Avocado Tree as Indoor Bonsai?

[chrisp1]

I recently planted an avocado seed in a pot (the seed is half covered with the soil) and placed it indoors on an east facing window ledge. The seed has now sprouted and the shoot is now about 2" tall and 'looking good'
I am ok with pruning when the time comes but has anyone got any advice/tips on how to progress 'growing wise'? e.g. How long do I leave it attached to the seed ... can it continue to be grown as indoor tree ... etc. etc.

[tomc]

It IS an understory tree (potentially a good thing), It has monstrously huge leaves (a not good thing).

On balance I have never found a successful avocado in bonsai training. Generally speaking, bonsai are shorter than the average person is tall. Too small for avocado.

[rainbowgardener]

Mostly agree with tom.. Avocado is a decent tree for indoor growing (though like most plants it benefits from a summer vacation outdoors). And in its natural state it does have huge leaves, that wouldn't be considered appropriate for bonsai, being all out of proportion to a small tree.

Here's an avocado tree in a pot:


https://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w49 ... M_0084.jpg


But apparently if you know what you are doing, it is possible to reduce the leaves somewhat.


https://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img545/6683/avocado.png


Here's the website that picture is from, that has some interesting info about avocado bonsai:

https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t11518-avocado-bonsai

But at best it is a difficult tree to work with for bonsai, soft trunk taking a long time to harden up, very apically dominant, doesn't branch real well, etc.

[tomc]

I don't want to sound like I'm piling on, one of the hardest things to reduce for bonsai is the internode length. IE that space between branches. Its just too big to make bonsai with an avocado.

I think you can overwinter this tropical tree with some supplimental light. In short you can keep it inna pot, but its not going to take that last walk into a shallow pot, as bonsai.

[applestar]

(With an Aussie accent) That's not an avocado tree in a pot. THIS is an avocado tree in a pot.

They will tolerate much smaller container than any one has the right to squeeze them in, but the leaves will get bigger every year. The bigger tree has 18-20" leaves.

...AFAIK you only get little leaves like that on new shoots.

[garmy yo]

I am trying a couple avocado experiments this winter. This first one, pictured below, I am going to leave the wire on it so that the trunk grows around it, in an attempt to get a thicker trunk. And I am hoping that by keeping it in a small pot and trimming the roots often, I can keep the leaves from getting too big.
The second experiment, I am sprouting 3 seeds in the same pot and I will weave them together to try to give the impression of a thick trunk. Only one of the 3 is sprouted so far. Hopefully, the other two won't be too far behind.

[rainbowgardener]

I have seen trees braided like that, often money tree or hibiscus. I did find some avocado trees also:



I wouldn't call it a bonsai, but it is interesting.

The avocado bonsai picture I linked to has disappeared. I looked for another one and couldn't find much. This is an indication of how difficult it is:

[applestar]

That's cute (LOVE the teacup planter ) ...even if it turns out to be just a temporary decorative effect -- but hopefully, you'll be successful. Keep us posted on it and the others' progress.

[JasonFL]

Very cool, what you already have is fairly interesting if it doesn't work out

[rainbowgardener]

But what do people think about the idea of leaving the wire on? Won't that eventually harm the tree?

I know I have seen the pictures of trees growing around all kinds of things:



this one is pretty amazing, a tree growing around and engulfing a Buddha statue:



But still, I know we wrap trees, because if they get girdled by something eating the bark, they die.

[applestar]

Rainbowgardener, I think you are wondering about that because you are forgetting that this is meant to become a bonsai. In bonsai culture and training, using soft pliable but firm wire to wrap then manipulate the stems and branches into taking a desired form is a common practice. The wire is meant to be wrapped, inspected regularly, and re-wrapped as needed... And once the tree's bark hardens and maintains the shape without the wire, the wire can be removed.

I've been eyeing a couple of spools of "Bonsai" wires that to my inexperienced sense of wire pricing seem expensive for the amount, but have not purchased them yet. I wonder if there is ANY household wire that can be substituted?

(I also decided that I'm not using any thorny or spiny trees as my future bonsai subjects if they need to be wired for proper training. )

[rainbowgardener]

Rainbowgardener, I think you are wondering about that because you are forgetting that this is meant to become a bonsai. In bonsai culture and training, using soft pliable but firm wire to wrap then manipulate the stems and branches into taking a desired form is a common practice. The wire is meant to be wrapped, inspected regularly, and re-wrapped as needed... And once the tree's bark hardens and maintains the shape without the wire, the wire can be removed.

But garmy said: " I am going to leave the wire on it so that the trunk grows around it, in an attempt to get a thicker trunk."

Presumably letting it grow around the wire as in my pictures and never removing it.

that was what I was questioning.

Even if it doesn't kill or seriously harm the tree, it might give this effect:



trees that grew around Chrismas lights that were left on them. Don't know if that's what garmy was going for.

[garmy yo]

Thanks for all your replies. Yes, I plan on leaving the wire on so that the trunk completely grows around it. I read in another thread that a person who bought a bonsai was told to leave the wire on to increase the trunk size. So that gave me the idea to try it.
Here is another picture after I gave her a haircut. She has a lot of energy and wants to take off, so I am keeping her trimmed back as much as possible. Maybe leaving the wire on will also slow down her growth?

[garmy yo]

Update:
I changed my mind and decided to remove the wire on the trunk. It left a couple scars, but since the plant is so young, I think they will heal.
The plant has put out a couple shoots in very nice positions, which I will take advantage of and let them be the directions of future growth.

[applestar]

This is SO CUTE!
-- definitely worthy of showcasing and a fun project.

