This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Malpighia,

At 11:39 AM 10/25/97 -0000, you wrote:
>Right, here we go, the final part...
>
>Ruth wrote >Does anyone grow Malpighia coccigera?  
>No, but it sounds interesting :-).  As the plants come from the Tropics and
>are evergreen, wouldn't they drop leaves all year round?  As they flower in
>the (Northern Hemisphere's) spring and summer, then I would guess they
>would just slow down a bit in the autumn and winter while they were
>gathering strength for the next lot of flowers.  I can't find anything
>about growing it as a Bonsai,  but the picture in my book shows it to be a
>fairly informal bush, if you trimmed the top, would it *really* spoil the
>shape?  Wouldn't it make some more side shoots which you could train?  If
>the top is dead already then the side shoots are going to grow anyhow to
>make a plant with a multi crown.  And can you bear to throw out a plant
>which still has life in it???

Liz:

More on my malpighia.  It didn't drop leaves, they dried right on the
branches.  It is 3 years old so was like a little tree with very woody
branches, the trunk about 1/3" in diameter at the base so cutting the top
out of it has made it look very weird.  I had no intention of throwing it
out as I can't replace it and love its little prickly holly leaves and
delicate pink flowers.

I cut off all the dead wood and it looks decidedly strange at the moment but
the new growth is healthy.  I just wish I knew how to keep it from doing it
again as I think I would eventually lose it.

Thanks for your interest.
Ruth Zavitz                                     
rzavitz@execulink.com                            
Freelance Writer & Gardening Consultant, zone 6 Southern Ontario
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index