Dwarf bald Cypress

[BonsaiNaga13]

I'm fairly new to bonsai about a year in. Last year I collected a bunch of bald Cypress cones from 4 different trees rainging 30 to 40 feet. I had about 36 seedlings sprout in May and April, of those my tallest is 2 feet and all others are at least 1 foot except one that's less than 3 inches.

I was growing them in a bulb pan for future forest plantings and fertilized regurlarly yet this little guy would develope tiny branches and his leaves looked completely different. I looked up dwarf bald Cypress and that looks like what I got here lol.

Guess I found a gene mutation that I thought was worth sharing

 

[sorce]

Wicked!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[queenofsheba52]

That's really cool! Thanks for the pictures, cute little tree.

 

[rockm]

I've seen a few specialized Bald cypress varieties at nurseries. This one resembles the "Peve Minaret" dwarf variety. These varieties in a species arise from a number of sources, from a genetic quirk to insect attack.

Peve Minaret is, and isn't, great for bonsai. Since it's slower growing, it will take longer than a "regular" BC to develop into bonsai. However, its got more compact leaves and growth.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Your one seedling seems special, as was said, might be a genetic mutation, or epigenetic mutation. Only time will tell. It could also be the seed it came from was deficient in stored starches, and this may in time revert to a normal growth pattern. (A bug or wevil could have eaten the starchy portion of the seed)

I would be interested to know how this seedling progressed. Keep growing it, and see what happens. Chances are fair it will revert back to a normal type, but if it doesn't, you have something special.

 

[Cypress187]

Cute tree! Welcome to the forum!

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Are you sure it is the same species? The cypress foliage is more fan shaped. Keep it growing by all means, I think it may be an "ugly duckling."

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Are you sure it is the same species? The cypress foliage is more fan shaped. Keep it growing by all means, I think it may be an "ugly duckling."

I got all the seeds from 4 different bald Cypress trees, the first set of leaves looked like all my others but the first true set of leaves looked like in the pic. I'm gonna keep him growing for sure. Only time will tell really

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Dwarf bald cypress update, picture taken last week

Now just deciding how to overwinter this guy to increase survival.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Dwarf bald cypress update, picture taken last week

Now just deciding how to overwinter this guy to increase survival.

I would treat it identical to the others for the winter. The risk with trying to baby it is that you will do too much different from what the tree needs. It still needs the same cold rest its larger brethren need. I have babied to death many interesting seedlings over the years. I do best when I treat the seedlings exactly the same as their larger siblings.

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

This one survived the winter and is pushing leaves right now, I repotted into a 6in bulb pans and cut the tap root

 

[RobertB]

That's pretty cool. I hope it stays unique

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Update pics

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Update, still alive, still only 4 inches tall lol

 

[Rivian]

Update, still alive, still only 4 inches tall lol

Consider grafting regular bald cypress onto it to force the thing to grow, then cut off the grafted part completely once it has served its purpose. Sacrificial grafting.

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Consider grafting regular bald cypress onto it to force the thing to grow, then cut off the grafted part completely once it has served its purpose. Sacrificial grafting.

That's a thought but my horticultural skills definitely aren't there yet lol. Maybe in a few years

 

[KillerButts]

I think you should lend it to your local arboretum so that they may classify it and try to propagate it. You might end up getting to name it. Would be a shame to loose the only 1.