19Mateo83
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One of the stumps I collected this year thinking it was a American hornbeam is making it quite obvious it is not like the rest of the hornbeams. Is this a hop hornbeam or is it something else? The leaves are fuzzy and huge.
Hop hornbeam or something else?
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Frozentreehugger
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It’s not hop hornbeam. . They have a distinct leaf growth pattern as a shoot extends the leaves on that shoot become progressively larger east to distinguish. My plant identifier app says the second picture of the leaf is Common Adler But it’s often wrong from just a leaf pic
19Mateo83
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Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. Upon further research it’s looking a lot like a speckled/gray alder.
https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/speckled-alder/
Any use for these guys in bonsai? If not its getting demoted from the bench.
Frozentreehugger
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No idea about it’s bonsai potential leaves look big . Maybe plant it in the ground leave it fir a few years might develop into something worth digging again
19Mateo83
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I decided to do some destructive exploration on this one and salvage my potting media. I also get a look to see how roots do in it. As you can see from the pictures the roots that did develop developed very fine, and I’m happy with that. Also I learned my media holds a lot of moisture and I can back off on my water on the ones planted in flats. I gained a little education here so this tree was not a total waste of time. Also this tree would probably have rotted mostly away in time with that huge root chop. Alder is a pretty tough tree apparently.
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Shogun610
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I have 2 smooth alders and they’re regrowing but they back bud ferociously. They are from the same family as birch and hornbeam. They’re different that for sure and love the water. RIP to yours .. next time you find an alder you don’t want .. wrap it up and send it up to me.
19Mateo83
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I definitely will keep you in mind next time I go collecting.
Frozentreehugger
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One of the problems with collected trees . Is we are trying to create the correct conditions ie moisture levels . For the few remaining roots and or create new roots .often that means there is excess moisture other places in the pot . Not a easy balance to get right . This is why there is so much advice to use a high level of inorganic or pure inorganic and as small as pot as you can fit the roots into its really a juggling match . As for the roots rotting it’s fascinating the difference between roots and above ground tree and how they act . Considering there all the same wood
19Mateo83
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My mix is 3/2/2/1/1 Napa 8822, turface, pine bark, pumice, and lava all sifted to 1/8”-1/4”
so far it’s done very well here in the Carolina’s and I’m thinking it will hold moisture great when we start hitting the upper 90’s in July, August and September. It may just hold a bit too much moisture the rest of the year. I’m thinking of experimenting with haydite next year instead of the turface and 8822.
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Frozentreehugger
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For me my basic growing mix is equal parts crushed granite DE and pine mulch . I then sometimes add more pine or more granite depending on the species. But collected stuff is a different challenge normally dicid gets granite DE and about 1/2 the pine often more DE if the box is big as the granite is heavy and I’m not getting any younger . Conifers get more granite less DE all the way to a common needle juniper I collected this year it’s 75 percent granite I have collected them in the past and recovered in pure granite . But there a tough tree to get right so who knows it really depends on the species don’t be afraid to experiment . In general I believe you need some organic in something that will be a few years before reporting or is slow to recover
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