[Shinkitai] Clerodendrum Inerme

[Shinkitai]

• Species name: Clerodendrum Inerme
• Original height of stock: 45cm
• Where you obtained it from: Airlayer from tree in front yard
• Cost of stock: $0

Planted a cutting in the ground from my Clerodendrum about 7-8 years ago to grow quicker and then bonsai, but then kids came and I never got back to it. The cutting is now a tree to big for a bonsai so after seeing a demonstration at the Gold Coast - Tweed Bonsai Club annual show on airlayering I decided to give it a go. The clero was cut from the tree and planted into this patio pot to recover on the 12 February. New growth has just started to grow stronger. I plan on cutting it back a lot further when the comp starts to try and set up the plant for styling in spring with hopefully lots of growth at the correct height.

[Shinkitai]

first update:

Clerodendrum Inerme (Air Layer) - 4 April 2013a.JPG

The clero was struggling to support the growth on the longer branches, it would sprout and then die off. I am guessing this was due to the root structure not being strong/large enough for the tree. I will need to make my airlayers a bit smaller next time. The leaves did however stay very small even on the lower branches which maintained some healthy looking leaves, so there is a potential for controlling leaf size through the reduction of roots.

Clerodendrum Inerme (Air Layer) - 4 April 2013c.JPG

I decided the trees best hope for survival was to reduce the burden on the roots so did a big cut back today leaving a low branch with some leaves just in case the trunk line I want to use doesn't survive the surgery. These are the largest cuts I have done on a tree to date so will be interesting to see how they go. I have applied cut paste to the wounds. I do not know how a clero covers its scars so will watch and see, it may perhaps be an opportunity to try some carving down the track.

Clerodendrum Inerme (Air Layer) - 4 April 2013b.JPG

I do the like the trunk line that remains, and the bark has a good aged look to it so fingers crossed to see how it progresses. Not a great photo angle sorry.

[Shinkitai]

I wan't really feeling the angle the trunk came out, it didn't really seem to show what I thought this Clero could become so I carefully lifted and changed the angle of the stump. Am a lot happier with it now. There had not been a lot of root development since taking the airlayer so hopefully have't upset it to much.

[Shinkitai]

This clero has really taken off over the last few weeks, have done some basic wiring of the leader and first right hand branch. I think the first right hand branch is to high for a Shohin bonsai so may need to remove and use one of the buds coming off a bit lower, but not sure if that will look right with the curve in the trunk. I plan on re-potting this one in the next week (when I get a spare moment) so will do some mocks up and make some decisions then.

Clerodendrum-Inerme-2---3-Sept-2013.jpg

[Shinkitai]

Got a bit nasty on this one. Put it in a large bonsai pot to allow it to continue to grow but didn't like how it sat in the pot so played around a bit and then decided to reduce the height and choose a new leader from the back. I had always planned on doing some carving on this one so am not worried about the angle I have cut the top of the stump off at. By the time I had played around a bit a bit of a new direction with the branching saw not much left. Luckily these things grow real fast as I am virtually starting again

Hopefully I haven't disturbed the roots to much with my mucking around and it doesn't sulk to long, or worse still die

Once it recovers I will do the carving (I have never done any carving before so could be interesting)

Clerodendrum-Inerme-2---10-Sept-2013.jpg

[Shane Martin]

These things grow like weeds so you have to be real unlucky to kill one. They will grow from cuttings with ease as well, so I don't bother with air layers... did 2 cuttings late last summer up to 4cms thick and didn't look back. The leaves reduce dramatically as soon as you start bonsai refining so don't panic about leaf size, and they will show you quite clearly when they need repotting by looking weak and sad. I repotted one of mine 3 times last year due to an extremely vigorous root system. I think you will have a great little tree pretty soon and by letting it grow in this new pot, it should have a nice wide base fairly quickly. Personally I would let it grow freely this season unpruned, keep a regular feeding program, and let it fully recover from all previous work, and get the base and root structure to develop first, then it will be covered in new shoots and offer up plenty of options to you. Propagating your own material can be so rewarding....well done for having a crack.

