A new serissa

treebeard55 · 01-22-2011, 08:32 PM

Today's meeting of the Fort Wayne (IN) Bonsai Club featured a tour of the greenhouses where the city grows and over-winters non-hardy plants that are used in various offices, the conservatory, etc. Each club member received a gift plant, a 'Snow Rose' serissa. Here's mine.

This is the likely front. The lowest branch on the right will come off; then I think it should only take a couple of years to develop this into a show-able shohin.

My wife's happy -- she like serissa flowers.

M.B. · 01-22-2011, 09:54 PM

Pretty cute. I think it'll be nice in a few years.
Mary B.

treebeard55 · 01-27-2011, 07:15 PM

Thanks, M.B.

clwagner167 · 01-29-2011, 02:34 AM

Hi treebeard,

Very nice indeed! How is your experience with Serissas? As with many of us on the site, we love em, but can't keep em for long. I have heard that there is a particular type of snow rose that is very sturdy, but haven't come across it yet, I have the variety written down somewhere.

You'll have share your progress with it?

artyanimal · 01-29-2011, 06:46 AM

Cheryl,

Was it perhaps the Mt. Fuji?

In my zone 10 enviornment I am able to keep all serissa cultivars outside so I don't share the same indoor difficulties that others often associate with them. Some of my customers do keep them inside however, and tell me the 'Mt. Fuji' does the best. This to me, seems to make sense since it is a sturdy cultivar with slightly larger thicker leaves, trunk and roots when young than others. It is strongly variegated, with single star shaped (sometimes pinkish) white flowers. Outside its variegation changes throughout the year depending on light conditions (more in summer, less in winter). I don't know if this holds true indoors but, seems unlikely to me.

Cheers,

Arty

treebeard55 · 01-29-2011, 12:41 PM

Thanks, Cheryl.

I don't know if I've shared this on B-Chat -- one disadvantage of being a member of more than one forum -- but I can't help but wonder if the notorious finickiness of serissas isn't due to failure to give them an annual cool-down period. All the books call them "tropical," and so people in the US and Europe treat them as such; but they're really better described as "warm-temperate."

Jerry Meislik refers to serissas needing an annual cool-down. Carl Rosner, in NJ, leaves his serissas out every winter, buried to the pot rims and covered with mulch. His serissas survive just fine, thanks, and bloom "like crazy" every year. Bill Swain, in western MA where it gets a bit colder than southern NJ, is experimenting this winter with a serissa planted outside and heavily mulched. If his survives, I'm going to duplicate his experiment next winter -- with an expendable plant -- here in Zone 5b.

I'm convinced serissas need that annual chilling. Deny them that for several years, or 10, and maybe it's no wonder they up and die sometimes "for no apparent reason!"

clwagner167 · 01-31-2011, 09:59 PM

Hi Arty,

Mt. Fuji does ring a bell. I'll have to keep an eye out for it at the nurseries this spring. I am bound and determined that some day I will find the right "recipe" to keep one alive at least for a few years or more!

Thanks

clwagner167 · 01-31-2011, 10:06 PM

Tree beard,

I seem to recall a few years back when I was able to be on the site more often....There were a few people back then talking about experimenting with Serrissas.

I know our good friend Prowler had a heck of a time with them in Scotland and as much as he complained, he kept on trying. He must have had a compost full of them!

But, I guess that is the only way in which we can learn....is to keep on trying. Please keep us updated on what you hear or try?

Thanks

artyanimal · 02-01-2011, 05:11 AM

Treebeard,

One first hand observation I have made that seems to also support your conviction has to do with the fact that bare root plants shipped from China arrive in air conditioned/refrigerated containers. Teas, plums, and elms and so on show up with very little or more often, no foliage at all. Just as often the few leaves still clinging to the trees after being in the cool dark enviornment for however long the voyage and clearing customs took turned completely brown and withered. The bags of moss the root balls were wrapped in are always littered with dead leaves. It can then take one to three weeks or even longer in my green house for these varieties to 'reboot' and show signs of budding.

Not so with serissas. Consistently, these arrive with lots of green leaves (even with loose foliage pads intact). Once potted, they don't miss a beat and just keep right on growing. In other words, the cool enviornment (even in the dark) plainly has little or no adverse effect whatsoever.

Despite seeing this evidence first hand on numerous occasions, I was never able to piece this 'cool is good' notion together with this species enough for it to really register until you posted it sometime ago as you know. I mean they were tropicals, I knew what I was doing and that was that, the end.

Sheesh!

Arty

treebeard55 · 02-01-2011, 02:28 PM

Thanks for the additional info, Arty.

