anyone know what this tree is?

[bonsaiDerek]

anyone know what type of tree this is? I'm in southern Wisconsin... sorry no pics of the bark

 

[BrianBay9]

Box elder?

 

[penumbra]

Yeah, it is Box Elder. Even as a tree it is pretty worthless and as a bonsai it is horrid.

 

[Mayank]

Hahaha I thought it was poison ivy

 

[BrianBay9]

Hahaha I thought it was poison ivy

I've made that mistake before. But box elder, like all maples, have opposite leaves and poison ivy is alternate.

 

[just.wing.it]

Definitely Box Elder.....the black sheep of the Acer Fam.

 

[Mayank]

I've made that mistake before. But box elder, like all maples, have opposite leaves and poison ivy is alternate.

Good to know

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

Hello - anyone know what tree this is? I collected it, not doing so well
I thought it was this one type of tree, but I was wrong...
The new growth on the tips started to wilt once I repotted it. Now, the are starting to turn brown. The soil is acidic potting soil. It's in the shade now for most of the day, gets full sun for about an hour or so. I live in Orange County, CA....it's been hot last week, but this week is a little cooler. The wilting started to get worse last week.
Please help...also what should I do to try and save it.

 

[bonsaiDerek]

Hello - anyone know what tree this is? I collected it, not doing so well
I thought it was this one type of tree, but I was wrong...
The new growth on the tips started to wilt once I repotted it. Now, the are starting to turn brown. The soil is acidic potting soil. It's in the shade now for most of the day, gets full sun for about an hour or so. I live in Orange County, CA....it's been hot last week, but this week is a little cooler. The wilting started to get worse last week.
Please help...also what should I do to try and save it.

Looks kind of like larch to me... Is so you should not reply except when dormant

 

[bonsaiDerek]

Looks kind of like larch to me... Is so you should not reply except when dormant

Sorry repot

 

[coh]

looks more like some type of fir...

 

[plant_dr]

Douglas fir

 

[Bonsai Nut]

But box elder, like all maples, have opposite leaves and poison ivy is alternate.

Poison ivy is very similar to Box Elder - with compound leaves most commonly with three leaflets (though Box Elder can sometimes have five or seven leaflets, and poison ivy can also rarely have five). The base leaflets on both trees are alternate.

Box Elder


Poison Ivy


I usually can spot poison ivy because of the glossy appearance of the leaves - caused by the presence of the urushiol oil. Also, the base leaflets of poison ivy have almost no stem, whereas base leaflets of Box Elder have a noticeable stem.

If you get confused, remember the old saying "Three leaves, let it be. Berries white, don't let @BrianBay9 select your yamadori."

 

[bonsaichile]

Hello - anyone know what tree this is? I collected it, not doing so well
I thought it was this one type of tree, but I was wrong...
The new growth on the tips started to wilt once I repotted it. Now, the are starting to turn brown. The soil is acidic potting soil. It's in the shade now for most of the day, gets full sun for about an hour or so. I live in Orange County, CA....it's been hot last week, but this week is a little cooler. The wilting started to get worse last week.
Please help...also what should I do to try and save it.

when did you collect it? Nursery potting soil will probably be the cause of its demise, particularly if you did not keep enough roots. whatever roots it might grow will suffocate and die in that soil.

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

when did you collect it? Nursery potting soil will probably be the cause of its demise, particularly if you did not keep enough roots. whatever roots it might grow will suffocate and die in that soil.

So what soil is best for collecting trees? Found out it is a Douglas Fir

 

[bonsaichile]

So what soil is best for collecting trees? Found out it is a Douglas Fir

I use pure pumice

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

I use pure pumice

Sorry last question...would it be ok to switch the soil with pumice at this point for this tree?

 

[parhamr]

Sorry last question...would it be ok to switch the soil with pumice at this point for this tree?

No. Trees shouldn’t be repotted more than once a year, especially if you’re fully replacing the soil.

Leave it alone.

Repots, in general, are best done during periods of dormancy.

 

[bonsaichile]

Sorry last question...would it be ok to switch the soil with pumice at this point for this tree?

sorry to hear your tree is going downhill. Collection is tricky, and the rate of survival is directly relates to your collecting technique and, more importantly, the aftercare you provide. I don't know when or from where you collected this tree, but it seems to me you did it with no preparation. Please, I am not trying to let you down, but it is important that you learn as much as you can from this experience to up your probabilities of success the next time. In general, nursery soil is bad for potted trees. For newly collected trees it might be a dead sentence. Read up on modern substrates (there are many resources in this site), they tend to be granular and inorganic, allowing water to drain freely and giving good amounts of oxygen to the roots. Learn when to collect. A rule of thumb is to do it right before the shoots start elongating, in Spring. Learn how to water. A major problem with potting soil is that it will remain constantly wet in the bottom, leading to a saturated environment for the roots. This can kill a tree. Learn when to repot. As with collecting, it is better to do it when the tree is actively growing. One thing you can do now to help your tree is mist its foliage several times a day. Hopefully this help.

 

[BrianBay9]

Poison ivy is very similar to Box Elder - with compound leaves most commonly with three leaflets (though Box Elder can sometimes have five or seven leaflets, and poison ivy can also rarely have five). The base leaflets on both trees are alternate.

Box Elder
View attachment 255651

Poison Ivy
View attachment 255652

I usually can spot poison ivy because of the glossy appearance of the leaves - caused by the presence of the urushiol oil. Also, the base leaflets of poison ivy have almost no stem, whereas base leaflets of Box Elder have a noticeable stem.

If you get confused, remember the old saying "Three leaves, let it be. Berries white, don't let @BrianBay9 select your yamadori."

Sorry to disagree. Box elder buds are opposite (see https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/single_weed.php?id=11
). I've tested this theory out many times.