Bloodgood Growing

20 years ago

I have just purchased a two-three year old bloodgood from a nursery.

I intend on growing it indoors - in my loft. The temp is fairly steady

(around 75 degrees year round).

During the summer, the tree will receive sunlight 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

During the Fall and winter a little less.

1. What is the best watering cycle? Check the soil - three inchess down - dry - then water?

2. Most of the leaves are green-red now with some burnt tips (because of

the conditions at the nursery. If I pull some of the leaves now, would they

grow back this Fall (because it is now indoors and the temp will be steady)?

thanks

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

myersphcf
20 years ago
I certainly DON'T want to burst your bubble...but #1 Bloodgood is NOT a good tree for outdoor container growing let alone indoor..it is simply TOO big of tree...it is certainly not ideal for your purposes ...#2 Most folks have had BAD luck making house plants ( trees) of JM's ..I assume it is possble but most find that w/in a couple of years they become scraggly and not much to look at... Others may have other opinions that contradict this but in reading varias threads here and at Daves garden you have not a good chance of success...in fact I have yet to read of anyone growing A1 JM's inside...hopefully that will change with this thread but don't hold your breath...I would try an avocado ...they seem to thrive inside with proper lighting and make neat "house trees" and many will branch and give an nice look David
kodachr0me
Original Author
20 years ago
FYI - We have a maple tree that we have transplanted from outdoors and moved indoors for three years now! It stays green all year (as that is the natural color of leaves). In fact, I have been keeping it at a height of 2'3" (or so) in that time frame by trimming the roots every spring.

AND, I pull the leaves throughout july so new growth occurs and the leaves come in smaller to better match with the size. Alas, this year, we have moved and so I missed pulling the leaves in July so they are regular size.

Can we get answers to my questions in my original post?

Thank you.
Related Professionals
Evansville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Taunton Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Mankato Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Burlington Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Phoenix Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Carson City Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Mobile Landscape Contractors · Frederick Landscape Contractors · Fredericksburg Landscape Contractors · Trenton Landscape Contractors · San Bernardino Landscape Contractors · Elizabethtown Architects & Building Designers · Springfield Architects & Building Designers · Jackson Architects & Building Designers · New Braunfels Architects & Building Designers
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
20 years ago
You can do whatever you like. I will reiterate that gowing Japanese maples indoors is not a desireable plan - like any other deciduous tree from a temperate climate, they need a period of dormancy that cannot be achieved under indoor conditions. They need to drop their leaves naturally - not have them pulled off - in response to changes in temperature and light conditions. Even those folks that grow these as bonsai specimens take them through a series of light and temperature exposures to simulate outdoor conditions and typically leave them outdoors for as long as possible each season, bringing them into a cool environment (certainly not 75 degrees) during winter dormancy.

You are artificially manipulating the growth cycle of this plant to accommodate too warm a year-round environment and to unnaturally retain its foliage. That you have had success (?) so far is no guarantee that you will continue to do so.