Myths, Misconceptions, and Trivia

[Mellow Mullet]

It might be hard to discern but if you realize just how much resources are put into flowering it's stands to reason that you will weaken a tree by letting it flower after a root prune. Even without a root prune azaleas take some time to recover from flowering.

It is not hard to discern at all, I don't think that they use as much energy as everyone thinks they do to make flowers and I am really not sure that there is a way to measure it anyway. I have read that flowers are nothing more that specialized leaves anyway.

I am reporting my experience, I have repotted and not removed the buds for years and have not lost a tree from it. I also allow them to bloom every year with no discernible weakening, azaleas grow like weeds. Just saying, removing the buds serves no purpose as far as growth goes. Seen it, done it.

 

[miker]

For example, there’s no such thing as a tree!
It’s a useful term in colloquial speech, but biologically there seems to be no clear distinction between a tree and a shrub - woody perennials with a single trunk are more likely to be called trees, and those with multiple stems/trunks are more likely to be called shrubs, but there’s tons of overlap and grey area . . .

Of course, as Bonsai people, we turn shrubs into trees all the time!

Interesting. So all woody plants are shrubs, some being large/tall single-stemmed shrubs and other shrubs being short, multi-stemmed woody plants(?)

Or are all woody plants trees; some being tall and single stemmed and others being short and multi stemmed?

I am going to go with trees existing, because the term is considered a valid term in the scientific community to describe/categorize a particular subset of woody plants. Also, the term is in the dictionary, so yeah, trees exist and as a word, it has a clear and established meaning.

There is certainly overlap when it comes to small trees / large shrubs, but 100% of the time, a person(in the scientific community or otherwise) will describe a large mature coast redwood as a "tree", which, yes, is a large woody stemmed plant.

 

[miker]

Tsuga canadensis, also known as eastern hemlock, is the state tree of Pennsylvania. It actually isn't a hemlock at all... it is a spruce tree. It was given the name "hemlock" because its needles, when crushed, give off an odor similar to poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) a completely unrelated (and highly toxic) herbaceous flowering plant.

1. Would it then more appropriately belong in the genus "Picea" or would members of the genus "Tsuga" all be spruce as well, but just in a distinct genus?

2. Is Tsuga canadensis the only spruce with flat needles? I always thought flat needled were firs and round needles were spruce, making Tsuga canadensis, if anything, a fir

3. Is Tsuga canadensis the only spruce with needles that do not radiate 360 degrees around the petiole, but rather, nearly on a flat plane?

I think Tsuga canadensis could be a spruce, or Picea, as a Nothofagus is a beech, or Fagus. That is, very closely related, but not a true spruce, since all true spruce that I am aware of have been specifically placed in the genus Picea (and all true beech have been placed in the genus Fagus).

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

1. Would it then more appropriately belong in the genus "Picea" or would members of the genus "Tsuga" all be spruce as well, but just in a distinct genus?

2. Is Tsuga canadensis the only spruce with flat needles? I always thought flat needled were firs and round needles were spruce, making Tsuga canadensis, if anything, a fir

3. Is Tsuga canadensis the only spruce with needles that do not radiate 360 degrees around the petiole, but rather, nearly on a flat plane?

I think Tsuga canadensis could be a spruce, or Picea, as a Nothofagus is a beech, or Fagus. That is, very closely related, but not a true spruce, since all true spruce that I am aware of have been specifically placed in the genus Picea (and all true beech have been placed in the genus Fagus).

