Umbrella Tree

 Hello all

I have an Umbrella Tree in a pot on the balcony.
Some months ago it developed what seemed to be soft, thorn like
protuberances here and there along the stems which made me think it had a
disease as nothing like this had happened before.
I searched the internet and was totally surprised to find this tree can bear
flowers.

I have had this plant for about eighteen years, since it was a delicate
little thing that used to live in the bathroom and it has never given any
indication that it might do anything other than give privacy now that it has
size on its side.

Those "growths" turned to little balls, turned black and now the crows are
enjoying them.

Is this likely to happen each year from now on?

Regards,

Kate
(Sydney, Australia)

 Kate Spencer wrote:

Yes if it gets enough light.  If you want a real surprise plant it out in
the garden and watch it grow 6 m.

David

 g'day kate,

"in your original post you said this:
Those "growths" turned to little balls, turned black and now the crows
are enjoying them."

the way it sounds if they weren't fruit the crows wouldn't eat them.

anyhow moving on, this type of plant does not necessarily need potting
up or you could run out of pot sizes or a pot so large and heavy as to
be very unmangeable for moving about etc.

you could keep it very happy in say a 3gallon to 5 gallon tub for a
very long time simply by tipping it maybe every couple of years or
when pot bound is over obvious, cut off 1/3 of the root ball from the
bottom and remove 1/4 from each of 2 sides of the root ball, if some
of the medium falls away from other parts of the root ball you may
have to trim up enough (reckon you could remove a 1/4 alround with the
umbrella) to allow for new medium to be put in place.

so once you have trimmed it then renew the potting medium in the
bottom tamp if down a litttle to reduce settling, when you are happy
with the level of teh plant (the top of the root ball should be say
around 2"s below the rim to allow for watering, start little higher as
you will get some settling. then last put new medium at those 2 sides
and tamp it in also add some slow release into the side fill.

you can do this process for a very long time, the next time cut the
bottoma as the sae then do the 2 opposite sides, works with nearly all
palms well the common ones as well as the pony tail and any of the
ficus family, there will be others as well.

reckon you could keep it happy enough in even a 2 gallon pot for a
long time before potting on may be needed, at the end of the day when
it outgrows itself toss it away and buy another.


On Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:22:33 GMT, "Kate Spencer"

snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

 Hi Len and Jock

When I said it didn't actually "flower", I meant nothing with petals or
colour developed.
But getting on with the repotting, I will certainly follow your advice as it
is getting too big and heavy for me to handle and I like to keep the growth
thick because, as I mentioned, it is a privacy shield and will be needed
more so shortly as town houses are to be built directly next door.

On reading about this plant I can see why it is known as a menace and I
really don't need to see it develop any further, I was merely taken by
surprise that it was able to do anything other than just sit there looking
pleasant.

Thank you all for your advice

Kate