centaura

Anyone here have any experience with Grewia (Lavender Star Flower - Grewia occidentalis) as bonsai? I can't seem to find much when I google for it. I found a young piece of stock, I've been trying not to buy real young things anymore, but the flowers on this were irresistable and it was cheap. I'll post a pic of the flowers tomorrow. About the best info that I've gotten is that they don't like to dry out, but not much else. There were a few displayed at an International Bonsai Flowering Tree symposium, so I at least know that others have used them for bonsai. I was curious if anyone had any tips.

-Centaura

imonetwo

Gday Mate

The grewia is an aussie native, very easy to look after much like a chinese elm when it comes to light requirements,ie can stay indoor for days at a time and quite frost tolerant too.
Here is a site that has a little info, maybe Pup over in WA has some growing or even Leigh from Ledanta.
Regards
Eric
http://www.bonsaigardener.org/lavend...er-bonsai.html

centaura

Thanks for the link! Good to know it will like the same light as a chinese elm, I have several that are happy in my grow room.

Got the pictures uploaded. Its a real young piece, but it was really cheap - $8US, and I'm a girl, I can't resist a flowering species. I'm thinking of making a semi-cascade out of it. I haven't decided yet, its so young its an open book.

-Centaura

Attached Images

	grewia1-15-08.jpg (77.0 KB, 16 views)
	grewiaflower.jpg (94.3 KB, 12 views)

MerBear

Lovely pictures I just bought my first bonsai and it is also a grewia. Looking forward to how this turns out, being my first experience with plants in general.

M.B.

Just checking that you do know these will freeze to death in your climate. They are a subtropical species and I have found they cannot take a hard frost/freeze.
I have one that died back to the base after I left it out during a frost warning last winter (temps around 28F). It's coming back but it will be a long time to get the trunk thick again. I'll have to get it out of the bonsai pot and into a grow pot to do that.
Mary B.

MerBear

when I purchased this one, the vendor told me it was an indoor plant, so I plan on keeping it indoors, but I think I will have to get a lamp for it when the weather starts to turns bad. It's still kind of in shock because it was in a box for a few days. So far only a few leaves have fallen off, but I think it will be ok. Thanks M. B.

M.B.

I don't know how it will do inside long term. I've had a tough time growing trees or shrubs inside (except for houseplants) probably because of lack of light. The plants that have done the best were kept outside in the summer (I have a dwarf pointsetta outside right now still blooming since December) then bring them in when the weather cools in the fall. I let my Grewia go dormant in the winter but put it in a cool room window so it doesn't freeze.
Mary B.