This is one of my most precious bonsai trees – Crassula ovata. My mother has got the plant before I was born and she tells me it was already relatively big at that time. It is therefore safe to assume the tree is at least circa 50 years old. I started converting it to bonsai about twenty years ago. It continues to grow succesfully each year after pruning, and in case you wish to start growing bonsai yourself, this species is ideal for a beginner. It responds well to pruning, it grows quickly but not too much so, insects do not infect it much, and if you forget to water it from time to time, nothing happens.
I want to share a picture this time around, because this year something special happened – the tree flowers. It has done it once already a few years ago, but not as much as this year.
©Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size.
©Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size.
©Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size.
How pretty.
And just the right time for having some flowers.
Coincidentally, had I read this post before tonight’s BrainGames semi-final, our team would have had one extra point to our credit. Oh well, I prefer to enjoy these flowers with no pressure added. They’re quite charming!
That is an obviously happy and well loved bonsai. You must be so pleased that it’s blooming.
I have one of these I grew it from a piece a friend gave me. We call them Jade trees
So beautiful! I’d love to see more of your bonsai trees, Charly. I’ve always been fascinated by bonsai, but I never invested enough time to be successful and gave up after killing a few trees.
I have a plant that looks just like this (not as well-kept!), and another one that looks vaguely like this but somewhat different. Google is telling me the second one is likely Crassula ovata ‘Hobbit’. Or ‘Gollum’. I’m not sure, but I didn’t even know the name of the “normal” variety and now I do, so thanks. :)