Plants to Avoid

Just a collection of tips gathered from others, i.e. what not to do.

veronicas - V. Armena/V. Pectinata - dead flowers & seed heads are messy

ivy - too hard to control, roots and suckers go everywhere, use something slower growing

bamboo - very hard to get rid of, if you must use it for decoration, keep in containers

Planting Tips

• leave places to kneel where plants must be maintained
• I like to leave small plants in pots, so they can be pulled out and maintained easily
• I prefer sprinklers to drip, which allows me to move plants easily. Drip is a good idea for plants that will not be moved or arid climates or where the sprinklers would get buildings wet.

move this later:

Carolina Jessamine gelsemium sempervirens - nice slow growing flowering vine, bright yellow flowers.

***need*** picture

Trees - Misc

The goal of this list is species that can be trimmed to look like scale trees. Many of these need trimming to be started early on. As usual, controlling the size of the root ball can control the size and growth rate of the "tree"

Acer palmatum
Maples

Acer palmatum cultivar
Green Japanese maple

Acer palmatum dissectum cultivar
Japanese laceleaf maple

Artemisia abrotanum
Southernwood, old man -  full sun, moderate to dry water

Baccharis pilularis
Coyote Bush

- full sun, dry to moderately dry

Bauera sessiliflora
Grampians bauera - moderate to shade, moderate water

bursera microphylla or hindsiana or fagariodes
Elephant Tree

need to look for smaller leaf size, full sun moderate to light moderate water

Boxwoods

full sun to shade, moderate water

Buxus microphylla 'Kingsville' (compacta)
Japanese Boxwood

Little dark green 1/4" leaves. Very tight ball. Needs some shade in summer. Sometimes flushes twice a season (what's that mean?). Partial shade. Height x spread in 10 years 6" x 6" Zone 5.

Buxus microphylla 'Morris Midget'
Japanese Boxwood 'morris midget'

A miniature form of Japanese Boxwood. Makes a round ball of .. Can use some shade in summer. Grows about an inch a year. Partial Shade

Buxus microphylla 'Hohman's'
Japanese Boxwood 'hohman's'

Buxus microphylla koreana
Japanese Boxwood

Buxus sinica v insularis
ASIAN BOXWOOD

Camellia sasanqua "Jewel Box"

has the smallest leaves

Ceanothus 'dark star', 'Julia Philps', Frosty Blue',

rigidus 'snowball'

impressus 'santa barbara'

griesus 'santa ana' or 'Carmel Ceanothus'

Wild Lilac - full sun, light to moderate water

Coleonema pulchrum
Pink breath of heaven, Pink Diosma

full sun, light to moderate light water

Cotoneasters

Like a small apple tree

Cotoneaster apiculatus - 'Tom Thumb'
Cranberrry Cotoneaster

Looks like a small apple tree!
Zones: 4-10. Tiny mounding shrub. Little white flowers in spring followed by bright red berries and brilliant fall color. About 4 inches x 10 inches at 10 years. Deciduous, mdeium to light water

Cotoneaster congestus 'Nanus'
Dwarf cotoneaster -

Cytisus x spachianus
Sweet Broom

brroms can grow too large and can be agressive, full sun, light water

 Euginia myrtifolia

Eubenia paniculata

full to moderate sun, moderate water

Euonymus japonicus microphylla variegata
Varigated Boxleaf

full to medium sun, moderate water

Euonymus japonicus pulchella
Dwarf Boxleaf

Genista
Broom - only some are suitable, can be too large / agressive, full sun light water

Leptospermum scoparium "Aurora nana"
Dwarf Australian Tea Tree

full sun, almost any kind of watering

Leptospermum scoparium "Kiwi"
New ZealandTea Tree (also 'aurora nani', Nanaum Tui')

full sun, light to moderate light water

Myrsine africana
African Boxwood / Cape Myrtle

full to moderate sun, light watering

Myrtus
Myrtles

full to medium sun, light watering

Myrtus communis compacta
Dwarf Sweet Myrtle

Myrtus communis microphylla
Dwarf Sweet Myrtle

Nashia inaguensis
Bahamas Berry

moderate to shade, moderate water

Pittosporum tenuifolium
kōhūhū / black matipo,

small evergreen tree

Podocarpus nivalus 'pink tip'

Found only in New Zealand

potentilla fruticosa 'klondike'
Cinquefoil - full to moderate sun, dry to moderate water

Punica Granatum
Pomegranates

Punica Granatum 'Nana'
Dwarf / Miniature Pomegranate

also ' Emperor Nana, and Chico'

takes a lot of trimming and control, but look great, full sun light to moderate water

Punica Granatum 'Emperor Nana'
Dwarf / Miniature Pomegranate

Rhododendron radicans
Dwarf rhododendron

Rosmarinus officinalis
Rosemaries

can look like desert tree or chaparral - has flowers (what time of year?)