Even if it turns out to be short lived in terms of decorative value due to issues previously mentioned, it really looks like you could enjoy the baby tree in the seedling stages -- I believe there is a name for that kind of "bonsai" -- it looks like you can play with the process for a good while.

Good work -- keep posting progress updates, I'm really enjoying this

[tomc]

The redened leaves in the last photo make me wonder if your teacup has any drains drilled into it. If not then those red leaves are symptoms of drowning.

[applestar]

It's OK, I think they are just very young leaves. Often the case with tender new leaves on tropicals like avos and mangos.

[garmy yo]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, applestar! I am having a lot of fun with this project, but it is nice to know that someone is following along.
Here is my latest photo. I tied her down yesterday. Now she looks like an angry dragon.
P.S. Yes, there is a drainage hole. So far I have been removing the leaves before they mature and turn green.

[garmy yo]

Update photo:
I may let the two leaders get a couple feet tall before I cut them off. That should really help thicken up the trunk..

[garmy yo]

Avocado bonsai project #2. All three seeds have now sprouted and are being trained to slowly twist around each other. I am hoping the trunks will eventually fuse together and give the appearance of one thick trunk at the base.

[applestar]

Ha. That should be interesting!

[tomc]

I've been eyeing a couple of spools of "Bonsai" wires that to my inexperienced sense of wire pricing seem expensive for the amount, but have not purchased them yet. I wonder if there is ANY household wire that can be substituted?

Any copper wire can be used. Buy the largest gauge wire that will work for you. Ignore plastic insulation (more on that later). I look for mine at my local 'Ace' hardware store.

When it comes time to prep some build a small charcoal fire in the BBQ burn off the insulation, bingo annealed wire ready to use. Do it about as you need it.

[imafan26]

Interesting thread. I never thought of an avocado as an understory tree. They get to be 50 ft tall here and are for the most part poor candidates for pots because we don't have a lot of dwarfs and most people want avocadoes, lots of them especially if you have to wait 9 months for the fruit to mature.
Trees with big leaves and long internodes are hard to turn into bonsai. Potting avocado will keep it smaller for a while but usually it is not going to be in a bonsai pot.

[applestar]

This is SO CUTE!
-- definitely worthy of showcasing and a fun project.

Even if it turns out to be short lived in terms of decorative value due to issues previously mentioned, it really looks like you could enjoy the baby tree in the seedling stages -- I believe there is a name for that kind of "bonsai" -- it looks like you can play with the process for a good while.

Good work -- keep posting progress updates, I'm really enjoying this

I think the term I was looking for here is "Kusamono" and although mostly non-woody/grassy plants are used, seedling trees seem to be also allowed for this kind of form.

[garmy yo]

Update photo
The leaves are getting large now. I am going to let them keep growing to burn off some energy stored in that big seed. Once it gets to a couple feet high I will cut it way back and defoliate..

[Pilot]

Garmy yo, It looks wonderful. I was just about to give up my bonsai avocado idea but now made my mind thanks to you. Any chance we can see how are your trees right now ?

[rainbowgardener]

the picture right above your post was from yesterday... that seems like right now enough, it probably doesn't change much in a day.

welcome to the Forum!

[garmy yo]

Avocado bonsai project #2 update:
Still growing, still twisting.

[applestar]

I feel like the multi trunk should work well with avocados since they seem to take grafting pretty easily. Maybe at some point during active growth, you could shave the outer cambium and match them up, then tape together. Probably hood it with vented plastic bag to increase humidity, just like for grafted branches.

[garmy yo]

Update photo:
She was getting very rootbound so I trimmed a few roots and lifted her up an inch or so.
The wheels are spinning for my next avocado project. I'm thinking of doing a roots-over-rock. As soon as my seed sprouts.

[garmy yo]

Updates:
1st project: The leaves are getting bigger since adding soil on the bottom and giving the roots more room to grow in. But I'm OK with that for now. There is still a defoliage in the future, maybe the fall. The tree overall is vigorous but I haven't been cutting her back lately, just letting her grow.


2nd project: Recovering from a cat taste testing.


3rd project: Instead of ROR, I am growing the avocado in a reenforced paper towel tube filled with rocks and soil. I am hoping the tap root will wind it's way around the rocks, then I will slowly expose the roots from the top down.

[garmy yo]

Hard to believe a whole month has gone by since my last post. Not much has happened with the avocados. It's been a cold and cloudy spring for the most part. Soon I will be able to put them outside for good. Then they should really take off.

[rainbowgardener]

You are doing things I wouldn't have thought possible. I have told people here that avocado isn't suitable for bonsai due to the huge leaves. I will never say that again! Just point people to this thread... They are beautiful!

[applestar]

This is so much fun!

I have two new sprouted avocado seeds -- dilemma deciding what to do with them....

[Lindsaylew82]

OMG! This is so COOL! I can't wait to see those roots!!!

[Asica]

It is really cool project. Thank you for sharing with us.

[sjors]

Hi,

I have been following your project for a while, I think it's time for an update!
I am trying to bonsai an avocado too, it is working realy well ! I'll try to post a picture soon!

[garmy yo]

Update photos:
Thanks for all the comments and interest!

[rainbowgardener]

These continue to be beautiful. The one in the tea cup, the leaves are now starting to get disproportionate to the teacup/ plant size. Will you try to do anything about that or just let it be what it is?

[garmy yo]

Hi rg,
I am hoping that once the seed is no longer feeding energy into the plant, the leaves will reduce in size. The next time the buds start another round of growth, I am going to cut it back quite a bit. That should use up some of that energy too.