Celtis Sinensis – Chinese Hackberry – Seedlings

Description

Celtis Sinensis – Chinese Hackberry – Seedlings

Please note that these plants are deciduous.  They loose their leaves in winter and in winter will be without leaves when you receive them.  They are still alive and you still need to plant and water them, but they will only in Spring give new leaves.  We ship them through winter because its the best time to do root work if you plan too.

 These seedlings were grown specifically for the cultivation of small bonsai.

They were pruned to make them more compact

They were grown without much fertilizer, keeping the internodal length short and compact and developing compact ramification.

• These seedlings are healthy plants that’s still pliable to be bend.
• Compact internodal lengths.
• Grown in seedling tray plugs.
• They are deciduous and in winter lose their leaves.
• In winter they are dormant and will only show new growth in spring.   They still need water and light even though they are dormant.
• Winter dormancy is a natural stage that deciduous plants go through during winter.  They are still alive even though their metabolic system slowed down and they still need to be watered regularly and need to be cared for like any other living plant.

In South African there’s two Celtis species readily available.  Celtis africana (White Stinkwood) and Celtis sinensis (Chinese Hackberry)

Celtis sinensis originate from East Asia.  It grow stronger than the native Celtis africana – White Stinkwood.

Its most obvious difference from the native White Stinkwood is that the leaves of Celtis africana is covered in fine ‘hairs’ where the sinensis is more smooth and ‘shiny’ and a bit deeper green.

The sinensis and africana can easily cross pollinate with the result that many of locally produced seeds are a mixed breed and characteristics differ slightly from the original species.

Celtis africana is more slow growing and has a more compact ramification than that of sinensis.

The attached photos give only an indication of the size of the seedling and will differ from the seedling that you receive in shape.

Please note – seedlings will be shipped out of the seed tray wrapped in damp vermiculite and need to be planted as is on arrival into a temporary container with soil.  It can be kept in the soil till you are ready to repot it.  Ideal repotting time is from July till early September.

Should you order your seedlings later they would already have produced new leaves.

When you receive your seedlings plant them into a suitable container.  Do not bare root them at this stage.  (You can only work on the roots when the tree is dormant.)

Place in shaded area and gradually over a 3 day period move them into direct sun.  Due to the transport and the wrapping inside a dark container they will not be used to the direct sunlight and too much direct sunlight immediately will cause sunburn.