Rosemary is a long-lived, semi-woody, tender perennial herb that can become a bonsai in a single year with a minimum of effort. Rosemary can reach a maximum height of 48" if field grown in only three years and live as a bonsai for over 30 years. Since the Rosemary's leaves are needle-like, the plant is most often grown in the same classic bonsai styles as the pine.

Rosemary has been long cultivated as an herb and ornamental. The herb now is available in an astounding number of cultivars (24!) with an abundance of flower colors (Blue, Violet, Pink, White), scents (Pine, lemon), and growth habits (upright, twisting, creeping). There's even a variegated cultivar. With some cultivar hardy to zone 7, Rosemary can be grown out-of-doors all year round. In colder climes, the herb can successfully be overwintered indoors under lights.

Lighting and Temperature

Full Sun in all zones, a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight per day during spring/summer/autumn. When overwintering indoors, give it 14 hours under full-spectrum lamps or a sunny spot with direct morning sun.

Rosemary is a tender perennial in zones 11-7 and an annual in zones 6-3. For a bonsai, bring indoors before first frost date. A single light frost is unlikely to kill any cultivar of rosemary. A properly hardened off Rosemary (of the hardier cultivar) can withstand brief 20F temperatures if field planted. During indoor wintering, give it cool days (~70F) and cooler nights (65-60F)with lots of morning sun, no afternoon sun, and lots of air circulation.

Water and Fertilizer

Rosemary does not like wet feet. It can survive dry soil for a day or two. Best to let the soil dry out almost completely then water. Use a chopstick to determine soil moisture. When the chopstick is pulled out and feels totally dry (cannot smear mud on dry paper), then water. Only water in the morning to prevent the roots from sitting in water overnight.

Humidity should be maintained at over 50% (relative) with the use of a humidifier or humidity tray.

Use 20:20:20 non-acidic liquid fertilizer every other week as long as day temperatures are above 50F. While wintering indoors, reduce feeding to once monthly. Watch for nitrogen deficiency, especially with the organic mix given below. Time released Oscomote (36:18:12) also has proven to work well. There is no need to dilute fertilizer past the manufacturers recommendation.

Repotting

Repot every other year in very well drained mix of 50% organics such as screened fir or pine bark and 50% inorganics (pumice, perlite, haydite, etc). Add limestone or dolomite to the soil mix to buffer the pH of the soil mix. Do not use peat moss.

Try to limit any root pruning to the early spring, before the new growth gets too advanced. Never root prune by more than 1/3 during any year.

Styling

Rosemary comes in both upright and prostrate varieties. Rosmarinus officinalis forms itself into a striking formal upright with minimum effort. The prostrate varieties can be formed into everything from informal upright cascade to windswept. The only style that the species does not lend itself to is root over rock.

Clip and grow is the best styling method since the wood, once hardened, is impossible to bend without splintering. You can pinch new growth after the first sets of leaves completely open. Start midsummer by cutting back top foliage to old wood to encourage some of the lower and finer branches to expand and thicken.

Propagation, Pest and Diseases

Usually grown from softwood and semi-hardwood cuttings in summer using low IBA rooting hormone. Rootone TM, or Hormex #1 or #3 TM or Dip and Grow TM at 20:1 dilution are sufficient. Cuttings are placed in sterile media and root in 2-4 weeks.

Rosemary is subject to root rot in poorly draining soils or when grown in inadequate light.

Cultivars Suitable for Bonsai

Rosemary, Arp, (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Zones: 7-10 (very hardy H1)
Flowers: pale blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: green-gray foliage
Uses: ornamental and culinary, popular bonsai subject

Rosemary, Benenden Blue (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Benenden Blue')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: blue, midsummer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: dark green foliage, bred for deep blue flowers
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Blue Lady (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Blue Lady')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: blue-violet, summer
Growth Habit: twisted
Other: very narrow leaves, very needle-like. (Popular Bonsai subject)
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Blue Spires (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Blue Spires')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: Bright blue flowers on tall upright stems
Growth Habit: creeper
Other: specially developed for visual and olfactory appeal.
Uses: *very* ornamental and yet still culinary

Rosemary, Collingwood Ingram (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Collingwood Ingram')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: blue, summer
Growth Habit: creeper
Other: highly fragrant, bright green foliage
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Foresteri (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Foresteri')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: especially drought resistant
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Girardus (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Girardus')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: very, very dense foliage
Uses: culinary (Very rare in U.S. of A.)

