Honeysuckle #1 (~Daygan)

[daygan]

I collected this honeysuckle in July from a field that was being cleared for a construction project. When I found it, it had already been uprooted and tossed aside, root ball fully intact. Since this was a landscape tree, its root ball was considerably compact to begin with, and I was able to easily fit it into a pot. Below is a photo taken a few weeks after collection with new growth appearing, and one taken yesterday. This is the only tree in my collection that has not yet dropped its leaves.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I would love to see this later in bloom! Great find...

 

[Poink88]

I knew I've seen this before.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?11960-Mid-summer-Construction-Rescue-Advice

 

[Poink88]

I'd remove that straight branch ASAP if this is mine.

 

[lordy]

I'd remove that straight branch ASAP if this is mine.

these stay flexible (at least near me) for a good long time. I think it is safe to wire now or later. IF it is mine. I mean, if it were mine.

 

[daygan]

Thanks, Darlene, Dario, and lordy for your comments.

I would love to see this later in bloom! Great find...

I'm interested in seeing this in bloom too. Their flowers produce red berries as well, so that's another thing to look forward to during its winter state.

I knew I've seen this before.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?11960-Mid-summer-Construction-Rescue-Advice

Yes sir! Good memory

I'd remove that straight branch ASAP if this is mine.

Yeah.. for me, ASAP is going to be mid or late summer, when it should be growing at its fastest and will heal as quickly and completely as possible.

these stay flexible (at least near me) for a good long time. I think it is safe to wire now or later. IF it is mine. I mean, if it were mine.

Thanks for this input. Good to know when I am ready to wire. I think for this one I may even wait until next autumn before making any decisions about how I'm going to style it. I'm in no rush.

 

[Poink88]

these stay flexible (at least near me) for a good long time. I think it is safe to wire now or later. IF it is mine. I mean, if it were mine.

I'm talking about the main branch/trunk as shown on the 2nd pic.

 

[Poink88]

LOL I think we were posting at the same time.

 

[daygan]

I'm talking about the main branch/trunk as shown on the 2nd pic.

Hey, I knew what you were talking about, even if lordy didn't (or maybe he was making an unrelated comment). That straight trunk section does need to go, you're right. When it is gone, I'll definitely have a nicer looking trunk line!

 

[daygan]

LOL I think we were posting at the same time.

yup ......

 

[daygan]

A bare-branch update. No ramification or actual positioning yet, but here it is anyway.

 

[daygan]

I did a little work to this tree this year. I chopped off one of the trunks, and have left some of it to carve into a hollow later, and did some wiring and branch selection in autumn. More ramification is needed, of course, and more decision making about removal of some of the branches lower on the trunk, perhaps. Unfortunately, I'll be heading home to the states soon, and will have to find a home in the ground somewhere for this tree and my other trees until I can find a way to transport them to the U.S. Anyway, here's a photo-update:

 

[KennedyMarx]

Have you looked into what it takes to import a tree into the US? Isn't it something like two or three years or quarantine once the plant gets to the US before you can get it home?

This one is very interesting. It reminds me of something Walter Pall would work on.

 

[daygan]

I have read through the regulations quite extensively. There's a chart of species that are not permitted, along with the countries from which they are not permitted. For species that are permitted, from my understanding of the regulations, trees that are imported have to meet further criteria such as being bare-rooted or in soil-less medium and adhering to height restrictions. I think that quarantine is a safeguard provision for trees that meet some but not certain criteria. Anyway, honeysuckle imported from China is not explicitly restricted, so when I'm ready to work on getting it over to America, I'll have to go through all of the rules and figure out what needs to be done. I'll probably have to place a phone call or two to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service just to make sure I'm not misinterpreting things. And, of course, I'll have to apply for permits, I'm sure. I'm not ready for any of that yet, so it'll have to go in the ground for at least a year, I suspect.

 

[wireme]

Your honeysuckle looks like a fun plant to develop and I like the work you've done so far.
Thinking of bringing plants back to the states? Have you been to any bonsai sales venues? I would think there would be some pretty fantastic stock available in China no?

 

[daygan]

Thanks, wireme. You know, it's funny - bonsai in China is kind of like kung fu - it's not nearly as main stream as everybody thinks it is It seems that it's becoming a lost art. I rarely see anything that actually approaches bonsai, and the common examples of "almost bonsai" are more decorative and "odd" than actually tree-like. Tropicals are quite common, and I've often pondered that this may be because people have forgotten how to care for deciduous trees and neglected their dormancy needs. Understand, though, that my experience is mostly in the north, and it could be quite different in the south. Also, most of my life here has been largely taken up with work and other responsibilities, so I haven't had a lot of time to go seeking out bonsai.

I did find some bonsai sellers in the other northern city that I previously lived in, nestled in amongst vendors of flowers and house plants in a market that catered to that sort of thing. A couple were interesting, but done poorly, with (large!) pruning wounds left unresolved and awkward branch placement. For the most part, I would say that what I've seen would be good material to work with, but it was being sold at a price that would indicate that it was a finished product. I find that I'm much happier collecting my own trees.

 

[jk_lewis]

I have read through the regulations quite extensively. There's a chart of species that are not permitted, along with the countries from which they are not permitted. For species that are permitted, from my understanding of the regulations, trees that are imported have to meet further criteria such as being bare-rooted or in soil-less medium and adhering to height restrictions. I think that quarantine is a safeguard provision for trees that meet some but not certain criteria. Anyway, honeysuckle imported from China is not explicitly restricted, so when I'm ready to work on getting it over to America, I'll have to go through all of the rules and figure out what needs to be done. I'll probably have to place a phone call or two to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service just to make sure I'm not misinterpreting things. And, of course, I'll have to apply for permits, I'm sure. I'm not ready for any of that yet, so it'll have to go in the ground for at least a year, I suspect.

I'd be surprised if honeysuckle were NOT in the restricted list, Many species are very invasive.

 

[daygan]

I agree, jkl - that was my thought as well. I also just realized that I haven't even looked at import laws governing invasive species yet. I previously thought that it would be on the regulations page that I'd previously read regarding restricted plants, but upon further examination, there seems to be no mention of the word "invasive" on that page. I'll have to do some more research on the invasive species info center. From a cursory search that I just did, it seems that the only honeysuckle species noted as being invasive is Lonicera japonica, but I'll have to read more before I know for sure.