Characteristics
Shrub or small tree that rarely reaches four meters high. The purple-brown branches, when young, turn greyish in their old age. Its dark green leaves are leathery. It blooms in spring and presents an inflorescence in panicle that gives rise to fruits when ripe.
Location
Being a characteristic species of the Mediterranean area, place the bonsai outdoor or in semi-shaded places.
Watering
Shrub that needs a lot of humidity of its substrate, but that resists drought. We will water abundantly when we observe that the surface of the soil is dry.
Fertilization
From spring to mid-autumn with organic fertilizer or liquid NUTRIBONSAI from MISTRAL, applied every two weeks through irrigation water.
Re-potting
Every 2 or 3 years, in early spring, just a bit before the beginning of the annual budding. After transplanting it is convenient to water with a solution of VITABONSAI from Mistral Bonsai, to accelerate the recovery of the tree.
Substrate
A mixture of 6 parts of Akadama, with 4 parts of volcanic gravel can be used; otherwise Mistral Bonsai TERRABONSAI can also be used.
Pruning and pinching
Pruning
Pruning will be done in early spring.
Pinching
Throughout the growing season we can perform light pinching to get a denser crown.
Wiring
It is not a bonsai to which the wiring of its branches is practiced much. However, in case of doing so, it is advisable to do it before the sprouting.
Curiosities
Its brown wood was used as a yellow dye for wool. It has traditional medicine properties, as a purgative and styptic.