Bucida sp.

black olive

Bucida comes highly recommended by Lesniewicz, who says, "This delicate tree from Florida and the Caribbean grows into a bonsai almost by itself." An unusual bonsai subject, but a topic of some interest among members of the IBC, it may increase in popularity as an indoor tree. It is very salt tolerant, making it a good choice for bonsai lovers by the sea.

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Lighting:

Full sun - its natural environment is the hottest parts of Florida and the Caribbean.

Temperature:

A tender plant which has been grown successfully as an indoor bonsai. Do not expose to freezing weather.

Watering:

Likes to be well-watered.

Feeding:

Likes frequent fertilization, which promotes vigorous growth.

Repotting:

Repot in late winter, pruning roots only moderately. Use a fast-draining bonsai soil with a high sand and lime content.

Styling:

New shoots need to be shortened only by a little. It is best to pinch them back. In nature, the Bucida is generally windswept, which makes this an excellent choice for bonsai style. The plant's natural growth makes it ideal for bonsai. It changes direction at every internode, making a bend of 25 to 35 degrees, which can be incorporated into the styling.

Propagation:

From cuttings, as seeds are difficult to germinate.
    >To propagate from cuttings, hard wood won't work, even under a mist system.
    >Soft wood ones will, but one rarely gets a soft wood cutting longer than 2
    >inches.
    >Propagation from seed. The tiny flower progresses to green seeds, then tan
    >and then brown in about 2 months. Gather the seeds as soon as they fall, for
    >they are more vital and willing to germinate in the first ten days after they
    >ripen. Seeds should be planted in large community pots in a well drained
    >mixture of vermiculite, peat and loam, and allowed 25 to 35 days for
    >germination.
    >Be patient, for they grow very slowly. When they are 2 inches tall,
    >transplant them from the community pot to individual pots. Cover each pot
    >with a plastic bag for 5 days and put in the shade. Keep in the shade for 3
    >to 4 weeks, being careful to keep them moist, but watch for and avoid powdery
    >mildew. Once they are growing well, if you wish to force them to grow faster
    >and taller than their usual 2 inches a year, bend down the branches lower
    >than the growing tip. 
    

(Quoted from page 20, Vol 4, No. 4 of "Florida Bonsai" magazine - thanks to Tom Zane for this info!)

Pests etc.:

Pest problems seem rare.

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Related posts on Bucida

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mmedina@lynx.neu.edu
February 15, 1997
I recently bought a black olive bonsai, however after only a week, the leaves in the tree have quickly turned yellow.  I keep it next to the window all day but yet I am not sure what the problem is? can you help? thanks.




=================================================================

Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 09:27:38 EDT
From: Ken Devos 

BO>In a message dated 96-05-13 17:09:13 EDT, Erik Simpson wrote:

BO>>I recently purchased a Bahama Black Olive from a local nursery that had
BO>>been planted in a 5 gallon pot for the last few years. I roughly pruned
BO>>the upper branches, but had to seriously cut back the roots which kind of
BO>>worries me.
BO>>Does anyone have any information on these trees (watering, pruning,
BO>>fertilizing, light position, etc.)? How do they handle transplanting/root
BO>>pruning?

Erik,

If you are talking about Bucida buceras, this is a very popular
landscaping tree in south Florida.  I have posted material about the
tree before.  It is a very vigorous tree, surviving in a wide range of
conditions.  Since it is a native of the Florida Keys, it requires a
warm location.  It prefers "calcareous or sandy soils" which are
indigenous to its native range, which once was a coral reef, therefore
made up of limestone.  According to "60 Trees for South Florida", it
"responds to care and fertilization".

I have planted this tree at my last two homes.  They grew very fast.  If
planted in fast draining soil and fertilized frequently, the results
should be good.  Propagation usually is by cuttings.


This may be the dwarf variety which is available from the Bahamas.

Good luck.  This tree has a lot of potential.

Ken Devos
Ft. Myers Beach, FL
ken1d@iline.com

=================================================================

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 09:26:28 -0500
From: "Thomas L. Zane" 

Sabrina,

My experience is only with bucida spinosa.

The bucida like, in fact in my experience, demands full sun. It grows in the
hottest, starkest environments in the Caribbean. I question the statement in
your posting attributed to Lesniewicz that they are from Florida. They are
native to the Bahamas.

The normal style in which the bucida spinosa is found is windswept and should
be emulated in bonsai.

It is a marvelous plant for styling. At every intenode the branch changes
direction 25 to 35 degrees, first one way, then the next so you get a true
zig zag appearance.

I have never had a pest problem on my bucida.

Propagation. (Quoted from page 20, Vol 4, No. 4 of "Florida Bonsai"
magazine.)
To propogate from cuttings, hard wood won't work, even under a mist system.
Soft wood ones will, but one rarely gets a soft wood cutting longer than 2
inches.
Propagation from seed. The tiny flower progresses to green seeds, then tan
and then brown in about 2 months. Gather the seeds as soon as they fall, for
they are more vital and willing to germinate in the first ten days after they
ripen. Seeds should be planted in large community pots in a well drained
mixture of vermiculite, peat and loam, and allowed 25 to 35 days for
germination.
Be patient, for they grow very slowly. When they are 2 inches tall,
transplant them from the community pot to individual pots. Cover each pot
with a plastic bag for 5 days and put in the shade. Keep in the shade for 3
to 4 weeks, being careful to keep them moist, but watch for and avoid powdery
mildew. Once they are growing well, if you wish to force them to grow faster
and taller than their usual 2 inches a year, bend down the branches lower
than the growing tip.
Unquote

Tom Zane, Daytona Beach, FL
Publisher of Introduction to Bonsai - A Course Syllabus
and its Instructor's Manual

=================================================================

From: ken1d@iline.com
Date: 22 Nov 1996 10:21:12 EST

[social stuff snipped]

As for your request on B. buceras, although it is listed in several of
my books, the specific information is sketchy at best.  All give general
descriptions of the tree but there's no information concerning light
requirements, etc.   Here're my gleanings from several books.

It is tender but will withstand some frost.  It is HIGHLY salt tolerant.
Propagation is from cutting as seeds are dificult to germinate.  Leaves
persistent, bluish-green above and yellowish green below.

Hope that helps.  As always, you may use any or all of this in the TOW
posting, or elsewhere as you see fit.

Ken Devos
Ft. Myers Beach, FL
ken1d@iline.com

=================================================================

From: TomZ50925@aol.com
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 13:37:01 -0500

I stand corrected on my statement to you the other day about bucida not being
native to Florida, but rather from the Bahamas. My info came from an article
in our state bonsai organization's quarterly publication. Ken Devos has
pointed out a couple of more authoritative sources.

Tom


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Information Sources:

Information on Bucida is taken from Lesniewicz's "Bonsai in Your Home," and posts by Ken Devos and Tom Zane. Tom recommends checking out Vol 4, No. 4 of "Florida Bonsai" magazine.


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