Page 39 - BSAM 2015 Q4

for the canopy above and roots when transplanting), wiring if necessary, and transplanting, and control of diseases.
Here are the procedures followed by Steve, the current owner of this tree.
To develop the trunk more, side branches were let grow wild and the top was kept trimmed back to create taper slowly. At each transplanting, the largest roots were cut o and the smaller ones retained to develop a radial nebari. is pepper tree grows roots rapidly. A er being moved to a bonsai pot, the tree will need transplanting no less than every other year and pos- sibly every year. Otherwise, it pushes itself up out of the pot.
Either in the ground or in a pot, the pepper can take large amounts of sun. It is invasive only in states with warm climates and lots of sun. Like bougainvillea, a few hours of severe freezing will kill the plant.
Verticillium wilt can damage or kill this tree. Wiki- pedia says verticillium wilt results in blockage of the xylem vascular tissues and that reduces water and nu- trient ow. It kills small plants and seedlings quickly but larger plants may resist it. e disease migrates mostly upwards and not so much radially. To avoid verticillium wilt, disease free stock must be planted in disease-free soil. Disease-free regular nursery soil can be used, but when the tree is ready for a bonsai pot and therefore more valuable, a mix of 50% akadama, 25% Hyuga (coarse Japanese pumice) and 25% scoria (lava rock) will create a loose soil allowing regular water- ing and fertilizing. In hot weather, daily watering is called for. In a good free-draining soil, it is not possible to overwater this tree. It is possible to underwater it, especially during periods of rapid new growth. New leaves are about 70% water and water should be plenti- ful until the leaves have hardened o .
Cotton seed meal is a good fertilizer for this tree. As an alternative, a slow release fertilizer that does not depend on water for release, gives a more balanced nu- trition as it also contains the trace elements needed by trees. Simplot markets Apex as a slow release fertilizer not a ected by watering.
e tree, shown at the top of previous page, was photographed in September 2014. e pot is 6 inches deep, 22 inches wide, and 17 inches from front to back. Internal depth is about 5 1/4 inches. e tree blooms beautifully but has never set berries, even using fertil- izer with a relatively high phosphorus content. Phos- phorus locks up in soil and is only released as plants need it; an excess of it does no good. Failure to set berries indicates this tree may be a male plant with owers but no berries. e trees are dioecious, so in- spection of the owers under a microscope would be necessary to make a determination. It does ower for 5 to 6 days at a time, attracts lots of bees, but sets no berries.
e photo in the oval above was taken late Septem- ber 2015. e pot is 6 inches deep, 19 inches wide, and 15 inches from front to back. Internal depth is about
5 1/4 inches. It is slightly smaller than the pot used in 2014. e tree is 22 inches from the top of the pot to the top of the tree and 32 inches wide.
Trunks and branches tend to grow sti and straight, so pruning and training should begin early. Brazilian peppers can be grown almost exclusively by the clip- and-grow method, especially if this method is started when the plant is young. Leaves grow in pairs on either side of the branch, each forming a trident at the termi- nal. To force inner buds into growth, cut the middle of the trident (the three-lea et tip) as soon as you can see it or else you will have to cut back to the rst set of leaves, let the two side branches develop from the axils of the leaves, and later select one branch to remove. In the San Diego area, prune hard 4-5 times from May to November. Let the shoots grow for about a month and then cut back to the rst shoot. Once the branches are developed, use directional pruning, followed closely by wiring before the branches get too sti to bend eas- ily. You may break branches if the wiring is too strong. While the branches are relatively exible when they rst grow, they become brittle quickly.
Wounds heal slowly. On healthy trees, the cam- bium will re-grow and roll over somewhat, especially if a branch is le next to the wound to stimulate the ow of sap. Cuts should be concave, as the cambium is thick and will create a raised knot if the cut is not made concave. Sealing with glue or wound sealant for cuts of 3/8" to 1/2" and anything close or on the trunk seems to help keep the sap from withdrawing from the fresh-cut area.
Roots can be severely pruned, le unsealed, and will not rot but will eventually callous over. Be sure to leave the ne roots to develop a good nebari, removing the large ones in the pot. A er severe root pruning, the pepper may sit a while recovering before throwing new top growth. Steve’s advice: “Be relentless with
terminal leaf lea et
lea ets rachis
petiole buds
stem
Pinnately Compound Leaf
January/February/March 2016 | BCI | 37