Dwarf Yaupon Holly #10 - stop chewing my tree!

One of my favorite species for Bonsai is the Dwarf Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria 'nana').  There are many variety names from Stokes, Schilling, Bordeaux, Micron, and more, but the key element in their use for Bonsai is a strong branching habit, and a trunk that seems to thicken faster than the wild native tree.  They're used extensively in landscaping in the South where winter freezes are mild. 

So many people have touted what a tough plant they are, that it is often called a "bulletproof" plant that anyone can grow and resists all pests.  Dwarf Yaupons are not difficult, but if they are allowed to dry out or get waterlogged for too long, they'll lose branches in a seemingly random way.  This can be frustrating after spending years putting those branches exactly where we want them, so watch that water!  Also for pests, I've found that they resist most everything.. with one exception: the Tobacco Hornworm.  It seems like every year at this time in the summer, I'll be watering my trees and notice that one of the Bonsai looks a little more "bald" than I last saw it.  This little shohin-sized Dwarf Yaupon caught my eye the other day.  Spot the Hornworm?

 

 

Let's take a closer look.  They will usually hang on the undersides of branches, and being the same color as the leaves, are easy to miss unless you are looking for them. Why Tobacco Hornworms chew these plants but leave all the others alone is a mystery to me. 

They are actually beautifully colored creatures and eventually turn into an interesting large Sphinx Moth (also known as a Hummingbird Moth).  The first time I saw one on a Dwarf Yaupon Bonsai years ago, I thought I'd leave it, and allow it to defoliate the tree, thinking that the caterpillar would be helping me out.  Oh no.  Not only do they eat the leaves, but they will chew back the buds at the base of the leaves as well, and will do this at every spot on the tree.  That Bonsai died as a result.  Lesson learned and I'll never let one of these run loose on one of my Bonsai.  But because I have no ill will toward them, I'll turn them loose on a shrub in the yard instead.  Being a vegetarian myself, I can't manage to kill any of them.

 

 

 

Here is a bit of a history on this little Bonsai featured here.

August 2005 seems to be the earliest photograph, although I think I bought it in 2004.  It still has $5.90 price on the side.  It had been cut back once and then allowed to extend again. 

After trimmed back to shape.

2006 September.

And after another pruning.

2009 February.  I have no idea why I had kept it in that plastic pot so long, but it's time to get it out of there.

The rootball out of the pot.  Circling knot of roots, soil that was mostly washed away..

Here I took a garden hose and washed all the old mucky soil from the roots.  The potting mix had totally broken down at this point and needed a complete removal.  Now.. where to start on that snarl-ball of roots?

 

This is the part of the show where we are very happy that Dwarf Yaupons can take Bonsai abuse and come back swinging!  Don't try this with just any tree!  All the large, stiff roots are cut back to finer, softer roots that fit the tree.  Also I took off the entire left side of the tree, opting for a much smaller design with better taper. 

 

 

Tilting the trunk to the left and planting it (in a mixing bowl with large drainholes drilled in the bottom) and it looks like a whole new plant. 

2009 September.  This little tree seemed to really like having some room for its roots and grew well this year.

After.  Cut back once again, and the front changed to the other side to make the curves less severe and to hide the big pruning scar.

 

  

2010 July.  It has grown out and been trimmed a couple of times. 

  

2010 November, the shape is filling out. 

  

2012 March.  Each branchlet is turning into a foliage cloud as it ramifies.  Any "crotch", crossing, inside, or other branches not helping the look of the tree are removed every few months, and the good branches are wired to give a little movement and direct them in the proper place. 

It's time for new shoes!  Out the Bonsai comes from that mixing bowl.  The roots were cleaned of the old soil, and carefully cut back to a flat plane - removing all that grew straight down and shortening all the rest..

This turquoise glazed, oval Chinese pot fit the shape and style of the tree.  A color this bright may not look great on a large Bonsai, but in Shohin sized trees, playing around with jewel tones can be unexpected and refreshing. 

2012 August.  Some branches are lowered, others are raised.  The curves in the trunk actually have a great three dimensional twist to them that looks better in person that in a picture.

2013 July. And here we are as of the other day after I cut back some of the longer branches to restore the profile.  I hope that the caterpillar damage doesn't set things back too far.  I can only wait to see if there are buds to take over or if those chewed branches have to start all over again.

Since Dwarf Yaupons can be found in landscapes and collected, some really interesting specimens can be found!  Some of those will be featured here later.  This post, though, shows that even a nursery container plant can have potential if you don't give up.