Has anyone grown a pecan tree for bonsai?

[bumblebee]

I love seeing them in orchards. Seems like they could make a good bonsai.

 

[Stan Kengai]

Between the compound leaves and brittle wood, I would pass. I love the look of old pecans too, especially with resurrection ferns growing on them. But for bonsai, you would need to replicate them with another species.

 

[bonsaidave]

I have wondered the same thing for a while. My conclusion was why not try. Just have to look out for the right material. Worst case you kill it. Best case you grow a bonsai that is rarely if ever seen. Good luck if you give it a go. If I ever attempt a pican bonsai I will be sure to start a thread.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

They key was "good bonsai". As you read through the archives here, pay attention to examples with compound leaves. Generally you will find most photos of bonsai where the tree has long compound leaves the photo is of a tree that often just does not meet the criterion of "good bonsai". Or if it does look great, it probably was displayed without leaves.

Pecans, walnuts, and butternuts are all related. All have 10 or more leaflets making up the compound leaves, long leaves. They also have thick twigs that do not branch much. You won't find "fine twigs" on a pecan. You really have to work the leaves into the design, plan on each leaf representing a whole branch with foliage. This is not an easy task. Look to Sumac for examples of a tree with compound leaves and coarse twigs being used for bonsai. Leaf color of sumac in autumn is so spectacular people go through the effort. There is a famous sumac in Kimura's garden. In photos it looks maybe 3 feet tall. When you see the photo of it with the pot on the ground and Kimura standing next to it, you realize the sumac is actually over 5 feet tall. If you want a pecan to work as bonsai - GO BIG.

For trees with compound leaves that only are a few leaflets, often they are just worked into the design. For some they trim each leaf to just one pair of leaflets before a show to get the image to look better. Look at photos of acacia, and texas ebony, they have fine compound leaves with small leaflets. Notice that young specimens of these types don't look all that great until they have many years, and a lot of training into them.

However, if you want to try, go ahead. Perhaps you can make an okay bonsai, maybe even a good bonsai from a pecan. It may take many years longer than other species. My bet is after 20 years, a pecan grown as bonsai will still not look like a very good bonsai, or a tree. It will be a plant in a pot. But if you have limited time and energy, there are many, many species that will be easier to create bonsai with. If you are short on time, put energy into learning how to work one of the species known for creating great bonsai. Why settle for less?

You can use bonsai techniques on almost any plant. But not all will become bonsai. Some will just end up nice houseplants, or nice garden plants.

I sound negative, keep in mind I have a good size collection of plants in pots, that I keep for my own enjoyment. I started most of them with the thought of them becoming "bonsai". After many years, I realized they will not make it as bonsai. So I now am honest with myself and call them houseplants. FOr example my Osmanthus fragrans will likely never make a decent bonsai. It stays because I love its fragrant flowers. Its a keep, but it is a houseplant. Even though Osmanthus is in the olive family, which has many good species for bonsai.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

The key was "good bonsai".

What a great, succinct write-up. I would add to your list wisteria. I haven't seen a single good wisteria bonsai that wasn't blooming. While in bloom (for perhaps three or four weeks out of the year) they can be stunning. The rest of the time their compound leaves make them pretty unconvincing bonsai subjects.

 

[Potawatomi13]

"Leo in N E Illinois, post: 324287, member: 14479"]When you see the photo of it with the pot on the ground and Kimura standing next to it, you realize the sumac is actually over 5 feet tall."

AHA! And THAT as they say goes a ways to say What is size of Imperial Bonsai. At least 5 feet but I have good word that can be as much as 8 feet or so.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

"Leo in N E Illinois, post: 324287, member: 14479"]When you see the photo of it with the pot on the ground and Kimura standing next to it, you realize the sumac is actually over 5 feet tall."

AHA! And THAT as they say goes a ways to say What is size of Imperial Bonsai. At least 5 feet but I have good word that can be as much as 8 feet or so.

You would have to ask Kimura whether that particular sumac is considered "Imperial Bonsai" or not. My guess is he might be very likely to tell you it is Sanyasou 山野草, meaning a kusamono meant to be displayed for appreciation as a focal point on its own, rather than with a tree. It is quite likely he doesn't think of it as a "bonsai". Though certainly there is no sharp delineation between bonsai and kusamono.

We are in the USA, these size classifications are largely trivial. What counts is the wording the Committee hosting a particular show puts into the Show Rule book. IF your tree meets their rules, then it can be displayed. Each show has its own "Show Rules", there is no committee supervising all USA Shows.

Beyond that, if a tree is in a pot, you have met the first criterion for it being called bonsai. If the "tree in a pot" is too heavy for the owner to pick up by themselves, then you have what I think of as "Impractical Bonsai", and if 3 people can not lift the pot, you have "Forklift Bonsai" or "Industrial bonsai".

