J-4 - is it naturally a super dwarf?

9 years ago

I purchased two specimens of J-4 from two different Thai ebay retailers back in 2008, one a small one tipped rooted/grafted plant, another a two tipped cutting that took almost a year to root. They both started off slowly, and the cutting I had to root took several years to get going. The larger grafted cutting now is around 30 inches tall with many many tips, in a 15 gallon pot. The smaller one didn't grow much and I finally moved it from a 5 gallon pot to the ground in spring 2013.

Well both are multiple tipped now, the smaller plant in the ground is still less that 2 feet tall, the one in the pot is around 30 inches tall, but both are amazing trees:

Before leafing out, with first a 12 inch measuring stick, and then with a yard stick:

The shorter one:

The taller one with a yard stick... 30 inches tall more or less:

Finally, recent pictures of both in bloom - I added one of the short plant with my cat Loki next to it to show you how short it is even after a year in the ground.

Shorter one:

"Tall" one:

The short one with Tai Surprise and J-105 in the background:

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Comments (8)

Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Love them -- they sure look compact to me!

And the cacti! How old must they be? Is that big fat one a Trichocereus terscheckii?
disneyhorse
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Beautiful little trees!
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gidgetsocal
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I don't know about J-4's growth habits, but they sure are nicely shaped, little trees. Nice cat, too! :-)
Andrew Scott
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow! I am going to have to add J-4 to my list now! They are both gorgeous trees and I love the compact shape! Flowers are gorgeous but how is the scent?

I also love your cacti! It reminds me of my time in Phoenix, Arizona. I visited the Desert Botanical Gardens in spring and seeing all the different varieties blooming was amazing!

Andrew
mjhuntingtonbeach
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Dave,

That's a 35 year old Pachycereus pringlei cactus, planted when it was 3 inches tall, now closer to 16-17 feet. It's huge, and my one fear is that it is getting top heavy, knock on wood that it won't fall over someday.

Andrew,

The description of J-4 on the websites of two Flplorida sellers claim it has a fragrance, but I have never been able to detect it - but that could just be my sniffer.
kjmm1
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow I love that plant!!!!
kjmm1
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow I love that plant!!!!
Andrew Scott
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You may be right about the scent. I remember a discussion had come up on J105. It seemed like the majority of people were saying that it had no scent but I remember Laura and a few others saying that it did have a fragrance. Is it possible that a J105 grown on the west coast may have little to no fragrance but the same variety grown on the east coast could have a stronger fragrance? I remember talking with John from JJ's and if was saying that I knew that I wouldn't get the vibrant colored flowers that he gets, but he told me that the one good thing I did have going for me was the higher humidity. Just food for thought.

Andrew