by Lawrence LeClaire | Apr 8th, 10April 2008 General Meeting - Olives
Olives!
April General Meeting Notes…
Olive trees in bonsai were on the menu for our April meeting. After a brief introduction accompanied by bread and olive oil, our long time member Tim Kong addressed the membership on the culture of olives for bonsai.
Olive trees are ideal specimens for bonsai. Besides being hardy, drought tolerant, and fast growing, the small leaves, interesting bark, and buttressed trunks are perfect features to create dramatic bonsai. Olives grow great in our Mediterranean climate and are perfect for beginners. They are also readily available as nursery stock, collected material, and cuttings.
Olive tree bonsai can be quickly developed from collected material or even large diameter cuttings. Olive trees have been planted in the Bay area for many years for fruit and landscaping material. Therefore we often find old specimens that are commonly available to bonsai hobbyists. When trees are collected from the ground, almost no roots need to be collected with the trunk. If the tree is planted in a free draining mix and kept moist, the tree will produce copious roots in its pot. Because roots develop so quickly, collected material can be transformed into bonsai in only a couple years. Cuttings root easily from olive trees. In fact, very large cuttings can be made from branches with diameters approaching 10”! Tim explained the ideal approach to developing roots on such cuttings. First, the base of the tree is cut flat with a large saw. Next, a solid piece of wood, tile, or other flat material is secured to the base. The flat object should extend a couple inches out from the edge of the cutting. With a sharp knife, 1/4”-1/2” bevel should be trimmed from the base of the tree around the edge to expose the cambium layer. Some growers add a bit of rooting hormone this edge.The tree can then be secured in a pot. Over time, roots will emerge from the cambium layer and instead of growing downward, they will spread laterally creating ideal nebari.
Tim’s other favorite to do with olive is carving of the trunk. Olive wood is hard and resistant to weather. The stumps of collected material can be carved with saws and chisels to create interesting features that draw the viewers attention.
No need to worry about back-budding on olive trees. Advantageous buds form along the bases of tree in such numbers that they must be regularly be removed to prevent unwanted clumps of material. Tim and BSSF member Craig Thompson brought along some great examples of olive bonsai to the meeting with great trunks and full canopies.