If you had to choose

[Rusty Harris]

1. Bald cypress. They grow fast, and easily replace branches to help with mistakes and design
2. Hinoki cypress. They grow slow, do not bud back, and can be a bugger to train.
I like the 1st choice because it's easier for me. I like the second choice because it is not easy, if that makes any sense.

 

[Martin Sweeney]

Rusty,

2 excellent choices. I was thinking about choosing Bald Cypress myself, and I do like Hinoki, but I would have to say Satsuki Azalea is my favorite specie for bonsai. If I had a sunnier yard, I might change my pick entirely.

With only Satsuki Azalea to work on, I would miss new foliage emerging from bare branches in the spring, and leaf change in the fall, but the flowers on Satsuki just might be good enough to make up for that.

I am glad that the choosing is hypothetical.

Regards,
Martin

 

[greerhw]

Itowgawa

Harry

 

[milehigh_7]

1. Bald cypress. They grow fast, and easily replace branches to help with mistakes and design
2. Hinoki cypress. They grow slow, do not bud back, and can be a bugger to train.
I like the 1st choice because it's easier for me. I like the second choice because it is not easy, if that makes any sense.

This is an excellent answer Rusty! I think it has been fascinating to see the different things that are being chosen. It is the "why" in your answer that is fascinating.

 

[Graydon]

Pinus parviflora - because I love them but can't have them where I live. Must be "the other side of the fence" thing.

 

[daniel]

I know I'm 4 months late, but I'll have to say anything flowering. Mainly azaleas and bougs. I'm a gardener at heart, so it's no wonder I love flowering trees...

Daniel

 

[amkhalid]

EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina

 

[daniel]

EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina EASTERN LARCH Larix laricina

Tell us what you really think...

 

[amkhalid]

Tell us what you really think...

They are native to my region so I can collect them...
they develop stunning bark (albeit a bit slowly)...
they thicken very fast if you want them to (one growing in my yard thickens faster than a nearby amur maple)...
wounds heal fast...
they have tough root systems and can be layered and take root pruning well...
they can be styled in almost any way...
the foliage is obviously beautiful: idealized pine image in the spring, fall color is second-to-none, winter silhouette.

Sure, they can't be styled like a driftwood junipers but you can't have it all.

I hope I never leave a climate which is suitable for larch (i.e. damn cold winters).

 

[greerhw]

Trident maple

Isn't that a chewing gum........

Harry

 

[waltr1]

That is a tough one but if I could only do one species I'd pick Pines.

 

[treebeard55]

Tough, tough, tough decision.

I think my first choice would be ponderosa pine.
1. I love pines.
2. They're a native US species that has turned out to work well for bonsai. Part of the process of making bonsai ours in this country is to discover, and learn to use, suitable native species. (Just as the Japanese, Europeans, and others have done in their homelands.)
3. Cold-hardy and tough.
Preferably collected, since they have character to burn (OK, bad pun.)

But a close second would be willow-leaf fig.
1. I want some green around thruout the year. I grew up almost smack-dab on the equator, and this brown-and-white for 4 months gets me down.
2. I like the colors, especially the bronze of the new leaves.
3. Leaves are small, in scale for all sizes.
4. Tough (tho not cold-hardy,) adaptable and fast-growing.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

shimpaku ftw

Shimpaku! Hardy, forgiving, easy to cultivate, and feels soft when I pat my hand on it.

 

[Yamadori]

I like elms. Elms like me.

 

[HotAction]

Larch, best of both worlds, and readily available for me

-Dave

 

[Ross]

I like elms. Elms like me.

Me too. I like elms, and ginkgos, but I don't have any ginkgo bonsai.

 

[shohin kid]

shimpaku, the majority of my trees are shimpaku anyway. I just like the foliage, I don't know why.

 

[Daysleeper]

Prunus mume. Why? They have it all: great fall color, bark that puts pines to shame, fragrant flowers, chicks think they are cute, small edible fruits, interesting foliage, and they can do every style in the book.

 

[Glider]

It's a toughy. I think either maple or satsuki azalea. It's tough for me to choose between them though.

 

[shohin kid]

shimpaku, the majority of my trees are shimpaku anyway. I just like the foliage, I don't know why.

Changed my mind, Satsuki azalea. Shimpakus are now my second favorite.