19Mateo83
Masterpiece
Bonsai Nutters I need help deciding which American beech trees to collect this spring. You can vote for one or you can vote for all of them.which one would you collect? I’m interested in what everybody thinks.
Fagus Grandifolia spring collection poll
- Thread starter 19Mateo83
- Start date
Ohmy222
Shohin
not fond of any but chose 4.
Arnold
Omono
Same xD
Cofga
Omono
I need a none of the above choice.
Frozentreehugger
Omono
Collect all four .here’s why Bonsai is fun
with trees . Collected trees are like all other trees you are thinking of buying your looking for interesting shape and movement and quility material . . The four trees are small and young and need a lot of time and growing to be bonsai . Dig up all 4 and pot them up or plant them in you garden . It’s fun When you go to the dig take a saw and tree sealant cheap wood glue will work . If there is beach there find a larger trunk beach chop the trunk drastically a couple feet from the ground or less think of how tall you want the finished tree to be . Seal the trunk chop It will sprout growth next spring take your special expensive bonsai collectin custom made tool ( cheap on sale hardware store shovel that you used a file or grinder to sharpen the edge ) use the shovel to sever the roots in a circle around the tree say 2 feet around tree Options include rack some of the soil around the tree and add nutrient rich soil cut back new growth after first year third spring collect that tree you know have a trunk with branches and smaller root ball to turn into a bonsai in shorter time If you think this sucks takes to long go back to start I recommended all four collect them grow then learn about beech what they like and dislike how to keep them alive and thrive . When you kill one learn what happened apply all you learned to the larger tree in 3 years No 4 is the best tree because of trunk movement and low branching Don’t get discouraged by failure if you don’t kill trees your bit doing bonsai and learning Remember to have fun
Frozentreehugger
Omono
American beech is large leaf tree . Will only reduce a certain amount the species is most often grown in a broom style as bonsai . So look for a large trunk to make a large tree in proportion to the leaves did around trunk find nice spreading roots Your other option for good nebari is air layer a trunk with nice branches you want If you don’t want a broom style . Do what ever you want but make sure you have fun
Colorado
Masterpiece
I’d look for larger specimens but you could certainly make nice trees out of these in time.
atlarsenal
Omono
My vote is for @Colorado tree!
PA_Penjing
Chumono
I like number 1 and number 4. As mentioned they are pretty young. If you consider the fact that the species has problems with leaf reduction, they might be best to collect 2 or 3 years from now. I do like the though. The thing about waiting to collect wild trees is, time passes really fast when you aren't seeing the tree everyday. I have stuff marked for collection next spring and even one for spring 2025
PA_Penjing
Chumono
It seems like a long time from now, but as someone on this site once put it .. "the time is passing anyway might as well plant some seeds." this isnt seed growing but ideology is the same. Time is passing might as well do yourself some future favors. quote might actually be our very own Colorado's, but my memory sucks
Shogun610
Masterpiece
False .. it’s not often grown as a broom style that’s just a style…..American beech is large leaf tree . Will only reduce a certain amount the species is most often grown in a broom style as bonsai . So look for a large trunk to make a large tree in proportion to the leaves did around trunk find nice spreading roots Your other option for good nebari is air layer a trunk with nice branches you want If you don’t want a broom style . Do what ever you want but make sure you have fun
Shogun610
Masterpiece
If you’re collecting American Beech best to go big , collect , chop and regrow to get taper.it’s call Fagus Grandifolia for a reason… big foliage. You could also collect 2&3 and maybe 5 more their size and make a forest. Will take time to reduce leaf size but it can be done w time and experimentation with pinching
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
These trees are on a friends land so they aren’t going anywhere. There’s also a TON more around the property. I may collect these 4 and start developing some other larger ones in the field.
Aeast
Shohin
Here's my two scents. I have collected alot of beech over the last 8 years and currently have two that have survived.
Collect all of them and try to keep them alive and thiving.
Don't bare root them, that tends to kill them in my experience.
If you collect a stump they tend to sprout right out of the top of the cut only.
The ones that have survived are strong trees that were growing on a field edge, deep timber trees tend to be weak and don't survive upon collection.
I'm still trying to perfect my collection process and aftercare to increase survival rates.
Collect all of them and try to keep them alive and thiving.
Don't bare root them, that tends to kill them in my experience.
If you collect a stump they tend to sprout right out of the top of the cut only.
The ones that have survived are strong trees that were growing on a field edge, deep timber trees tend to be weak and don't survive upon collection.
I'm still trying to perfect my collection process and aftercare to increase survival rates.
TN_Jim
Omono
Beech notoriously have a good root flare in the wild, would find this first before digging, would like to see that to truly judge!?
Also would not wash the roots clean at post collection —know you can, just my thoughts on it.
If had to choose maybe 3 or 4 chopped lower.
Frozentreehugger
Omono
The reason I mentioned the broom style . Is there habit of sprouting from the cut of a chopped trunk at the cut location . And there attractive smooth bark . Means they lend them selfs to the style easily . And displays there attributes well therefore Beech in general are a preferred species for the style .I was in no way saying other styles are not possible .and or common for the tree . As you pointed out they are commonly grown in a forest style . That mimics nature . As beech often grow in pure stands making a striking forest
Frozentreehugger
Omono
Consider what I said about prepping the tree in the field to increase rooting near the trunk . And improve there survival rate . I don’t collect beech but the practice works. With any trees abs is especially helpful as you said with forest trees . That have weak roots near the trunk it has helped with beech collect by others I know
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
These are growing at the edge of a gravel road with others. They *should* be fairly vigorous. They get a good bit of light and I fertilized quite a few of them last year.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I agree. Thing with American Beech is they're S-L-O-W to grow. These aren't worth the trouble if you're not going to plant them out and let them alone for 10 years...I have collected and worked on Fagus Grandifolia. It's not all that complicated, but you have to double or triple your development time lines to get a good result..
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Collect 2 or 3 of these beech. Then move down hill a little from the beeches, and see if you can find Carpinus caroliniana, Hornbeam. The hornbeam is far superior to beech in terms of being easier to work with and faster growing. Leaf is much smaller than beech, but quite attractive, more attractive than elm. Smooth bark of hornbeam is quite similar to beech, it has many of the attractive features of beech in a much easier to grow plant. Hornbeam like slightly wetter soils than beech, therefore, look a little downhill from the beech. Though in Michigan and Illinois I have found beech and hornbeam growing right next to each other. Hornbeam will grow with red maple, on land that floods for short periods in winter or early spring. Hornbeam is a forest understory tree, and forest edge species. Look for it. Autumn colors are good too.
