Manzanita

bonhe

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I have this tree as a gift from my friend who collected it in 1/2008. They are a clump of 2 trees stayed together. One has 7" trunk base, 20" height; other has 4" trunk base, 23" height. The round pot is 23" diameter and 13" height. It's really heavy. My friend planted it with the original soil which has very poor drainage. In last winter, I thought it would die on me because the leaves turned from yellow to dark brown and dried off. However, in 4/2009 I could see buds (4th pics) and quickly its leaves appear and now it already shows flower buds (5th pics)! Can you see its flower buds looking down to the ground? I will update the picture of flowers.

I've never seen manzanita in the past and looks like this tree will be an excellent bonsai. I love the grayish deadwood and reddish bark with its gnarled trunk and branches.

I plan to transplant them next winter into the good drainage soil (pumice: turface 50:50).
I'm thinking about separation of 2 trees. What do you think? Bonhe

P/S: Sorry for the busy background. The pot is too heavy to move around for pics.
 

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Si Nguyen

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Wow! I think your manzanita is going to make it. Don't mess with it yet. Maybe the secret is the old soil! Or something in the old soil. I would keep both trunks. Maybe lean it all the way over to one side and make one trunk as a semi-cascade branch. I am just starting to see these threads on this website!
Cool tree Bonhe!
Si~
 

Si Nguyen

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Forgot! here's a sketch of how I would lean it. It's a little unrealistic maybe. Good luck with it!
Si
 

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bonhe

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Thanks a lot Si. Your sketch is always amazing me. Bonhe
 
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You have really got something there. Don't know anything about desert trees here on the East Coast but do know that thing has great potential. Keep us posted about it's progress.
 
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Very inspiring and impressive. I think you have it made with survival. Nice looking tree.

I have often thought of looking for some of these to dig up but always wondered about the survivability.
 

bonhe

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You have really got something there. Don't know anything about desert trees here on the East Coast but do know that thing has great potential. Keep us posted about it's progress.
I will surely update this tree. I've been watching it everyday and didn't see its flowers yet. Bonhe
 
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bonhe

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Very inspiring and impressive. I think you have it made with survival. Nice looking tree.

I have often thought of looking for some of these to dig up but always wondered about the survivability.
Thanks FourMileMarc. Bonhe
 
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