AusBonsai

I’m stoked with this. Last autumn I thought I had killed a windswept quince I have been developing for 5+ years.

For whatever reason - my quinces are super susceptible to burn from liquid fertiliser; even really diluted. Anyway - stupid me still managed to fert-burn the cr@p out of this and I was sure it was gone. It wasn’t .... she’s back!!

Once again - nothing special - and I can hear folk saying ...”Really Mark, a windswept quince!?” - but hey .... that’s what I saw in the jumble of a plant that I purchased some years back.

Anyway this quince is a survivor and I am happy. Now more shaping and ramification for years to come.

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That's interesting, your tree has much longer narrower leaves than my Chinese Quince....

I think this may be a chaenomeles quince not a Chinese quince.
Cheers
Kirky

KIRKY wrote:I think this may be a chaenomeles quince not a Chinese quince.
Cheers
Kirky

Hi Mel and Kirky,

My apologies - this is definitely chaenomeles. I thought Chinese Quince was the common name. My apologies.

Unfortunately-I cannot remember the variant - probably japonica? I certainly remember the label at the nursery said Chaenomeles though.

It’s probably too late for me to edit the title but if any Admin is reading this - happy for the title to be amended so as not too mislead. Apologies and .... I have to get better at labelling and record keeping!


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Hi Mark, I believe the common name is Japanese Quince....just to confuzzle things.

Partly inspired by Boom64's two dragons and partly by Treeman's presentation about Quinces at the YVBS this week - I thought I drop an update on this one. In many ways it's my own little dragon (ok, not quite ) with it's wild roots.

I took this to the YVBS on Tuesday. I wasn't sure what to do next and I have always wondered about the roots. Anyway - I was encouraged to keep going and I subsequently wired a little tighter and put some more movement in the two upright trunks. I still like this survivor.

I like it!!!

I am with you Mel ,cool little Tree Mark .....Cheers John.

Nice tree MJL. I find Quinces frustrating. My Chinese Quince drives me insane. It always always thirsty, always drys out or it's gets aphids that destroy the leaves. All for a couple of flowers just before spring. Sometimes I wonder if it's even worth it lol

Cool little tree mark! I like the changes you have made, more focussed and harmonious now, good improvement!

Cheers Mel, John, Keels and Tim. Feedback appreciated.

Keels you made me laugh because I often wonder about the hassle too! Interesting that Treeman noted that these trees should be replanted without question every year. I usually wait two years and I think this restricts, growth and flowering. Further they like a heavier, wet mix - not a loose bonsai mix. So I am about to move to annual replanting routine in a heavier mix! I will also feed more - that said, I will use a dulled mix because this tree seems very susceptible to fertiliser burn on leaves - so I will take care.

I wasn't getting any flowers this year - at least none that I could see - so I decided to re-pot. I liked the last pot but always felt it was a little deep. I would have loved a slightly shallower, light-coloured glazed pot but I only had this dark glaze with a rough texture. I has a broader diameter than the existing pot too - which I liked. Not perfect but I liked it enough to proceed.

It's hard to see but this tree is now compressed into the new pot more. The roots are spread out more - separated and pushed down. By spreading the roots, the tree sits 1/2" lower - so the first branch is lower and I think the roots have a more harmonious spread. Less gangly but still arial in nature. Hard to see from the photo but I think this is an improvement, others may not. Also - I decided to re-pot this little one too. It's just a work in progress that does not deserve a pot but alas, I gave it one. I have always loved this little pot. In truth, it is too shallow for the rock (me thinks)...but stubborn I am. I now understand that these little treasures need to be re-potted every year - so I can unwind my mistake next year ...in the meantime, I'll enjoy looking at a pot that was otherwise in the shed.

These trees are like a teenager trying find where they fit - so many style changes!

With this one - windswept and funky may have regressed to boring! I could not reconcile the thought of a windswept quince in my own skull. Further, as it does not have the elegance and small leaves of say, Chojubai - I was not sure that I would be able to get a ‘directional’ feel in the leaves. So ... this. Exposed-root and more of a 360 degree tree.




My intent now is to tighten it all up ... indeed, I have already started that process and the tree is responding incredibly well to pruning this spring. Back-budding everywhere and where I want!

And then this. It too is responding incredibly well to pruning. And the root over rock continues to work - IMO. On both plants I am selectively using the odd sucker - most get cut to ensure vigour across the whole tree - but some get left, where I feel it adds to the overall balance.





(And R3 and Keels - I have a clump from Canberra of Japanese quince ... I can’t show you the photos - because it is in R3 comp where we can’t update it - but my gosh - does that respond well to cutting back too!!)


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