|
Coprosma as BonsaiCoprosma 'Mirror Plant' Although some species are found in other islands of the pacific the Coprosma family has made a home here in New Zealand. There are a wide variety of Coprosma species and an even greater number of hybrid cultivars. Most of which are very good for bonsai.
The Coprosma family range in size from low ground cover plants to medium sized shrubs. They grow over much of New Zealand and will tolerate a wide variety of conditions, even salt spray.
![]()
Recommended styles
Informal upright
Wind swept
Cascade
Semi cascade
Almost all the varieties respond well to bonsai, I tend to leave the more heavily variegated varieties. Variegation is difficult to get looking right in bonsai and quite often just makes your plant look sick. This is a ground cove plant with dark green leaves. It grows very quickly and can be trained or trimmed to a pleasing shape very quickly. Coprosma 'copper shine' This is a compact foliage shrub with dark green foliage with rich copper colourings. Coprosma robusta This is the native green variety which is very good as a bonsai. Have a look in your local Nursery or near by bush block coprosma are plentiful and
relatively inexpensive. They are easy to transplant which also makes them great as a
collected tree.
Coprosma are very hardy plants and as long as they are not subjected to undue stress they
are not susceptible to any pest or disease in particular. Like any plant especially bonsai
if you allow them to become weakened or stressed you may be allowing easy access to
infection. Keep you work and staging areas clean, remove any dead or diseased plant material
and keep your plants fed and unstressed and you should eliminate the majority of potential
problems.
|