How to care for Gordlinia - Loblolly bay - as bonsai
Also known as Sweet Tea Mountain Gordlinia, this is a hybrid between Gordonia genus and Franklinia genus, from both native parents. They're heat tolerant and grow in sun to part shade. Apply adequate water and fertilizer. Keep the pH low. Usually semi evergreen, Gordlinia often will defoliate itself at the end of a bitter cold winter. Cuttings root readily. Root system thrives in a cool, moist substrate high in organic matter. Takes pruning and backbuds. Leaf size reduces in a tighter pot. They're rather open, wide spreading, irregular conical with stout ascending thick branches with age. Coarse, shiny, dark green evergreen leaves assume brilliant reddish orange, plum hues in winter. Showy white camellia-like flowers with a gold center are showy from July-Sept, carrying a light, sweet fragrance.
