Bucida spinosa (Spiny Black Olive)

Bucida spinosa, Bucida molinetti, Terminalia spinosa, Spiny Black Olive, Ming Tree

Botanical names: Bucida spinosa, Bucida molinetti, Terminalia spinosa

Common names: Spiny Black Olive, Ming Tree

Origin: Florida, Caribbean

Exotic rare small tree that is valuable as unusual bonsai subject or specimen plant. This delicate tree grows into a bonsai almost by itself. Can be used as a potted indoor tree. It is very salt tolerant, making it a good choice for bonsai lovers by the sea. Bonsai shapes that are awesome. They have small leaves and thorns and and grow out erratically in all directions, forming diamond-like lace. The tree produces a small, black seed-capsule. In natural habitat, Black olive can grow as 40 ft tall evergreen tree with a smooth trunk holding up strong, wind-resistant branches, forming a pyramidal shape when young but developing a very dense, full, oval to rounded crown with age. Sometimes the top of the crown will flatten with age, and the tree grows horizontally. The lush, dark bluish-green, leathery leaves are two to four inches long and clustered at branch tips, sometimes mixed with the 0.5 to 1.5-inch-long spines found along the branches. The plant likes to be well-watered and frequent fertilization, which promotes vigorous growth. Pest problems seem rare. It may throw some leaves during stress (like shipping or cool weather), but will recover easily.