Next Meeting is 1:00 pm Saturday, October 21st at the Melbourne Library.

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1 October 2017 Volume 18, Number 10 Next Meeting is 1:00 pm Saturday, October 21st at the Melbourne Library. President s Message By Dr. Reggie Perdue Greetings Bonsai fans. I hope everyone is well. I think I'm mostly done with cleanup in my garden after the storm. Pretty soon we need to think about winter protection. I usually try and put my greenhouse up the first week of November and it stays up till March. Buttonwoods and Water Jasmine go in all winter and others depending on the lows. I really don't do much trimming through the winter. There isn't much growth and I don't want them too weak coming out of winter. This month we have home grown Florida bonsai artist, Mike Rogers doing a demo on a Water Hibiscus. Interesting species that is commonly grown in Indonesia. They have large leaves, but are usually shown leafless. Should be an informative demo. Mike has been doing bonsai in Florida for a long time and has a lot of useful knowledge. We also have a group of Central Florida Bonsai Club's members that will be visiting our meeting. Please welcome them. After the meeting I'll be opening my garden for a tour if anyone wants to go. Entries for Epcot display trees are coming to a close soon, Dec. 31st. Get your submissions in early. It is always an honor and pleasure to display a tree for Epcot's Flower and Garden Show. Next month is our annual picnic and auction, Nov. 4th. This is a good time with plenty of good bonsai deals in the regular and silent auction. Good food, good friends, good time. More info on this at the meeting. See you then. is a non-profit society meeting to further the artistic endeavor of Bonsai. The club meets the third Saturday of every month, 2 PM, at the Melbourne Public Library, Fee Avenue, Melbourne

2 Reggie In this Issue: Tree of the Month Sea Hibiscus Bonsai outdoor displays Picture of the Month From the Editor Dennis Reilly Ok, so you joined a bonsai club. You went to a nursery and picked up a small starter tree. It s on a shelf on your patio. A couple months later, you now have 5 trees, maybe you sucked it up and went to a bona-fide bonsai nursery and bought an already styled tree. They are actually growing and doing well. Neighbors say nice things about your banzai plants. You begin to learn about displaying your trees. If you went to one of Reggie s workshops, you saw how trees can be grown outdoors and displayed. But maybe your spouse isn t keen on cinder blocks and 4x8 planks. What do to? I have taken the liberty to present some backyard/patio options for the beginners that I gleaned from the internet. It does seem that most of the examples shown are from backyards in California. It s not that simple for us. Dennis Dennisreilly32@yahoo.com Page 2

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4 Upcoming Events Calendar Sea Hibiscus Demo October 21 st BSOB Picnic F Burton Smith Park November 4 th Day Trip to Old Florida Nursery Vero Beach Dec (day TBD) Page 4

5 Tree of the Month Sea (Water) Hibiscus Mike Rogers is scheduled to talk about and style a Sea Hibiscus at this month s meetings. Hibiscus Bonsai & Care Guide Scientific/Botanical Name Hibiscus Sinensis & Hibiscus Syriacum, Rose of Sharon Description Hibiscus is a flowering shrub of the mallow family. The shrub is native to the tropics and other regions that enjoy tropic-like climates. Hibiscus plants cannot tolerate extremely cold or freezing conditions. The blooms are large and showy, and the many varieties of hibiscus offer a wide range of flower colors from which to choose. The plant is an ideal bonsai candidate and it makes a particularly beautiful bonsai plant that is a study in contrast: The huge, richly-hued blooms contrast with the glossy green leaves on the bonsai plant - and they in turn contrast with the lightcolored trunk and branches. The overall effect is nevertheless complementary. Position A distinction must be made between tropical hibiscus plants and hardy hibiscus plants: Tropical hibiscus have glossy, green leaves. They like sunlight but do require shade in the summer. When grown indoors, supplemental light is required during the winter period. Tropical hibiscus will suffer leaf-drop in cold temperatures, and they will almost certainly be killed by frost. Hardy hibiscus plants have matte leaves. They will grow in sunlight or shade. Even though they are hardy, the plants do need some winter protection. Watering Hibiscus bonsai plants should be watered daily. Feeding Hibiscus plants require regular feeding to support leaf and flower production. Pale-colored leaves and sparse blooms are clear indications of nutrient deficiency. The plants prefer organic fertilizers. A liquid organic fertilizer that has is a non-profit society meeting to further the artistic endeavor of Bonsai. The club meets the third Saturday of every month, 2 PM, at the Melbourne Public Library, Fee Avenue, Melbourne

6 balanced nutrients is ideal: Fertilizers with bone meal is particularly useful for stimulating flower development. Blood meal will stimulate leaf growth. Leaf and Branch Pruning The plant can be pruned to shape as desired. The roots should be pruned during periods of warmer temperatures when growth is most active. Re-potting & Growing Medium Re-pot the hibiscus every year to replenish soil nutrients. A soil that is moisture-retentive while allowing drainage is ideal: A soil containing 50 percent organic matter and 50 percent aggregates is a good balance. Wiring Hibiscus plants do tolerate wiring. Nevertheless, young wood has a tendency to spring back. As such, bending of the trunk or branches may require the use of turnbuckles and guy wires. Notes Pruning will ultimately control leaf size but, if small leaves are desired of a hibiscus bonsai plant, it would be better to select a dwarf hibiscus plant, thus saving a lot of time and effort. Hibiscus bonsai plants differ from other flowering bonsai plants in that they will bloom throughout the season if their needs are fully met. When it comes to flowering bonsai, nothing is more striking, colorful, and unique than a hibiscus. The large leaf and flower size can be an intimidating obstacle to anyone attempting to shape a bonsai from a hibiscus, but the payoff is a gorgeous plant that produces striking, vibrantly colored flowers the whole growing season and provides a wide variety of flower colors to choose from. About Hibiscus Hibiscus is a large, flowering shrub in the mallow family that includes several hundred species. Native to tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate climates, it grows well in warm, sunny weather, and responds poorly to near freezing, and below freezing temperatures. Blooming in literally thousands of colors and combinations of colors, often times nearly every day, the hibiscus is a beautiful plant that lends itself well to bonsai technique. Page 6

