AusBonsai

Hey, I recently bought a cheap bonsai to get me started from bunnings for 20 bucks tag said it's a conical picea could someone upload a photo so I can clarify as I can't seem to upload pictures. Also watering techniques would help thanks (;

Sorry I can't help you with the ID, but you definitely should join the Bonsai Society of SA. I'm new too and have found them very helpful, inviting, wonderful people
http://www.bonsaisa.org.au

I know I've been looking at them and very interested in joining, I'm wanting to get my father (he use to have bonsais) and my girlfriend but I will be joining for sure!

See this thread to learn how to upload pictures so we can help
https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... ai_healthy

Ken

Try looking up Picea glauca 'conica' AKA dwarf Alberta spruce.

Drawf Alberta spruce seems to be the one! Thanks heaps shibui

Does not seem to be used much as real bonsai - probably a bit hard to shape and slow to develop - but they should maintain that neat conical 'christmas tree' shape with little effort if that is what you want.

Twenty dollars, pretty good, but they are renown for mislabeling starter bonsai. I saw a azalea with a ilex label on it. Or they just put cedar on labels, well there are not many cedars but nevertheless to a beginner? Picea is spruce. Glauca I always thought meant white. But I have a 20 year old Picea Albertini Conica. Bought as a small Christmas tree 17 years ago for $15.00 Planted out in the garden and ignored, doesn't grow big. And personally looking at its shape and do not intend to style it and remove its branches. I'll leave it as meant to look like.

Here's my spruce, It actually is the cover page of my thesis on Bonsai. Taken about 2 years ago. Since then I have pruned the bottom branches so I can see the trunk better. But I agree I won't be doing any drastic pruning. I like it the way it is. It's about 2 1/2 feet tall to apex. I will uproot it one day. But it hasn't been 'spoilt' at all, left to most of its own devices. And we are temperate here in Armidale, so it suits the climate and get some afternoon sun but also some morning shade and protection from the house. It was only about 10 - 12 inches tall when I bought it. Oh - the subtitle, reads, "IS THERE A BONSAI LURKING IN YOUR GARDEN?"

PICEA GLAUCA ALBERTIANA 'CONICA' Have fun with it. They are nice Christmas trees too.