01-27-2011, 07:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
treebeard55 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 511	Thanks, M.B. __________________ Treebeard 55 Steve Moore http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

01-29-2011, 02:34 AM	#4 (permalink)
clwagner167 "Grasshopper" Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: S.E. Michigan Posts: 102	Hi treebeard, Very nice indeed! How is your experience with Serissas? As with many of us on the site, we love em, but can't keep em for long. I have heard that there is a particular type of snow rose that is very sturdy, but haven't come across it yet, I have the variety written down somewhere. You'll have share your progress with it? __________________ ~ Cheryl Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. Buddha Please support "your" site and click on the ads. _________________________________________ In memory of my dear friend.... "Prowler" Victor Gray 1943-2008

01-29-2011, 12:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
treebeard55 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 511	Thanks, Cheryl. I don't know if I've shared this on B-Chat -- one disadvantage of being a member of more than one forum -- but I can't help but wonder if the notorious finickiness of serissas isn't due to failure to give them an annual cool-down period. All the books call them "tropical," and so people in the US and Europe treat them as such; but they're really better described as "warm-temperate." Jerry Meislik refers to serissas needing an annual cool-down. Carl Rosner, in NJ, leaves his serissas out every winter, buried to the pot rims and covered with mulch. His serissas survive just fine, thanks, and bloom "like crazy" every year. Bill Swain, in western MA where it gets a bit colder than southern NJ, is experimenting this winter with a serissa planted outside and heavily mulched. If his survives, I'm going to duplicate his experiment next winter -- with an expendable plant -- here in Zone 5b. I'm convinced serissas need that annual chilling. Deny them that for several years, or 10, and maybe it's no wonder they up and die sometimes "for no apparent reason!" __________________ Treebeard 55 Steve Moore http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

01-31-2011, 09:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
clwagner167 "Grasshopper" Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: S.E. Michigan Posts: 102	Hi Arty, Mt. Fuji does ring a bell. I'll have to keep an eye out for it at the nurseries this spring. I am bound and determined that some day I will find the right "recipe" to keep one alive at least for a few years or more! Thanks __________________ ~ Cheryl Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. Buddha Please support "your" site and click on the ads. _________________________________________ In memory of my dear friend.... "Prowler" Victor Gray 1943-2008

01-31-2011, 10:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
clwagner167 "Grasshopper" Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: S.E. Michigan Posts: 102	Tree beard, I seem to recall a few years back when I was able to be on the site more often....There were a few people back then talking about experimenting with Serrissas. I know our good friend Prowler had a heck of a time with them in Scotland and as much as he complained, he kept on trying. He must have had a compost full of them! But, I guess that is the only way in which we can learn....is to keep on trying. Please keep us updated on what you hear or try? Thanks __________________ ~ Cheryl Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. Buddha Please support "your" site and click on the ads. _________________________________________ In memory of my dear friend.... "Prowler" Victor Gray 1943-2008

01-22-2011, 09:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
M.B. Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Outside Sacramento, CA Posts: 116	Pretty cute. I think it'll be nice in a few years. Mary B.

01-29-2011, 06:46 AM	#5 (permalink)
artyanimal Snipologist Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mid-coast Maine / Zone 5 and S. Florida / Zone 10 Posts: 89	Cheryl, Was it perhaps the Mt. Fuji? In my zone 10 enviornment I am able to keep all serissa cultivars outside so I don't share the same indoor difficulties that others often associate with them. Some of my customers do keep them inside however, and tell me the 'Mt. Fuji' does the best. This to me, seems to make sense since it is a sturdy cultivar with slightly larger thicker leaves, trunk and roots when young than others. It is strongly variegated, with single star shaped (sometimes pinkish) white flowers. Outside its variegation changes throughout the year depending on light conditions (more in summer, less in winter). I don't know if this holds true indoors but, seems unlikely to me. Cheers, Arty

02-01-2011, 05:11 AM	#9 (permalink)
artyanimal Snipologist Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mid-coast Maine / Zone 5 and S. Florida / Zone 10 Posts: 89	Treebeard, One first hand observation I have made that seems to also support your conviction has to do with the fact that bare root plants shipped from China arrive in air conditioned/refrigerated containers. Teas, plums, and elms and so on show up with very little or more often, no foliage at all. Just as often the few leaves still clinging to the trees after being in the cool dark enviornment for however long the voyage and clearing customs took turned completely brown and withered. The bags of moss the root balls were wrapped in are always littered with dead leaves. It can then take one to three weeks or even longer in my green house for these varieties to 'reboot' and show signs of budding. Not so with serissas. Consistently, these arrive with lots of green leaves (even with loose foliage pads intact). Once potted, they don't miss a beat and just keep right on growing. In other words, the cool enviornment (even in the dark) plainly has little or no adverse effect whatsoever. Despite seeing this evidence first hand on numerous occasions, I was never able to piece this 'cool is good' notion together with this species enough for it to really register until you posted it sometime ago as you know. I mean they were tropicals, I knew what I was doing and that was that, the end. Sheesh! Arty

02-01-2011, 02:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
treebeard55 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 511	Thanks for the additional info, Arty. __________________ Treebeard 55 Steve Moore http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

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