My First Go At Bonsai - My First Go At Collecting

Good start?


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Mister Ed

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Here it is, my first go at bonsai and collecting at the same time. The local nurseries don't really have any interesting shrubs out to begin with just yet so I figured I would collect something to start with. I have a spot out back with a lot of undergrowth where I found the two trees shown below. I'm not certain yet exactly what they are but thought they would work to begin learning on. Below is a picture of the leaves of the collected trees in case someone might be able to identify them. Following that are some pictures of the trunks, the nebari, and the trees as currently potted. If they live, at the least, they'll give me something to learn on. If not, it didn't cost but a little time.

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sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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I like the third one on the right!

For real, looks like a Nice root spread on that one.

That looks way better than the EVERYTHING I used to dig!

Sorce
 

sorce

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If they are the same species, do everything to the one with the not-so-great roots first !

Be ginger with the single trunk!

Sorce
 

Mister Ed

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I really like the nebari on that one as well. I'm thinking I may nip the other at a few spots around the base and apply some rooting hormone to see if I can get it to develop similarly.
 

edprocoat

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Its hard to see the leaves but they look like Honeysuckle, sorry about that.

ed
 

Brian Van Fleet

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They're not honeysuckle; though I have had some very nice ones over the years. They can make great bonsai. Especially the old, gnarly ones.

Based on the trunk and roots, they could be privet or maybe hackberry.
 

Mister Ed

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They're definitely not honeysuckle. I'm pretty sure they're not privet or hackberry either. They are small trees for sure. I've spent a good deal of time researching and the closest thing I have found is a possumhaw. I'll try to find one that's a little more in the open to get a better picture of the leaves and bark pattern on the truck.
 

JoeR

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The leaves look like privet but there is no way it is privet due to the leaf pattern.
 

Cypress187

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I like the third one on the right!
For real, looks like a Nice root spread on that one.
That looks way better than the EVERYTHING I used to dig!
Sorce
Lol, i thought you was sarcastic and meant the iron pole in the ground with the concrete 'roots' :D
 

leatherback

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Lol, i thought you was sarcastic and meant the iron pole in the ground with the concrete 'roots' :D
I am pretty sure he was solidly sarcastic on the concrete remark with regards to the massive rootbase. Or something like that :rolleyes:
 

Cypress187

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Oh, the thirth picture has a nice spread so.
 

sorce

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Oh yeah! The iron pole!

But then, for real, actually means sarcasm ended and I was referring to the 3rd pic. That one is awesome!
The one to be ginger with. T h e one that actually has a great spread!

Sorry!

Sorce
 

leatherback

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Absolutely. The third picture shows potential. Dependin on the species I would consider clipping all the bigger roots below the top crown very short, to stimulate further development.

Also, if you can get them, try to get pots that are wider than deep, to stimulate a flatter root-growth.
 

Mister Ed

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The tree with the iron trunk might not have any more potential beyond what you see, but it sure is easy to maintain. The one with the best root structure lost what little leaves it did have but is just now budding out several new leaves. Since it looks as though it will make it i may go ahead and move to a shallower pot as suggested and leave it to grow until next year.
 

M. Frary

Bonsai Godzilla
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Whatever they are, let them grow this year. Don't fool with them too much. They just went through a lot.
 
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