Is Fukien tea a good Bonsai?
The Fukien Tea is traditionally an indoor Bonsai, but it can be kept outside in very warm climates. It requires a lot of natural light so it should be placed next to a window where it gets the best light. It thrives in temperatures around 70 °F (20 °C) so be sure not to allow the temperature to drop much lower.
How do you grow a Fukien tea hedge?
As a stand-alone specimen plant, Fukien tea trees can be settled into pots or the ground. Grow it in well-draining soil that is kept evenly moist. Ensure the plant gets lots of sun and water and feed it lightly with any balanced fertiliser.
Can you drink Fukien tea leaves?
Whole steems with leaves can be gathered at any time, to be used fresh or to dry. Fresh, well chopped leaves can be boiled for around 15 minutes, or dried crushed leaves can be prepared in a way as green tea, to make refreshing, caffeine-free drink, delightfull both hot and cold. Its tiny stony berry fruits are edible.
Are Fukien tea trees deciduous?
The Fukien Tea is a tropical evergreen shrub originating from southern China.
How do you use Carmona retusa?
The fruit is consumed raw while leaves infusion is used as a tea substitute. In the Philippines, the plant is considered as one of the most important medicinal plants. The leaves are used in the treatment of cough, diarrhoea, colic, and dysentery.
How tall does a Fukien tea tree grow?
In its native land it grows as a small tree or shrub to twelve feet in height. The tree is found from India and Malaysia to the Philippines. It is a member of the Borage family. Using Fukien Tea For Bonsai. Fukien tea has an attractive gray bark with darker, warty elevated areas.
What makes a Fukien tea a bonsai plant?
Contained within the fruit is one hard seed. The Fukien tea unlike most tropical/indoor bonsai seems to grow continuously with no detectable rest period. Lastly, the plant is twiggy allowing for tree-like bonsai character. Problems With FT Used For Bonsai
Where did the Fukien tea plant get its name?
It is named after the Fukien or Fujien province of Southern China from which the plant originates. It is most often listed by its old scientific name of Carmona microphylla but its most recent scientific name is Ehretia micropylla (buxifolia).
What can I use to get Fukien tea off my tree?
Both insects can be treated with a mild soap spray available at plant nurseries. They can also be mechanically dislodged from the branches with a strong spray of water or removed with a Q-tip soaked in rubbing alcohol. Fukien tea is sensitive to many chemicals including my standard indoor insect dormant oil treatment.