The Flame Tree Bonsai, also known as the Royal Poinciana is a beautiful bonsai that catches the eye of many lovers with its red-orange blooms, lacy green foliage and rapid growth. These beautiful and extravagant trees are indigenous to Madagascar but have been timbered all over the tropics because of its accessibility.
As a bonsai, it is a favorite with its rapid growth and special care requirements; but rewards growers with spectacular blooms and graceful foliage.
By following this extensive guide, you will be learning about caring for a Flame Tree Bonsai, how to cultivate and shape it and what types of common problems arise if they do too.
Flame Tree Bonsai
Its origins are in Madagascar but have become naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Central America, the Caribbean, Africa and Southern Asia. The tree, famous for its remarkable size and gorgeous red-orange blooms, is a sight to behold in its natural environment. The Bonsai Royal Poinciana It is this stunning tree in miniature that the bonsaied royal poinciana shows off, displaying a riot of vivid color as well as graceful form.
Unique Characteristics
- Spectacular Blossoms: The leaves and dense branches of a Flame Tree are complimented by its stunning flame-colored red or orange blossoms that blanket the tree in a vibrant explosion during its blooming season which usually occurs later on in the spring or through early summer.
- Fern-like Foliage: The delicate bipinnate leaves provide the bonsai with a graceful and airy appearance. Those leaves fold at night, reading to the overall movability of the plant.
- Quick Growth: Flame Tree is an especially quick growing variety of tree, so it should be trimmed regularly to keep its size and shape.
Best Areas to Grow Flame Tree Bonsai
The areas you should choose for the better growth of your flame tree bonsai. Here, I am sharing some specific zones which you have to consider for well-growth trees. These are-
- Light And Temperature
Flame Tree Bonsai favors direct sunlight and makes an excellent outside bonsai for warm, tropical-as well as subtropical climate regions. The plant needs at least 6 hours of direct sun to grow strong and maintain rich foliage and flowers.
Best Temperature Range: 65°F to 85°F. Flame Trees are not frost-tolerant and should be kept inside during winter in cooler climates. A tree that is not cold hardy as the Shaina will die when temperature drops to below 50°F and damage it at minimum.
Indoor vs. Outdoor Care: In regions with warmer climates the Flame Tree Bonsai can be grown outside in all seasons Since that plant must be protected from frost and grow in direct light to produce a healthy crop, you might need to move it somewhere warm under the lights for the winter.
- Humidity Control
Flame Tree Bonsais like their tropical native habitat and prefer medium to high humidity levels. To get the humidity levels high enough you may wish to use a humidity tray or mist the leaves on an indoor tree, especially is your climate area is dry.
Flame Tree Watering And Feeding
To get a well-growth flame tree, you have to water and feed with accurate proportion. You should maintain all of these things like-
- Proper Watering Techniques
Watering must be consistent and balanced if a Flame Tree Bonsai is to stay healthy. The only real requirement from this tree is not to have its roots sitting in water, but then neither should they dry out completely
- Soil Moisture
Evenly moist, allow top inch to dry between watering. Do not keep the tree in waterlogged state as roots may get rot.
Pot up fresh and let the soil dry between each watering visit or during summer pruning in times of extreme heat when the tree is actively growing, daily potted up may need attention. In the winter or dormant season, water but keep the soil from drying out entirely.
Feeding for Generous Growth is Key
Flame Tree Bonsai trees also grow quite rapidly and should be fed throughout the active growing season.
Fertilize with: Balanced, water soluble fertilizer every two weeks until midfall. When it is dormant in winter, cease or at least slow down on fertilizing as the tree will be growing very slowly.
Flowering Boost: For improved flowering, switch over to a high-potassium (K) content fertilizer in late spring when the tree is setting blossoms. This encourages the development of flowers and makes its colors more vibrant.
How to Prune and Style Your Flame Tree Bonsai?
The actual pruning and style techniques of this flame tree bonsai, let’s explain the details-
- Pruning Techniques
The Flame Tree grows so fast that pruning is necessary in order to keep its size and form good for a bonsai. Frequent pruning is a necessity to ensure that its height remains under control, and it develops a more bush-like canopy, which also leads into flower production.
