Hartinez "this is not a contest" tree. Foresteria Neomexicana

Hartinez

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I kept seeing the posts for this errr "contest" and wasn't entirely sure where they originated. I found the @sorce . Pun intended. And @John in Toledo . Not entirely sure I qualify as I've been practicing for about 6/7 years. I certainly feel like a rookie though with as many trees as I've killed. :oops: Ive read the original post and found I have till tonight to get in my tree!!

Either way, I'm jumping in. I decided to go with a shrub/small tree native to my neck of the woods which many of you may not be familiar with. Foresteria Neomexicana or New Mexico Olive. Some say new mexico privet or desert olive. Small pale green leaves. Females produce berries in late summer. Bark is a slight rough pale gray, almost the color of aspen. most found in nature grow in the clump form and are very drought tolerant. The nebari on purchased specimen or very contorted and less than ideal for traditional bonsai. however, with the size of the leaves being small and the great looking trunks and natural forms a great bonsai these trees can make.

For my tree in this "contest". I purchased this guy from a local nursery for $35. Great movement down low with the best surface roots I have found on one of these at a local nursery. Ive chopped heavy to 3 trunks with the intention as of now to use all 3. This of course may change depending on the amount of budding I get. Here it is as I bought it 10 days ago. Its pushed several buds since this pic was taken and I will post an update in the AM. IMG_2326.JPGIMG_9229.JPGIMG_9641.JPG
 
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moke

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I just ordered 3 smaller New Mexico Privets. Thought I’d give B-Nut a search and see if any other Nutter’s we’re using them for bonsai, low and behold here they are @Hartinez. I was at a local bonsai show 2 years ago and a gentleman was selling a small one and I thought it looked awesome and swore I would give them a try. 2 years later I ordered them today. Any update on yours?, did it branch out this past summer?
Look forward to watching your thread to compare notes.
 

Hartinez

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Hey @moke . Thanks for reading. New Mexico privet is a truly untapped species for Bonsai. problem being though is the lack of info out there in regards to container cultivation. From what I can tell so far, it’s growth habit is closest to a European olive in the way it should be trimmed to promote ramification. This one in particular got a heavy chop at the beginning of this last year as I hated the look of the 3 trunks. What I’m finding more and more though is that chops do not heal over easily or at all. I’ve got 2 others plus a forest planting that has confirmed this for me. My local club has reiterated the same fact. In hind sight I would have carved a large Jin rather that remove completely as the dead wood is very hard and doesn’t seem susceptible to rot. Fungal disease has also been an issue. This last year I had leaf curl on every one of them and o for the first time sprayed with daconil with the intention of doing a spring lime sulphuric fungal treatment. Hoping that will keep the leaf curl at bay and promote vigorous growth all season. I have also found that newly re potted trees do not thrive immediately and that if left in the same pot for a few years will gain more vigor over time. Here are some pics I just took. Pulled these from my winter mulched in beds. 277081277082277083277084

I’ve got the initial branch structure and placement id like with these and will begin to focus on ramification over the coming years. I think I’m going to carve some uros where I’ve got large chops since I don’t believe they will ever completely heal over.
 

moke

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They are looking good, thanks for sharing, lots of great info there. Can’t wait to get to get started with this native and watch yours progress.
 
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