Mugo hunting in Oregon

[buddhamonk]

Well this is sort of a follow up thread (sorry rick for highjacking your thread)

Today I thought I'd give it a try but came back empty handed - not that there weren't any good material - I would never think that only Michigan produces good mugos. But I just didn't see much potential in these mugos - probably due to my untrained eyes

here's a few I found in Oregon

japanese black pines

austrian black pines

Scotts pines

this one would make a good bonsai but a bit expansive ~ $90
but most were single trunks like this one but with very little taper despite the large trunk.

some nice japanese white pine - with ugly base

this one was only $55

 

[darrellw]

Hi,

What nursery did you find all of this at? I might go take a look myself!

Thanks,
Darrell

 

[Graydon]

Wow - thanks for the photos. I think I crapped my pants though, let me check. Yep - I made a mess.

Seriously, those are some great photos of a nice nursery, at least in my opinion. Nothing like that down here in sunny ole Florida. I would jump on some of that stuff in a heartbeat. I mean for a moment I thought about how much it would cost me to fly out to Oregon, get some stock, rent a truck and drive back to Florida. Probably cheaper to simply move to where the good material is located huh? All I really need out there is a 1920's bungalow and some work in show biz and I'm all set.

I have a lousy sense of economics (as the wife reminds me all the time) but that $90 mugo looks pretty sweet to me.

 

[buddhamonk]

yep - living in oregon has its benefits but in florida you guys get some mighy ficus and other tropical plants we don't see much of over here.

Anyway - isn't there a bonsai code about keeping good nursery location secrets just like collecting site?

nah just kidding, this nursery is 20 minutes south of portland, 5 minutes north of woodburn - really hard to get to but it's right off the I-5 freeway. the only problem is that there are no freeway exit anywhere near that place and you have to exit aoubt 5 miles away and drive through fields of landscaping trees - not a bad scenery after all.

This is garden world - you can find direction on their website www.gardenworldonline.com

have fun mugo hunting - they also have tons of maples, blue atlas cedar, monster japanese cryptomeria and fat little gingkos.

oh yeah that $90 tree is sweetand i'd get it in a heartbeat if it was a goyomatsu or kuromatsu but a mugo??? I'll pass, it's all about personal preference.

 

[Rick Moquin]

BM,

Not a problem my friend. Some nice trees there. One needs to remember that when hunting at a typical nursery vice a "bonsai nursery" that the diamond will be in the rough. As enthusiast we require certain characteristics to be present in the selected stock. Nurseries do not grow trees for bonsai but for landscape purposes. On the other hand, bonsai nurseries will develop the tree as it is growing, and there prices will reflect this, and rightfully so. If you think $90 is expensive, I guess you couldn't phatom paying $1500 for a piece of stock.

So when one finds a tree suitable for bonsai at a local nursery, it is indeed a rare find. The $90 tree you have shown us is a Mugo, is it not? If so how many did you root through to find one? In my particular case it took 4 years to find the one I purchased as I had never seen a single trunk one in the past.

 

[Anonymous User]

Looks like a typical nursery but it has a lot of mugos, unfortunately only a small percentage would be good for bonsai, as always.

The first mugo closeup you showed I would passed on, big swelling at the apex where all the branches are creating a reverse taper that would need to be dealt with. The last mugo you showed has much more potential, all the ones in between are impossible to judge as only the foliage can be seen.


Will

 

[buddhamonk]

yes the littles ones like the first close up are all under $30 and not very good.

the larger ones like the $90 are all single trunk, large but with no taper. the one I showed just didn't have as much foliage which is why I took pictures of it because you could see the trunk - but they're all like that.

To answer a question - I would surely purchase a $1500 stock if it's worth $2000.
When I say $90 is expensive, it's all relative to how good the tree is and what potential I see in it

 

[Vance Wood]

Not meaning to be cryptic but your problem is that you are looking with your eyes, you have to look with your fingers. With all of those Mugos I would bet you $50 I could come out of there with at least 3 good trees.

I included some of the Mugos I have. I just went and pulled them off the hard drive so I am not sure they are current or even good but they are there, they are Mugos, and they all started life as a bonsai just like the ones you have shown.

 

[buddhamonk]

Vance,
Thanks for posting these picture - I've seen these before on one of your gallery on another forum - I love that semi cascade - I guess if I had your skills with mugo I could produce some good stuff with the material I found.

I think we can all agree that mugo is a great plant for bonsai - it's got a lot of good attribute, but its tendency to grow as a shrub is what causes a lot of the flaws I typically associate with mugos.

I wouldn't mind getting a collected one from Europe

 

[Anonymous User]

I wouldn't mind getting a collected one from Europe

Now that I agree with, imagine being able to collect Mugos from the wild....


Will

 

[Vance Wood]

Vance,
Thanks for posting these picture - I've seen these before on one of your gallery on another forum - I love that semi cascade - I guess if I had your skills with mugo I could produce some good stuff with the material I found.

I think we can all agree that mugo is a great plant for bonsai - it's got a lot of good attribute, but its tendency to grow as a shrub is what causes a lot of the flaws I typically associate with mugos.

I wouldn't mind getting a collected one from Europe

Actually the real problem with Mugos is the way they are cultivated, they are sheared into a round or hemispherical shape in the nursery trade. The reason this is done is because this tree will take this kind of treatment and react favorably with a lot of back budding. As to collected Mugos, amen, I would almost kill for that opportunity.

 

[rlist]

I have been to this "nursery" a few times. They have some great landscape trees, and a few good trees that are acceptable for bonsai. Note that they are a "distributor" only, and all trees they have in inventory are on consignment. Look at the tags and you can see where the trees really come from (hint, hint, hint...)

Also, tell them that you are purchasing for bonsai purposes as opposed to landscape and ask for a trade discount - you should be able to get 10% off if you are nice!