Three Black Nights

This first tree here is what is left of a tree I bought at a garden nursery in Bicol province about two months ago. It was a very lush and stately tree, and the only one of its kind at a number of nurseries we visited there. I asked what it was called, and was told, "Black Night", a name that I imagined reflected the deeply dark bark. Besides the bark, it had thick, richly green leaves, some interesting surface roots, and a tendency to produce both rigid stove-pipe branches along with others that swept upwards in elegant curve that reminded me of the gorgeous, grand acacia trees and other similar species that are so beautiful here. I didn't know if it would survive in the much different climate here in Baguio, and they couldn't tell me, and I also didn't know if they made good bonsai, but I thought I would try. I bought it, brought it back to Baguio, and trimmed the roots somewhat extensively to fit it in this pot.

It survived that fine, and yet it was clear that my styling plans would only work if it would put out new growth down low that I could style while young, since the branches were extremely stiff beyond a small diameter. There was evidence that the tree had spontaneously put out such growth in the past, so when it seemed not to have been set back by the re-pot I then started at the top with the most straight and old and rigid of the branches, and trimmed them back to areas where smaller branches branched off. This went well also, but so far, after cutting it back in such a manner several times without stimulating new growth farther back onto old wood, I'm not sure it will do so any time soon.



Then, about a month ago, at a garden nursery up on the Ilocos coast, I ran across a bunch more of these trees. They call them "Black Wood Trees" there. I picked out two more with good features, but a bit smaller. After initial work over the last month, here they are.



Any thoughts about the trimming and training and styling of these would be welcome. IMHO, none of these trees have thick enough bases to support, aesthetically, a very tall bonsai image in the foreseeable future, so I think my decision to continue removing all the stove-pipes and such, and working over extended time to shape only the still-flexible smaller branches - which are also more likely to put out new ramifications than the older wood would - is the best way forward. The new foliage they are now putting out is also reducing in size, which adds further support to this path forward. I also have a fantasy of putting all three trees togther in a large slab or slab-like pot eventually, as I think it might present a very nice grove-like image.

I realize that with another country and culture, I’m probably shooting blindly in the dark. But do you every come across any genus, species names for this interesting material you are discovering?

Arcto said:

I realize that with another country and culture, I’m probably shooting blindly in the dark. But do you every come across any genus, species names for this interesting material you are discovering?

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No, not shooting blindly in the dark at all - or, if you are, you are a very good shot! Yes, I have often asked that, especially when I first got here, and I would almost always get a shrug or a "walla", which means, "I don't have." It's enough to try to get the local names, which I even sometimes ask them to write down, but usually I either don't recall what was said or loose the little scrap of paper they wrote it on, and if I'm not carrying a pen and paper I can be almost certain that they are not either. There have been only a few exceptions to those experiences among the places I try to find trees, which are often way off the beaten path. The folks at the clubs may know, but I'm not associated with any clubs here at this time. As I said elsewhere on a thread like this recently, I'm sort of at a stage in life now where I really don't seem to care what the trees are called, nor any other info about them, really: if I have a hunch they'll make a pleasing bonsai I just get them and give it a try. My only indispensable question is, "Will this grow in Baguio?", and the info I've been given there is usually very accurate, and truly useful.

With this particular tree, I liked it enough to do an internet search on the two local names people have said it goes by, but I found nothing. I think "Black Night" so accurately brings to mind the gorgeous bark color it sports that I've decided to simply call it that. Great question, though. Thanks.

Could these be a member of the Diospyros family? That would include persimmon, and ebony. There are a number of species that are small shrubs.