Service Tree Pruning: Trim the new shoots when they get 5-6 inches before leaving only a few sets of leaves per branch. This supports the small stature of the tree without creating too much interior growth.
Root Pruning and repotting helps the plants to keep safe from outgrowing its pot. Root pruning encourages a more fibrous root system which is essential to the health and longevity of this style of Bonsai.
- Wiring for Styling
Wiring is a technique to help manipulate the branches of your Flame Tree Bonsai and so it can be applied when you are trying to achieve certain styles of bonsai. Still, because it grows so quickly, you should inspect the wiring often and loosen or remove it well before causing bark cutting. WRAP LIMBS loosely with wire and do this ideally in later winter or early spring while plants are still essentially dormant.
Well-cherished Methods of Styling Flame Tree Bonsai
Although the Flame Tree Bonsai can be crafted into nearly any bonsai style, some of them complement its growth pattern and aesthetic more than others.
- Informal Upright
As the Flame Tree are almost naturally inclined to grow in an upright fashion with soft curves, so an informal upright style would work very well. A highlight of this style is showing off the tree’s colorful flowers and small leaves, maintaining a natural appearance that suits the quick growing rate of Bonsai trees.
- Broom Style
In this form, the trunk grows straight, with branches radiating outward equally in all directions giving a full umbrella-type appearance. It is one of the most commonly grown types and the red flowers over dark foliage are always striking, when featured on this tree with its fine ferny leaves.
- Cascade
The cascade style is used with the Flame Tree Bonsai as well, but it is not quite as popular. This look is supposed to resemble a tree growing on the side of a mountain, with the trunk and branches falling downward.
- FabriQuilt
The Flame Tree’s vibrant blossoms with the fullness of green leave create a drama all their own in this design
common issues and their troubleshooting steps
Here are the common health issues of your lovely plants are very harmful for these plants. Let’s see!
Leaf Drop
Leaf drop, in particular with Flame Tree Bonsai is common when the life of a tree becomes stressful due to immediate changes in light, temperature or watering. Look out for these if your tree begins to shed leaves .
Pests
Potential pests Indoors, Flame Tree Bonsais may be attacked by aphids, spider mites or whiteflies. You should very closely examine your tree on a daily basis for any signs of pests, such as leaves that yellowed or the presence of sticky residue or webbing.
Treatment
To treat pests, use insecticidal soap or neem oil. Note: with pesticide you should spray earlier in the day (or late in the evening) as it might cause burning of leaves if applied when there is direct sunlight.
Root Rot
This tree is likely to root rot if too little water or excessive watering occurs misting soil. Symptoms of root rot are wilted leaves, yellowing of the top of the plant, and a more twisted smell coming from soil.
Solution
If root rot is suspected, remove the tree from the pot, prune away any affected roots and then repot into fresh (and free-draining) bonsai soil. The problem can become more serious and adjusting your watering routine is necessary.
Yellowing Leaves
Nutrient deficiencies are a common reason that leaves turn yellow, as are over-watering and pests. If you see yellow leaves, reconsider light and water and the feeding schedule of the tree. Fix all irregularities and look for pests or fungi.
Bonsai Tree, repotting a flame tree
A Flame Bonsai should be repotted every year or two to renew the soil, root prune and maintain the health of the tree-
- Repotting
The best time to repot a Flame Tree Bonsai is early spring just before the tree starts its active growing season.
When repotting, root prune by removing the tree carefully from its pot and cutting back about a third of its roots. This prevents the bonsai from becoming root bound and provides more delicate rootage.
- FRESH SOIL
Use well-draining bonsai soil mix including akadama, pumice and lava rock to cover the root.
Conclusion
Flame Tree Bonsai is an impressive and rapidly growing bonsai species that brings together larger flowers, tiny leaves, and a slim form. Given some TLC through watering, light and pruning this bonsai can thrive and give you the exate opppsite.
If you admire its vibrant flowers, or want to try your hand at keeping a tree with this rapid growth rate in check, the Flame Tree Bonsai is for sure a perfect fit for your bonsai collection. This guide comes with all the care guidelines and troubleshooting tips you need to keep your Flame Tree Bonsai beautiful, healthy, and if you’re lucky – 200 years old one day.