Truth is, if you have a small tree, say about 9 inches tall. Depending on who is hosting a show, in one show it might be considered shohin, in a different show it might be considered a "regular bonsai". It is arbitrary and only matters at show time, at the venue it is being displayed at. If you really care about display, you familiarize yourself with the Show Rules a couple years before the event you want to enter. I for one am not that hung up on showing trees, it is not something I would consider worrying about. What ever category the "show committee" puts my tree in is fine by me.

 

[bumblebee]

They key was "good bonsai". As you read through the archives here, pay attention to examples with compound leaves. Generally you will find most photos of bonsai where the tree has long compound leaves the photo is of a tree that often just does not meet the criterion of "good bonsai". Or if it does look great, it probably was displayed without leaves.

Pecans, walnuts, and butternuts are all related. All have 10 or more leaflets making up the compound leaves, long leaves. They also have thick twigs that do not branch much. You won't find "fine twigs" on a pecan. You really have to work the leaves into the design, plan on each leaf representing a whole branch with foliage. This is not an easy task. Look to Sumac for examples of a tree with compound leaves and coarse twigs being used for bonsai. Leaf color of sumac in autumn is so spectacular people go through the effort. There is a famous sumac in Kimura's garden. In photos it looks maybe 3 feet tall. When you see the photo of it with the pot on the ground and Kimura standing next to it, you realize the sumac is actually over 5 feet tall. If you want a pecan to work as bonsai - GO BIG.

For trees with compound leaves that only are a few leaflets, often they are just worked into the design. For some they trim each leaf to just one pair of leaflets before a show to get the image to look better. Look at photos of acacia, and texas ebony, they have fine compound leaves with small leaflets. Notice that young specimens of these types don't look all that great until they have many years, and a lot of training into them.

However, if you want to try, go ahead. Perhaps you can make an okay bonsai, maybe even a good bonsai from a pecan. It may take many years longer than other species. My bet is after 20 years, a pecan grown as bonsai will still not look like a very good bonsai, or a tree. It will be a plant in a pot. But if you have limited time and energy, there are many, many species that will be easier to create bonsai with. If you are short on time, put energy into learning how to work one of the species known for creating great bonsai. Why settle for less?

You can use bonsai techniques on almost any plant. But not all will become bonsai. Some will just end up nice houseplants, or nice garden plants.

I sound negative, keep in mind I have a good size collection of plants in pots, that I keep for my own enjoyment. I started most of them with the thought of them becoming "bonsai". After many years, I realized they will not make it as bonsai. So I now am honest with myself and call them houseplants. FOr example my Osmanthus fragrans will likely never make a decent bonsai. It stays because I love its fragrant flowers. Its a keep, but it is a houseplant. Even though Osmanthus is in the olive family, which has many good species for bonsai.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I may just go ahead and grow one in a pot. Whatever I end up calling it.

 

[Potawatomi13]

You would have to ask Kimura whether that particular sumac is considered "Imperial Bonsai" or not

Actually was from his student I got information.

We are in the USA, these size classifications are largely trivial.

Many in USA who adhere to Japan rules would disagree. However has already been said before size scales flexible and somewhat ignored even in Japan shows. For self Imperial or large Bonsai are favorite so what is Imperial has significance.

 

[Cypress187]

The advertisement seems ok from this nursery:

 

[Potawatomi13]

The advertisement seems ok from this nursery:

!

 

[M. Frary]

Leaf color

Something I never think about when thinking of making a tree a bonsai. I look for small single leaves that can be reduced to fit the image. Fall is short here and the cold comes on fast. My trees in pots don't get spectacular colors so it isn't something I look for.
As for trees here with compound leaves. The only time I'm interested in sumac is in mowing it or spraying agent orange on it. White ash is great firewood. And if you let that pecan grow it can produce nuts that can be turned into a great pie. In the same amount of time it will take to turn it into a bonsai.

 

[Bonsai_Bentley]

Necro post. I recently acquired a pecan for free. Figured why not. Recently did a partial defoliation on it and it pushed new branch ramification at the base of the compound leaves. It's still in a nursery pot. I'll be repotting it next year. Here's a pic from when I got it. I had to dig deep to find the nebari lol.

 

[Naptha]

Hi! Stumbled here, looks like a great resource.

I was walking today and picked up a dozen pecan nuts, they have been cold stratified over winter. I'm gunna see what I can do to sprout them, and add to my aspiring bonsai collection.

I have 9 varieties of trees which I sprouted from seeds this past winter. I think I have bonsai in the brain, going obsessed.

I say why the heck not, all bonsai takes years and years, and it's a personal form of art to please yourself before others!

Hell yeah Go For It.

I'll post pics if they grow