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Cacti & Succulents

Trying to grow 'standard' P. afra

15 years ago

Hi everyone. I've never had much luck in my attempts to grow a "standard" type topiary. This is the closest I've gotten so far. Originally this was a thin, straight branch on a big bushy plant at my mom's house. I cut it off and planted it in a different part of her yard, where it languished for a three or four years. Then I dug it up and put it in a pot.

I've been keeping it cut back for the past two years. I know it's not in correct proportions for the "rule of thirds" for standards. The trunk is so thin that I had to stake it up because I was afraid it would snap under the weight of the "canopy." Recently I've been letting the top grow, however, and it appears that the trunk has gotten thicker and stronger.

I need some outside opinions on whether I should keep growing it as a standard or perhaps cut it in the middle of the trunk and make two plants out of it.

The thing with P. afra, I've noticed, is the branches grow out at rather geeky angles. It looks like a plant made out of Tinker Toys sometimes. I'm not sure I'll ever get a nice round top on it.

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Comments (6)

ryan820
15 years ago
I guess I'll ask the question, what do you want it to look like in the end? If you want a port-afra looking like a bonsai, mimicking an old, grand tree in nature, you'll have to chop the trunk-- and begin right off using the rule of 3rds. When growing a tree for bonsai I have found (and been instructed) that at first you're growing the trunk. And if it is a tree that can easily replaced branches in areas of your choosing, let it grow wild, occasionally chopping the trunk back until you get the shape you want-- and then you transfer to branch development. This is not to say you should completely neglect branch development as if a branch is available in the place you want and to your liking I would begin its early stages of training.

Just my two cents.
ltecato
Original Author
15 years ago
Ryan, when I started out I just wanted to have a long, vertical trunk with a globe-shaped canopy at top. I was never intending to make it look natural like a bonsai.

Now, however, I guess I'll settle for anything that makes it look better than it does now.

I'm also wondering if I should let the top branches keep growing outward. Will that result in a thicker trunk? If so, I can cut the branches back later.
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If it were mine, I'd wait a little while on cutting the new branches as some grow better than others. Give it a little bit and see which one seems to be most dominant. Then preform surgery as needed. I dont know if your going to end up with a perfectly straight trunk. You may want to keep the first branch you cut off and have 2 to experiment with. I took this excerpt from a message from tdogdad who is a resident expert in plumeria... "Any fertilizer with a high first number (Nitrogen) is going to encourage vegetative and stem growth which is not good for plumies because they become long branched and leggy"....This sounds like what you are trying to encourage...the stem growth...just something to keep in mind. And the answer to your first question is Yes, it is a personal preference as far as it being leggy or not. But for the present, hey, enjoy that inflo. Has it bloomed yet? Post a picture when it does, when you have time. Take it easy. John
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Thanks everyone for comments. Here's my tree and what I did: Once full of leaves, now pretty bare, about 8" tall. I bought it about 6 months ago. A closeup on a branch, showing some desire to leaf out again. I decided on a repot into more water retentive soil, keeping the 1/4" bark but replacing the granite with 1/4" pumice, still 1:1. Once unpotted, nice fine roots are seen to look quite healthy. The pine bark is nicely moist, with roots wrapped around it. All looks well. Hmmm, I probably just jumped the gun and the plant was shocky from the move inside several weeks ago. Oh well, hope it survives the second shock of a repot. Back in it goes. I will water immediately b/c the gritty mix I use falls away so easily I'm not worried about damaged roots that need to callous over. Here's what the new soil looks like, courtesy of Bonsai Jack's. They clean and pre-sift it. Nice. From what I've read, pumice holds onto less heat than granite, so hopefully a better environment for the roots come those 100F days of summer Assuming it survives my care :-\ of late, the intention is to thicken up the trunk considerably through lots of growth, then trunk chop it to about 6 inches and attempt to grow it in the form of a baobab tree(and put it in a much smaller pot). Here is the tree I am using for inspiration, courtesy of google images: ez
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caudex1
15 years ago
If it were mine I'd cut the trunk about half way up (that will cause the lower to fatten up), root the top and as branches form on the lower portion shape accordingly.
ryan820
15 years ago
Ah-- I see...well, I'm not sure Port-afra will support a cylindrical, symmetrical trunk with a mass of foliage on top as you describe it. Though the trunks can get very tough with age, they will never mimic a hardwood trunk. That, and the the leaves are reservoirs of water, which make them very heavy when compared to traditional leaves.

Letting the plant grow "wild" will result in a thicker trunk, whether you chop it or not. However, I think you'll need the buttressing of a tapered trunk (using the chop method) to achieve a trunk capable of supporting the canopy. Also, I have found, that a trunk chop also spikes a push of growth. I've had the trunks of my port-afras grow at a considerable rate after a heavy pruning like a trunk chop-- both in foliage and in trunk size.

With the trunk you have now, I don't think it will ever stand on its own (without a stake). Especially since Port-afras really like to droop if given the chance.

Hope I was of some help.
Ryan
mickymae
15 years ago
there are some nice pics and info on this subject if you go to the bottom part of this and look for elephant food droppings -----------check it out .skim the titles till you see it . micky mae
ltecato
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks Ryan and Caudex. That clarifies it for me. I guess I'll go ahead and chop the trunk, especially since based on what I've learned it'll never be sturdy enough to support the top. I'm really tired of messing with support stakes.

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