Hmm, interesting about your Nothofagus reference. Trying not to be picky but Nothofagus solandri ( see attached photo) has had a name change to Fuscaspora solandri ( NZ Black beech). I don’t know if they changed its name because it doesn’t look like a beech?
Compared to Fagus sylvatica.
Charles

 

[miker]

Hmm, interesting about your Nothofagus reference. Trying not to be picky but Nothofagus solandri ( see attached photo) has had a name change to Fuscaspora solandri ( NZ Black beech). I don’t know if they changed its name because it doesn’t look like a beech?
Compared to Fagus sylvatica.
Charles

Interesting point KiwiPlantGuy! I do know that many(or perhaps all) Nothofagus species that have been given a common name do include the word "Beech" in their common name. I just wonder if taxonomists would consider Nothofagus species to be true beech? Also, is there a reason, other than geographic separation, that members of Fagus and members of Nothofagus are placed in different genera? If not, then I feel they should both be considered true beech.

In contrast(and this is the last comparison, corollary), Acer, or maples and how they are defined is fairly staightforward, as all true maples are placed in the genus "Acer", no matter where in the world they are native to and they have a specific set of defining characteristics that categorize them as maples. If a new maple species were discovered in Australia, it would simply be placed in the genus "Acer", even though this hypothetical new species' range would be remote from all other know species of maple.

 

[twisted trees]

Dormant trees need light in the winter.

 

[miker]

Regarding Nothofagus versus Fagus, from Wiki:

In the past, they were included in the family Fagaceae, but genetic tests revealed them to be genetically distinct,[6] and they are now included in their own family, the Nothofagaceae (literally meaning "false beeches" or "bastard beeches").[7]

To add to the confusion, Picea (spruce) and Tsuga (one of multiple genera called "hemlocks") are both in the same family (Pinaceae), while Fagus (beech) and Nothofagus (beech?) are not in the same family, but two separate families.

Nothofagus are not true beech trees.

Taxonomy is extremely complex and clearly, the application is not consistent.

 

[Anthony]

Junipers on our side can be wintered in a fridge from Jan.15 to April 1st.
No light needed, just remember to water.

Shrub is 14 to 18 feet max height.
Tree is over 18 feet.

Good Day
Anthony

 

[twisted trees]

Regarding Nothofagus versus Fagus, from Wiki:

In the past, they were included in the family Fagaceae, but genetic tests revealed them to be genetically distinct,[6] and they are now included in their own family, the Nothofagaceae (literally meaning "false beeches" or "bastard beeches").[7]

To add to the confusion, Picea (spruce) and Tsuga (one of multiple genera called "hemlocks") are both in the same family (Pinaceae), while Fagus (beech) and Nothofagus (beech?) are not in the same family, but two separate families.

Nothofagus are not true beech trees.

Taxonomy is extremely complex and clearly, the application is not consistent.

ZZZZZZZ.

 

[Djtommy]

Nothofagus

Me neither..

 

[hemmy]

"bastard beeches"

Priceless!

 

[leatherback]

Myth. Never use iron wire, as the corrosion (rust) causes rust in plants..

 

[leatherback]

Myth. Ikea sells bonsai

 

[JudyB]

Bill Belichick is the devil

well, ok - maybe he only made a deal with the devil...

 

[Dav4]

well, ok - maybe he only made a deal with the devil...

This may be fact... but we will never know

 

[LanceMac10]

In a word? Brady......

 

[twisted trees]

Myth. Jimmy Hoffa's ashes are buried under "Goshin."

 

[GrimLore]

Myths;

You cannot grow Bald Cypress in water. We do it and are fairly up North...
Serrisa are hard to grow or keep alive. Hint: quit treating them like tropicals, they are not...
You cannot Winter off Satsuki Azaleas and let them freeze. Several in my shed have been frozen a few days now...
Organic substrate(s) cannot be used in Bonsai.
Moss is good - it is a temporary decoration, otherwise of no good use, can actually cause damage...
Tropical Bonsai like Full Sun - Bullshit unless you Bonsai Banana trees or Bird of Paradise, get the drift?

Grimmy

 

[Cable]

Dormant trees need light in the winter.

You're saying that's a myth, right?

 

[coh]

Myth. Jimmy Hoffa's ashes are buried under "Goshin."

Never heard that one, but it would explain a lot...