bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - too early to prune Natal Plum?

Hi WinterGreen,

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinterGreen

A few Q's about Natal Plums:

How old are they when they begin to flower?

Since most natal plums are started from cuttings .. blooming is not a problem.
Providing the environment for them to bloom is more the issue. Warm, above 70 F and humid..with partial to full sun.
I have one kept in a greenhouse and recently worked the roots and no branch prunning and it is pushing flowers as I write.. It flowers from the tips .. so if you prune alot you will get ramification of branches but no blooms.. or very few.
I have read that if you prune flowering bonsai too early you may ruin the chances for some flowers the next growing season. I have also read that the natal plum should be pruned/repotted in the fall. So if my plant (probably about 2 y.o.) is too young to flower, do I need to wait for the fall to prune it? Should I try and force more growth before the growing season is over or be patient and wait for the fall?

I am lost as how to prune this tree so any and all advice you guys can give me would be great!!!

Also there is a reddish tinge to some of the leaves. Is this normal? It was in the tropical greenhouse when I bought it (the red was already present). Am I wrong in assuming that it is because it may have recieved too much sun or heat?

The reddish color is natural to the natal plum.

peace,
tom stoute