Elaeagnus commutata worth collecting?

[Tycoss]

I found this elaeagnus commutata (wolf willow) growing out of an eroded slope. I really like the exposed roots, but I have two problems. Firstly, I have never collected this species. Always liked the foliage, flowers and twigging of the species. If anyone else has any experience with the species, I'd love to hear about it. Secondly, although I'm fascinated with the specimen, I have no idea how I'd style it after I dug it up. Any ideas?

 

[Random User]

I think your second question answers the first question, and the second question might be highly influenced by the foliage characteristics.

 

[Soldano666]

Raft.
Collect.
Yes.
Nothing gained nothing ventured.

 

[Tycoss]

I suppose they are related to Russian olives and Japanese silverberry. Any information about collecting those species might be relevant. A couple of other images: one of another nice trunk base, one of typical fine twigging.

 

[Soldano666]

I dug up elaeagnus angustifolia in zone 5 Maine. Silver berry, Russian olive. Theres several names for a wide diversity. Very similar to all other elaeagnus descriptions. Except mine have thorns. and hardy to zone 2, or three. (Somethibg cold which won't require much overwintering) which makes things easier come winter time. All collected easy from A field with flat bases and several feeders, and responded well this summer. So well, I'm ready for branch selections this spring. Again nothing ventured nothing gained. Dig some up this spring and see what you can learn form them. These ones seem very forgiving and responsive to cool and grow. not sure if the thorns are specific angustifolia but that's what i believe i have and so far so good

 

[Random User]

They are probably as hardy as a Russian Olive and you can honestly out and out abuse a Russian Olive and still have it survive. However, the foliage is the problem with these shrubs, not the availability or the ability for it to survive. In fact, I'm going to do an experiment with my Russian Olive and leave it sitting in a grow box along a hedgerow this winter... I have little doubt that it will survive with no winter protection other than the box sitting on the grass.

They are so prolific though, that if you managed to get one shaped into a cascade and entered it into a show, by the end of the show it would be a formal upright, with a really weird trunkline. I think I'd dig out a larger Russian Olive and let the kids have a go at it before I bothered... you'd be doing the environment some good by digging it up and you'd quickly realize what I mean.

However, these shrubs are hardly endangered or scarce, so digging it up in the spring like any other tree shouldn't pose a problem for you at all.

BTW, I see that you are always on the hunt for trees... if you don't know already, be aware of hawthorn bushes... one scratch in the eye and you WILL be blind for life in that eye. Worse yet, one of your children could get tangled up in one if they are chasing each other around.

 

[just.wing.it]

Aw, man, you haven't had a complete childhood until you get slammed into a thorny bush by a friend or sibling!

And I say go for it....
Won't know if you don't try.
Spring time of course.

 

[Tycoss]

They are probably as hardy as a Russian Olive and you can honestly out and out abuse a Russian Olive and still have it survive. However, the foliage is the problem with these shrubs, not the availability or the ability for it to survive. In fact, I'm going to do an experiment with my Russian Olive and leave it sitting in a grow box along a hedgerow this winter... I have little doubt that it will survive with no winter protection other than the box sitting on the grass.

They are so prolific though, that if you managed to get one shaped into a cascade and entered it into a show, by the end of the show it would be a formal upright, with a really weird trunkline. I think I'd dig out a larger Russian Olive and let the kids have a go at it before I bothered... you'd be doing the environment some good by digging it up and you'd quickly realize what I mean.

However, these shrubs are hardly endangered or scarce, so digging it up in the spring like any other tree shouldn't pose a problem for you at all.

BTW, I see that you are always on the hunt for trees... if you don't know already, be aware of hawthorn bushes... one scratch in the eye and you WILL be blind for life in that eye. Worse yet, one of your children could get tangled up in one if they are chasing each other around.

Thanks. I know about the hawthorn thing. Buffalo berry bushes around here are just as vicious. The shrub I am looking at has no thorns, but they are hardy and plentiful. If you live in a similar (brutal) climate to myself, I'd love to see your trees. It's hard to find bonsai information relevant to my climate (zone 3). I also remember you mentioning that you worked mostly with deciduous species. I'm the other way around. I'd like to see what species you are having success with and what you have done with them. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Random User]

Oh, you wouldn't like what I do and I'm not a conformist to all of the bonsai rules, etc... I just do what I do to keep me grounded. That and a lot of "my trees" aren't at home either... remember what I said about chopping trunks, in-ground root severing, and preparing trees in the wild... not much chance that anyone would find what I've been up to, and if they did, they wouldn't likely recognize them for what I intend them to be 15-20 years from now.

(This "hands off" approach works pretty good for someone who can't keep his tools off of the trees and let them do what they do best.)

 

[Random User]

@ just.wing.it

"Won't know if you don't try."

I fully agree... just because something doesn't work for me, doesn't mean that my vision was any good for the tree or species in the first place. And, no matter what you are into as a gardener or grower of any sort, what works for some, doesn't work for others, and what will grow for some people are disasters for others... I "might" be able to get a hoe handle to bud out, but do you think I can grow rhubarb?

 

[Tycoss]

Image of the foliage and flowers. I find them much more attractive than e. Augustifolia. The first image shows one of the thin but contorted stems they sometimes develop. The things are probably the most common woody shrub on the native prairies.

 

[Random User]

You know what did that right... it was a scrape that some old buck ruined with his antlers and rubbed his runny eye all over.

When I was bow hunting I had been after an old buck and after about 3 days he caught wind of me and was always leary of the forest, knowing that I was there somewhere in camo... so I could tell that he was onto me and I'd never get a shot at him... so I went to his scrape and dug up the ground around the base of the tree, then urinated in it. The tree was about 1" - 1 1/2" at the base... when I came back the next day, he was so pissed off that he ripped the tree right out of the ground... lol...