Bonsai list for the South

I have attempted to put together a list of suitable bonsai for the Southern United States.  I would not say it’s complete, but something I’m trying to put together as a reference for beginners trying to take up bonsai as a hobby in the South.  If you have any additions or any species that you have successfully raised in zone 8, please post them in the comments.  I did not list tropical species since those are not specific to zone 8.  Also, some trees may be listed in some books as being fine in zone 8, but may result in stunted growth or constantly weak due to heat stress.  I have tried to leave these trees off.

The Deep South Bonsai List

Rhododendron ‘Shanghai Rosie’

Another item I picked up from Guy Guidry at Bonsai Northshore was a Rhododendron ‘Shanghai Rosie’.  I liked the shape of it and because my fiance seemed to love the smaller shohin and mame bonsai, I have begun to appreciate them more as well.  Some would probably say it has a stick in a pot feel, but standing in front of it, it just gives me the impression of a middle-aged broom style tree.  Watering in the summer is probably going to be tough, but we’ll see what happens.  I hope to repot this one soon in something slightly bigger so it can have some growing room, and it needs a soil change to something I’m more used to like a Turface mix.  Azalea’s are very popular in the south and are a part of almost any Southern garden.  I hope this one stays in my bonsai collection a long time.

Ficus Microcarpa coming along

I have a couple of ficus microcarpa trees that were a part of the first pre-bonsai trees that I bought. This one in particular is my favorite. Ficus trees are really easy to take care of, grow profusely, and can survive many beginner mistakes.  They are tropical, so you have to keep them indoors in the winter.  Under a good florescent light, they will continue to grow nicely.  Here’s a progression of one tree over the past few months.

The above picture is right after it was freshly repotted in late February.  I potted it in orchid mix, which at the time was the best soil I could find that would be fast draining and help the roots to flourish.

After a lot of growth, I started having problems with fungus gnats in the soil.  So, I repotted in a mixture of 50/50 turface and pine bark mulch.  I also did an extensive branch prune due to many branches coming out of the same spot on the trunk, causing bulbous pertrusions.

Unfortunately, between nature and I, this tree has seen a break.  Birds snapped some of the branches, then proceeded to defoliate the rest of the tree.  It has really proven to be a good thing in this specific case.  The branches that are sprouting are in much better places and will provide better balance for the informal upright style that I was shooting for.  I continue to hope this will be one the best bonsai trees in my collection one day.  It’s one of the first trees that people notice when looking at the different varieties on my deck.

Beginning Bonsai

Make no mistake, I am no expert.  I started bonsai in February of this year and so far I really love the art.  It’s a rewarding experience that can take as much or as little time as you want to put into it.  So, what prompted starting a bonsai blog?  I had a couple of reasons.  I love reading blogs and am subscribed to over a hundred different feeds.  I had real problems finding good bonsai blogs though.  That’s not to say they aren’t out there.  I have several linked in my blogroll.  I’m just saying that there’s not a lot of variety out there, and this is one of the few areas where I think one more blog couldn’t hurt.

This blog will detail my experiences dealing with growing bonsai in the relentless heat and humidity of the South.  While we have many varieties to choose from, many of the most popular bonsai picks will either not grow or have a very tough time in this environment.  So, I’m experimenting with many different types to try to come up with the toughest trees available in local nurseries.  I’ve read several books and intend to talk aobut some of them in the coming weeks.  Anyway, bookmark this page or grab my RSS feed and put it in your reader.  If nothing else, you can tell me what I’m doing wrong.