What is La Carmona like?
When you go to buy a bonsai, it is always interesting to know what the plant is like if it is allowed to grow freely, since this way we can get an idea of how it will behave once we work it as a bonsai. In the case of the Carmona, they are a genus made up of five species (C. heterophylla, C. lycioides, C. microphylla, C. retusa y C viminea) originating mainly from Southeast Asia and Australia.
They grow as shrubs or small trees 1 to 3 meters high, with small, lobed, shiny dark green leaves and producing a large number of white flowers. The fruit is tiny, green, red or black, and rounded. Furthermore, under suitable conditions, they can develop a thick trunk. To delve deeper into the Carmona bonsai care, it is advisable to know how these specimens grow in the wild.
To improve your care and learn more, you can consult our dedicated article, which will provide additional information on this species.
How is Carmona bonsai cared for?
These are the care you need:
- Location:
- Outdoors: in full sun or in semi-shade.
- Indoor: in a bright room, without drafts.
- Substratum: the ideal is to mix akadama with 30% kiryuzuna.
- Irrigation: moderate. About 4-5 times a week in summer, and about 2 times a week the rest of the year.
- Subscriber: in spring and summer with specific liquid fertilizers for bonsai following the indications specified on the packaging.
- Pruning: in late winter, remove dry, diseased, weak or broken branches, and trim those that are getting too long.
- Transplant: every 2-3 years, in spring.
- Rusticity: very sensitive to cold. In the event that in the winter in your area the temperature drops below 0 degrees, you have to protect it either in a greenhouse or in a bright room away from drafts.