leaf structure, branching and bark all suggest a boxwood; I think one of the Sheridan nursery B. sempervirens/B. microphylla crosses to be the most likely candidate. Pyracantha leaves are very pointed; your are what we call bifurcated, no thorns, no fruit, and the tinges of chlorotic growth suggest boxwood in a very strong way to me...

Soil biologies are VERY important to this genus, so I recommend organic fertilization and treatment as part of your care, but once you get your soil nice and healthy those cultivars are about as care free as you can find. Never too much sun, medium moisture, and avoidi8ng boxwood decline with good biological practices is you best bet. Enjoy!

HG



Return to “BONSAI FORUM”