7 Identifying Hibiscus Varieties When selecting a hibiscus for a bonsai, it is important to first find out whether the plant is a hardy hibiscus or a tropical hibiscus. Tropical hibiscus plants need a good deal of light to bloom, and while it is a good idea to keep them somewhat shaded during the summer, during the shorter days of winter they will need all the light they can get. Unfortunately with most garden centers and nurseries, the hibiscus plants will not be categorized by type, and will likely all be bunched in together, and it s up to the buyer to determine which variety of the plant they have purchased. Tropical hibiscus will have glossy, deep green leaves, large flowers of red, pink, orange, yellow that reach between three and six inches in diameter. If, on the other hand, the hibiscus has dull green, heart shaped leaves, with white, pink or red flowers that reach dinner plate diameter, the plant is a perennial, hardy hibiscus. Hardy hibiscus plants need little special care over the winter, while tropical hibiscus should be treated just as their name indicates, as a tropical plant. Avoiding cold, damp weather and soil, and keeping the plants indoors before the temperature begins to drop below forty to forty five degrees at night can prevent any damage to the plant. Selecting A Plant For Bonsai The principal consideration when selecting a plant for a bonsai should be the size of its leaves and flowers, as this is the one aspect of the plant that cannot be altered. At most nurseries, there are dwarf varieties of hibiscus that have smaller flowers and leaves that are well suited for bonsai. Though there are several hundred species of hibiscus, for beginners, there are two principal varieties of hibiscus are used for bonsai, Hibiscus Syriacum, also known as Rose of Sharon, and Hibiscus Sinensis, or Chinese Hibiscus. Chinese Hibiscus in particular is a hardy variety, and can withstand temperatures to near freezing, but will become deciduous with temperatures lower than fifty degrees fahrenheit or ten degrees celsius. Purchasing A Hibiscus For Bonsai Obtaining hibiscus in colder climates can be a challenge, and may the plants may have to be ordered online, and require winter protection. Propagating easily from from cuttings or layering, however, in tropical climates such as Hawaii or California hibiscus can be obtained from landscapes, and in southern parts of the United States, they are a seasonal item at nurseries and landscaping stores. If purchased as a bonsai online, or from a big box store, chances are the plant should be repotted with good bonsai soil, as the soil they are shipped in is likely of low quality, and designed only to retain moisture during shipping, when it would not be watered. Page 7

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9 Outdoor Display of Bonsai The cinder block plank option. Works. No muss, no fuss. Painting it may be the ticket to not sleeping on the couch. Page 9

10 If you have a fence (and it s yours!) then You could do this with better wood, but the humidity will still be a problem Page 10

11 This could work on a patio, metal shelves For the artistic Page 11

12 And my favorite, the modified bird bath. You would have to drill 4 or so holes thru the basin for drainage. Page 12

13 Picture of the Month Suitably Halloweenish. Page 13

14 Board of Directors Dr Reggie Perdue, President Barbara Hiser, Vice Pres Bruce Hartman Secretary Bill Crabtree Membership Secretary Ronn Miller, Treasurer Rob Kempinski, Zoo Exhibit Rob s Blog Page 14

15 HANDY BONSAI WEBSITES Has many links to Brevard Club Newsletters and bonsai tips for Florida bonsai. Bonsai Society of Florida. Good info on Fl. Bonsai. Our own Rob s website. Great articles & pics. Worldwide site with galleries and information. Nice site with great galleries. The Art of Bonsai Project is an online journal and community for the examination and exploration of the bonsai art form. Orlando Bonsai Sandy Racinski Sandy@orlandobonsai.com Dragon Tree Bonsai L A R G E S P E C I M E N T R E E S AVA I L A B L E ROBERT PINDER 3663 S.W. Honey Terrace, Palm City, FL (772) Right Next to Turnpike Exit #133 in Palm City We are proud to have supplied the large specimens for many BSF Convention workshops. Page 15

16 Bonsai Resources Roger s Nursery or mike@mikerogersbonsaistudio.com M I K E C A R T R E T T Lectures, Demonstrations, Workshops, Private Sessions, Bonsai Redesign, Repotting, Maintenance, and Sales YOUR SOURCE FOR TROPICAL INFORMATION. B.S. in Horticulture, Over thirty years as a nursery owner. CALL OR cartrettm@bellsouth.net Old Florida Bonsai By Appointment Only Richard Turner J.J. Turner th Avenue (772) Vero Beach FL Cell (772) Amerian Bonsai Cullen Mariacher Bonsai tools, supplies, pots, soil (321) & Page 16

17 Heathcote Botanical Gardens An exhibit of quality bonsai trees from the collection of Master Jim Smith Savannah Road Fort Pierce, Florida Tuesday - Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm Sundays (Nov-April Only) 1:00pm - 5:00pm Closed Mondays and Major Holidays $6 Adults - $5 Seniors $2 Ages 6 to 12 (Children Under 6 Free) Free for Members and Veterans with I.D. (excluding special fund raisers) Handicap Accessible - Wheelchairs Available Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens Includes an exhibit of quality trees donated by members of the Bonsai Society of Florida over many years Morikami Park Road Delray Beach, FL Adults (18 to 64) $13 Seniors $12 Children (6 to 17) $8 Five and under free Closed Mondays and National Holidays Tuesday through Sunday 10 to 5 Page 17