Ehretia ball plant
| Scientific name | Ehretia microphylla/ carmona retusa |
| Common name |
Ehretia ball plant |
| Temperature requirement | 25c-35c |
| Humidity | 40-50% |
| Light | Full sunlight to partial shade |
| Watering | Keep well watered, reducing watering only slightly in winter |
| Pests | Aphids, scale, mealy-bugs, snails. Red spider mites |
| Pet friendliness | Toxic to pets and humans |
| Maximum Plant height | Up to 9m |
| Potting mix | Potting soil/coco peat/perlite/moss |
| Pot requirement | Good drainage & repot every 1-2 years |
| Nutrition | Apply manure for first 15 days and npk for next 15 days |
| Pruning/training | Remove dead & diseased leaves with sterile shears |
| Description | A very small genus of tropical tree which was once referred to (and still often listed as) carmona. Ehretia ball can be grown outdoors in warm climates, but is quite popular as an indoor bonsai. The leaves on this tree are small, shiny, and dark green, covered with tiny hairs. Together, the leaves form a dense and compact appearance. Ehretia ball tree has small white flowers that can bloom at any time. The flowers turn into red berries that turn darker with age. Trained in the traditional curved trunk style. Likes a bright position (1000 lux). Most sources recommend only about an hour of direct sunlight daily, although success has been reported growing it in a sunny position all day. Keep well watered, reducing watering only slightly in winter. Never allow ehretia to stand in water, or allow the soil to dry out completely. Prune new shoots after six to eight leaves have appeared. The leaves are tiny enough that leaf pruning should not be necessary. Can be wired any time during the growing season, but it is generally styled through pruning alone. Wire should not be left on over three months. Its small leaves and fine branch ramification make it ideal for miniature bonsai.Propagation can be done by by seed or softwood cuttings . |
