Bucida spinosa, Bucida molinetti, Terminalia spinosa

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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.

Similar plants:

• Bucida buceras, Terminalia buceras (Florida Black Olive Tree, Shady Lady, Oxhorn Bucida, Gregory Wood)
• Bucida sp.variegata (Dwarf Geometry Tree)
• Terminalia bentzoe, Terminalia angustifolia (Benjoin)
• Terminalia calamansanai (Philippine Almond, Yellow Terminalia)
• Terminalia catappa (Tropical Almond, Badamier, Java Almond, Indian Almond, Malabar Almond, Singapore Almond, Ketapang, Huu Kwang, Pacific Almond)
• Terminalia foetidissima (Terminalia)
• Terminalia ivorensis (Black Afara)
• Terminalia kaernbachii, Terminalia okari (Okari Nut, Yellow Terminalia)
• Terminalia mantaly (Madagascar Almond, Umbrella Tree)
• Terminalia muelleri (Australian almond, Muellers Terminalia)