Doug Paul's Douglas Fir in the Artisans Cup

Chuah

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I cannot tell exactly what the British Columbia tree is
, I can tell you it is not a Doug fir. Looks like a pine to me. Both are beautiful trees. $12,000 is a little ridiculous $50,000 is stupid. But I guess some people have more money than sense.
You are correct. Someone who is familiar with pondorosa pine at our Lone Star State Bonsai Federation convention today told me it is more likely a Pondorosa pine because there is a red line separating the shari and the live bark. These needles are very short, and some Pondorosa does have shorter needle. than otheres.
I cannot tell exactly what the British Columbia tree is
, I can tell you it is not a Doug fir. Looks like a pine to me. Both are beautiful trees. $12,000 is a little ridiculous $50,000 is stupid. But I guess some people have more money than sense.
 

Txhorticulture

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. Someone who is familiar with pondorosa pine at our Lone Star State Bonsai Federation convention today told me it is more likely a Pondorosa pine because there is a red line separating the shari and the live bark. These needles are very short, and some Pondorosa does have shorter needle. than otheres.

Lone star state? Are you from texas? Ponderosa would have been my guess, but I don't know much about british columbia, except that it's beautiful has wonderful weather and is expensive - just what I've heard. The only ponderosa ive seen in native stands was in guadalupes and those do have much longer needles. Anyway it definitely has needles in bundles so that makes it pine for sure. Doug fir of course has singular needles and if you look really close each held on a tiny stem
 

Txhorticulture

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Here you can see needles and their 'stem'
 

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Chuah

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I cannot tell exactly what the British Columbia tree is
, I can tell you it is not a Doug fir. Looks like a pine to me. Both are beautiful trees. $12,000 is a little ridiculous $50,000 is stupid. But I guess some people have more money than sense.
Yes it is a pine. Last Friday at the Lone Star State Bonsai Convention, Todd Hang of Dallas told me it is a pine, more likely a Pondorosa pine because of the exposed brownish-red border between the shari and the bark. Todd and his friend, Alvaro, brought two collected large Pondorosa pine to Matt Reel's bunjin workshop. Matt did a great job transforming those two trees.
 

Chuah

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Lone star state? Are you from texas? Ponderosa would have been my guess, but I don't know much about british columbia, except that it's beautiful has wonderful weather and is expensive - just what I've heard. The only ponderosa ive seen in native stands was in guadalupes and those do have much longer needles. Anyway it definitely has needles in bundles so that makes it pine for sure. Doug fir of course has singular needles and if you look really close each held on a tiny stem
I am in Houston. Never have a Pondorosa Pine, but Todd Hang of Dallas has collected quite a few Pondorosa, and that was what he identified. Of course could be Lodgepole or other northern pine species.
 

wireme

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Yes it is a pine. Last Friday at the Lone Star State Bonsai Convention, Todd Hang of Dallas told me it is a pine, more likely a Pondorosa pine because of the exposed brownish-red border between the shari and the bark. Todd and his friend, Alvaro, brought two collected large Pondorosa pine to Matt Reel's bunjin workshop. Matt did a great job transforming those two trees.
It's gotten me curious. Bark and Shari like that is a lot easier to find on ponderosa than lodgepole, but you do need to be in the ponderosa range. The range is limited in B.C. But lodgepole is everywhere. Here's a ponderosa range map, can you rule it out based on location?image.jpg
 

Chuah

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It is in the Coastal Mountains area.
 

Txhorticulture

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Don't you think that RANDY or Ryan know the species of tree they collected and trained?

The tree IS a Douglas Fir!!

Chuah is talking about the other tree in his or her pics. Not the one in the show. The one he or she saw hiking in british columbia, which I assure you is NOT a Doug fir.

Yes, the tree in the show is Doug fir (pseudotsuga)
 

Txhorticulture

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I am in Houston. Never have a Pondorosa Pine, but Todd Hang of Dallas has collected quite a few Pondorosa, and that was what he identified. Of course could be Lodgepole or other northern pine species.

I lived in Houston for a few years but I'm from San Antonio and prefer it here. What kind of trees work for you there?
 

Chuah

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I lived in Houston for a few years but I'm from San Antonio and prefer it here. What kind of trees work for you there?
We are probably in the same zone, I think what works in San Antonio also works here. For less heat tolerant ones: Japanese black pine does well here but not a five-needle pine. Kishu thrives and itoigawa will survive given some care under shade. Some Japanese maple cultivars do reasonably well. I have an A. palmatum which goes through summer with very little leaf burn, so is the variegated orinde; murasaki kiyohime also does reasonably well. As far as satsuki azalea goes, chinzan, osakazuki and wakaebisu thrive here, other cultivars such as kozan, hakurei etc. do well under shade and with sufficient humidity. By the way, many local bonsai members complained about having difficulties in serrisa, but mine grows like weed. I have cuttings grown in the ground and reached about 1.5" trunk and 3-foot tall clumps in may be 4-5 years.
 

Chuah

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I lived in Houston for a few years but I'm from San Antonio and prefer it here. What kind of trees work for you there?
Not sure if you attended last Friday's LSBF learning seminar on bunjin in Houston or not. Matt Reel and David Kreutz were there doing workshops. I have a small tokokazari display of a mame Chinese elm grown from root cutting.View attachment 83728

IMG_1507.JPG
 

wireme

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It is in the Coastal Mountains area.

That would rule out ponderosa leaving lodgepole, western white pine and maybe whitebark pine as possibilities, quite sure you found a really cool lodgepole there, thanks for showing. The Doug fir is really amazing, must be one of the best of its species in a pot currently, does anyone know where it placed in the event standings?
 

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The tree with its twisting live vein around a powerful and untamed trunk planted in a rock evokes an environment that's harsh and wild. By contrast, the nicely organized foliage pads with emphasis on horizontal planes alludes to an environment that's peaceful and non-threatening thus creating a disparity between the two parts in my opinion.

I personally would have have created more angular and twisting lines in the branches to match the story the trunk is telling. I also would have probably chosen something other than ferns to use on the rock. These are not plants that inhabit these harsh environments at least not to my knowledge. Again I say this with utmost respect since I think it is nevertheless a stunning presentation.

Hey, check it out mach5, I just realized I have one of the little ferny things I was mentioning, tiny and barely alive. This clump was picked up out of fir/juniper collecting grounds last fall. To give an idea how tough they are the clump was forgotten about in a pocket of the collecting pack for a month then dropped onto this rock on the side of the driveway. It sat there unwatered till about midsummer (really dry season too) when I saw it was still alive one day then it was moved to the bench. Not trying to prove you wrong or anything I'm sure you realize, I just think they are nice and interesting plants, I should bring home some more for companions, and take better care of them... anyways there are a lot of these out there in the same conditions you will find a tree like this but they are small and the area is not obviously ferny from a distance ( the places I'm familiar with anyways) so your point still stands. image.jpgimage.jpg
 
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Chuah

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I like this from Chuah:

“In music, Aaron Copland created the American sound in his compositions such as Rodeo, Appalachian Spring etc. The sound is unmistakably American to listeners. To me those big collected conifers, though very impressive and awe inspiring, are still bound very much by Japanese aesthetics except they are American native trees.”

Thanks, with American creativities, talents and bold ventures, it will not be long we see a bonsai and say it loud: "THAT'S AMERICAN!!!"
 
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