olives

Wild olives or Olea europaea subsp. Africana are widely available across South Africa. Yamadori or collected specimens are especially desirable as bonsai material due to their overall maturity and characterful bark. In this article Terry Erasmus presents 8 simple to follow tips which will help ensure your collected wild olive makes a healthy transition from the veld to life in a bonsai container.

The story of a small, collected shohin sized wild olive begins in this post. Collected in 2013, within only 2 years the tree has undergone a dramatic change and it is on it's way to being awarded a bonsai pot for good behaviour. I will share with you how this development was achieved so you too can tell a similar story.