Bursera HINDSIANA

Bursera HINDSIANA - Hinds's bursera, Bursera hindsiana, Copal, Torote, Copal Rojo, Torote Colorado, Baja Elephant Tree.

A very rare COLLECTOR'S plant for true connoisseurs. Can be grown in bonsai style!

Bursera is a genus of trees and shrubs in the torchwood family (Burseraceae), comprising about 100 species distributed primarily in the dry tropical forests of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Members of the genus are characteristic of regions with a pronounced dry season, where they are adapted to hot climates, poor soils, and extended periods of drought.

The plants typically feature thickened, often contorted trunks and branches. The bark in many species is aromatic, smooth, and peeling in thin papery sheets, beneath which brighter layers are revealed, creating an ornamental marble-like pattern. Leaves are most often pinnate or trifoliate, dropping partially or completely during the dry season to help reduce moisture loss.

Flowers are small, greenish-white or cream-colored, clustered in loose inflorescences and appearing in warm periods, often concurrently with new foliage. The fruits are drupe-like, dehiscing upon ripening to expose a dark seed with a brightly colored aril, which aids in dispersal by animals.

Hinds's bursera is a deciduous, drought-tolerant shrub or small tree, usually with a thickened caudex at the base of the trunk where water accumulates, and often with gnarled branches. The bark is smooth, resinous, reddish-brown, becoming more grayish with age. When damaged, aromatic resin exudes from the tissues.

The leaves are aromatic, clustered near shoot tips, and variable in structure - they can be simple, trifoliate, or compound with 5-7 leaflets. During the dry season the plant sheds its foliage, typical of many burseras in arid habitats. Flowers are small, inconspicuous, whitish, appearing in warm seasons. The fruits are fleshy, yellowish to reddish-brown, splitting into 3 valves upon ripening to expose a black oval seed with a bright orange aril.

Seeds are medium-sized, dark, smooth, enclosed in dehiscent fruits with a brightly colored aril. Before sowing, seeds are cleaned of coat remnants and rinsed. Soaking is carried out for 4-8 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate with the addition of growth stimulants (SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon). Scarification is rarely applied and only when the seed coat is particularly tough.

Sowing is carried out in a loose, breathable substrate based on sand with the addition of turf soil or mineral aerators. Planting depth is approximately the diameter of the seed, usually 0.5-1 cm (0.2-0.4 in). A deep container is used, as a taproot system forms early. Sowing containers are moistened from a spray bottle, placed in a mini-greenhouse or covered with film, and germinated in light, but not in full sun, at a temperature of 28-30 °C (82-86 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. Waterlogging and drying out of the sowing must be avoided.

Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days; the minimum period is about a week, while the maximum possible may extend to several months. After germination, seedlings are kept under bright diffused light. Pricking out is performed after the formation of several true leaves, and transplanting is done carefully due to the sensitivity of young roots.

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For cultivation, the brightest possible location is selected, preferably with direct sun for several hours a day. Placement on south or southwest windows or keeping outdoors in the warm season with protection from prolonged rains is preferred. With insufficient lighting, growth slows and shoots stretch out. During active vegetation, a temperature of 22-30 °C (72-86 °F) is maintained, while in winter a cooler, drier regimen at 10-15 °C (50-59 °F) is recommended. Brief temperature drops are tolerated, but prolonged cooling below 10 °C (50 °F) is undesirable.

Watering is moderate, with mandatory complete drying of the substrate between waterings. During dormancy in a leafless state, watering is reduced to a minimum or stopped altogether. Waterlogging is not allowed, as the root system is sensitive to water stagnation. Misting is not required.

A loose, well-drained substrate based on sand with the addition of leaf soil and a small amount of organic component is used. Substantial drainage and a stable pot with large drainage holes are mandatory. Repotting is carried out as the roots fill the container volume, usually once every 2-3 years, without significantly disturbing the root ball.

Fertilizers are applied during the warm season once a month using reduced-nitrogen formulas at half strength. Shaping is kept minimal; sanitary pruning of dried branches is permissible. Development is slow, making the plant well suited for bonsai cultivation.