English laurel? And jade questions..

[eferguson1974]

My mother just bought me an English laurel from clearance. It is kinda skinny, but has a curve down low. Are they ok for bonsai? Or better off as a yard tree? It's leaves are kinda big, will they reduce size someday? And when is the right time to trim, repot, or otherwise torture it? And will it backbud if I chop it when the time is right? If it's not a good species to bonsai, we can plant it in the yard. If It's ok, in a few years it might be pretty cool. Thanks for any advice, as always..

 

[sparklemotion]

Today I learned a lesson about the importance of looking up the Latin name.

I've never see a bay laurel (laurus nobilis) bonsai that I was impressed by. And in my experience, the species is too slow growing to be trained by an impatient newbie.

But.... English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is at least the same genus as a whole bunch of trees that make nice bonsai.

http://www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Prunus.html

Can we get a picture or three? Especially one of the trunk near the soil, and some kind of scale for girth?

Chances are that the right answer is to plant it in the ground to let it bulk up for a few years regardless. So, maybe start scouting a good spot.

 

[TomB]

Prunus laurocerasus has very large leaves and typically boring growth habit and bark. I don't think I've ever seen one as a bonsai. They make nice yard trees.

 

[petegreg]

I've never see a bay laurel (laurus nobilis) bonsai that I was impressed by.

...I have.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/bay-tree.9967/

 

[sparklemotion]

...I have.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/bay-tree.9967/

And now I have too. Thanks for the inspiration!