[Hackimoto]

Quote...... "so after seeing a demonstration at the Gold Coast - Tweed Bonsai Club annual show on airlayering I decided to give it a go".

Glad someone was listening.

[klaery]

I recently aquired some big clero stock so will be watching with interest how this one goes for you. My pot is also very similar in style to yours haha, just a different size.

[Shinkitai]

Having a bit of look at this one decided to spin it around and make the previous back the new front, this worked well with the shoots that had developed. Wired it all up and back on the bench it has gone. Will start trying to develop the secondary branches to fill it out a bit now.

Pretty happy with how this one is progressing. At some stage soon I will need to do the carving out where I cut out the previous large branch to create a uro, and then hopefully it will be just refinement and a new pot to the end of the comp.

Clerodendrum Inerme 2 - 30 Oct 2013a.JPG

Clerodendrum Inerme 2 - 30 Oct 2013b.JPG

[Shinkitai]

Time for an update on this one.

I continued with my initial plan for a while and was starting to form some good branching but felt it was never quite right. The more I looked at it the more I thought the back now made a better front The problem being the apex went in the wrong direction now. I did a bit of a clean up to try and make it work but it still didn't feel right.

I took it down to Red Dragon Bonsai to try and find a suitable pot and after some helpful discussions with Chris & his offsider decided that the back did indeed make the best front and so went home and did some more cutting to build the tree from the other side now. That gives me 8 months to developed the branches and canopy, these normally grow all year up here so should be fine as long as I stop changing my mind.

I like the new pot and now finally feel that I have the correct front. I have lifted it a little to fit ion the pot and to try and develop some root structure, will be tight on the final height but think I might be on the right path. Lucky these things are forgiving and grow quick!

Clerodendrum Inerme 2 - 14 February 2014.JPG

Before the clean up with the old front

Clerodendrum Inerme 2 - 14 February 2014 (2).JPG

After the clean up woth the old front

Clerodendrum Inerme 2 - 21 February 2014.JPG

New pot, new front, new structure

[Shinkitai]

Clerodendrum-Inerme-2---6-June-2014.jpg

This one has been sooking for a couple of months with out much growth but has come good again in the last couple of weeks. I will continue to let it fill out over the next few months, I think I should be able to get a good shape for final submission but will need a few years to develop the nebari.

Not sure what happened with my bonsai a couple of months ago, I may have had some kind of bug or sickness go through them as I lost a few and a couple of others really sooked for a couple months. Couldn't find any fungus, don't think they got to wet, definitely didn't dry out and couldn't find any bugs. The leaves just started going brown and branches died back very quickly. I lost my 12 year old black pine in about 2 weeks from when I noticed a couple of branches dieing back until it was just a dead stick. Tried soaking with seasol but made little difference. My good Serissa almost died too but looks like it is starting to turn the corner. Amazing how quick it happened. Glad this one survived.

[Shinkitai]

Final Submission

Looking back at were I started I am pretty happy with how far this one has come. I was hoping that it would have put on a bit more growth this month but has not grown as actively as the other Clero I have.

Going forward I will let this one get a little bit taller as the first branches are a little high for the height of the tree for my liking. I will also carve out the front scar a lot more, it looks to stand out to much for my liking, it didn't appear as obvious looking at it in person as it does in the photos. Perhaps more of a hollow would suit as it might draw people into the tree more.

Thank you to the organisers for putting on this comp, it has been a great learning experience for me and I think through forced action really accelerated my understanding. Taking the final photos has even added to my appreciation of good photography and composition. I still have a long way to go in that area!

Clerodendrum Inerme 2 - 29 Sept 2014-36 .JPG

Clerodendrum Inerme 2 - 29 Sept 2014-42 .JPG

Not sure if better presented with accent or on it's own

Clerodendrum Inerme 2 - 29 Sept 2014-33 .JPG

Not sure if better presented with accent or on it's own

[Rory]

Very nice

[Shinkitai]

Thanks bonsaibuddyman

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Shane]

Not sure if better presented with accent or on it's own

Shinkitai, I like the styling of your clero. In regards to the accent, you might find you like it more if it was on the left of the tree, so the tree is leaning towards it and vice versa. Best of luck.