Rosemary, Golden Rain (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Joyce de Baggio')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: variegated (yellow on foliage edges) increasing variegation with age.
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Gorizia (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Gorizia')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright (larger then most)
Other: densely packed branches of dark green needles, fragrant
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Hill Hardy (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Hill Hardy')

Zones: 7-10 (very hardy Gloxinia)
Flowers: blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: needlelike foliage, fragrant
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Kenneth's Prostrate (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Kenneth's Prostrate')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: blue, late summer and early fall
Growth Habit: creeper
Other: fast grower
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Lockwood de Forest (Rosmarinus officinalis var. angustifolius 'Lockwood de Forest')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: lavender blue, summer
Growth Habit: creeper
Other: dark green foliage
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Logee's Blue (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Logee's Blue')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: Blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: bluish green foliage, smaller Ogee's.
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Miss Jessup (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Miss Jessup')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: Blue
Growth Habit: upright
Other: bred especially for flowering
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Mrs. Howard's Creeping (Rosmarinus officinalis'Mrs. Howard's Creeping')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: small blue, mid to late summer
Growth Habit: creeper
Other: fast grower
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Pine-Scented (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Pine-Scented')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: Blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright, feathery needle-leaves
Other: grown as miniature Christmas Tree, leaves have pine fragrance.
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Rex (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Rex')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: Blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: dark green foliage
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Santa Barbara (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Santa Barbara')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: Blue, summer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: drought resistant
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Severn Sea (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Severn Sea')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: Violet-blue
Growth Habit: upright
Other: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Spanish (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Majorca')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: Pink, throughout summer.
Growth Habit: upright
Other: very needlelike leaves (popular bonsai subject)
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, Tuscan Blue (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Tuscan Blue')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: Blue, mid spring to late summer
Growth Habit: upright
Other: extremely fragrant, bred especially for dense flowering.
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Rosemary, White-Flowered (Rosmarinus officinalis 'White-Flowered')

Zones: 8-10
Flowers: White
Growth Habit: upright
Other: extremely fragrant
Uses: ornamental and culinary

Serissa japonica / Serissa crassiramea (ex Serissa foetida)
Snow Rose

also "Pink Princess" variety, can "Cherry Blossom" variety

 Serissa Foetida also known as White Swan?

Foetida likes partial sun, crassiramea likes full sun. The growth is sensitive to light, too little will not give you the nice compact growth, changes in light upsets the Snow Rose.
Likes slightly acid soil, tolerates USDA zone 9, full sun moderate water

The snow rose or tree of a thousand stars (Serissa foetida (L.f.) Poiret ex Lamarck) is a unique member of the Rubiaceae, the madder family. Native to open woodlands of Southeast Asia, China, Taiwan, and southern Japan, the snow rose is a small evergreen shrub with tiny opposite leaves and petite funnelform flowers. Like its cousin, the coffee, the plant bears berries with 2 seeds.

Thuja orientalis 'Aurea Nana'
Dwarf golden arborvitae

Trichodiadema bulbosum
african bonsai

succlent - move!!

full sun, light to moderate water

Ulmus
Elms

most elms like moderate water and full to moderate sun

Ulmus neri
Cork Bark Elm

The Neri Elm has small serrated green leaves with good fall color. It has a striking gnarled corky bark appearance hence the name Cork Bark Elm. Deciduous.

Ulmus parvifolia 'hokkaido'
Hokkaido Elm

Native to Japan and Korea, the Hokkaido Elm is a Chinese Elm, not troubled by the Dutch Elm disease that has destroyed so many other species. It is extremely slow growing and will grow only to about 18" tall. The Hokkaido forms a rugged trunk with a corky bark that flakes off in rounded plates. This cultivar of ulmus has the tiniest leaf of all Elms (only 3/8" long)and they are short-stalked, oval with a slightly pointed tip and toothed margins, bright green on the upper surface, lighter green underneath. Very nice fall color. Deciduous. Temperate. Protect from frost. Full sun, moderate water

Ulmus parvifolia 'seiju'
seiju Elm

Ulmus x hollandica 'Jacqueline Hillier'
Jacquline Hillier Dwarf Elm -

Formerly called Ulmus x elegantissima 'Jacqueline Hillier,' & still commonly sold by that name. Because of a long period of uncertainty about its parentage, it is still sometimes sold as U. minor or the synonymous U. carpinifolia.

'Jacquelline Hillier' is a beautiful dwarf elm that can be grown in the garden as a shrub or dwarf tree, or in containers, or as bonsai. Because the leaves are micro versions of a full-sized elm, it is a particularly good visual choice for bonsai, as it can truly look like a miniature of a gigantic elm.
They are very winter-hardy to minus ten degrees F. or even colder, & go through all the expected seasonal changes of a temperate deciduous tree, though holding their tiny leaves until the start of winter, growing them back come April.

Trees - Pine

Picea abies
Little Gem Pine

Pinus bungeana
Lacebark pine

Pinus mugo pumilio
dwarf mugo pine -

(might be bushy)