Oddball Species and Interesting Cultivars

Schmikah

Shohin
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Location
Knoxville TN
USDA Zone
7a
I'm out on the Olympic Peninsula, mostly I collect from client's properties between 0'-200' elevation. I'd like to get a transplant permit soon and head into the mountains to collect some Mountain Hemlock.

Some of those conifers up on hurricane ridge are crazy. Also, I'm jealous. We stayed in Port Angeles for a night in 2017, super cool town, and right around the corner from Ho rainforest (if that's how you spell it)
 

pnwnovice

Sapling
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57
Location
Port Angeles, WA
USDA Zone
8b
Some of those conifers up on hurricane ridge are crazy. Also, I'm jealous. We stayed in Port Angeles for a night in 2017, super cool town, and right around the corner from Ho rainforest (if that's how you spell it)

It's a great town to visit. I love it here but it get's a little boring when living here, thus why I've taken up hobbies such as bonsai and bjj to help pass the time.
 

AlainK

Imperial Masterpiece
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Location
Orléans, France, Europe
USDA Zone
9A
Alder (Alnus)

I have an Alnus glutinosa 'Imperialis'. So far, an ugly plant in a pot, but I was seduced by the leaves of one I saw in a botanical garden so when I found one, I bought it.

I don't think it can be worked into a "bonsai", but as long as I can keep it alive I think I can make it a nice "patio plant" :

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Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
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Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
True, as a former forester I'm just used to hearing from every one around me that Red Alders are junk trees that die around 80 years old. With proper care I'm sure they'll live longer than that. Problem is, am I capable yet of provided the proper care? I suppose we shall find out.

Trust me, seldom does a bonsai tree survive 80 years in one person's collection. Exceptional ones do, most champion show trees do last. Normal arc for most trees is 5 to 10 years from nursery stock to being in their first "local club level" show, then being shown occasionally for another 10 to 20 years. If an accident, neglectful house sitter or other calamity doesn't kill it before then, it will usually get moved on, as most of us have evolving tastes, we don't usually hang on to every tree we own until "death do us part" 😎

So any tree, shrub, woody herb that can survive more than 15 or so years, has a shot at being on display at least a few times.
 

Starfox

Masterpiece
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Location
Costa Blanca, Spain, zone 10b
USDA Zone
10b
I'm going to put this one in the interesting category. It's a Eucalyptus vernicosa which is officially the smallest Eucalyptus in the world which is found mainly in the mountains of Tasmania.
In the wild they grow all stunted, gnarly and twisted and presumably snow plays a big part and they do at least on first inspection seem to be a reasonable bonsai candidate.
I am a little concerned as to how well it'll do here in Spain due to the alpine element these are used to but 6 months in it's growing well over winter and the wire cut in fairly quickly so it's looking promising. Our summers while long and hot never really reach above 36deg C and mainly sit at 30deg C which is closer to the max temps they'll probably get in Tassie so I'm holding on to that as something positive.
The leaves are small and waxy and the branching of everything appears opposite which has made me think more than I should about leaving opposite branching for a natural look, I don't know, hard to get my head around it.
Either way it needs to grow and I'll likely wire as much as I can when I work out where I'm going with it but it#s a cool little tree with heaps of potential.

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a0kalittlema0n

Sapling
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I like leucophyllum frutescens (Texas Sage / Texas Ranger), Vitex Agnus-Castus (Chaste Tree), Forsythia, Pistacia Chinensis (Chinese Pistache), and Cottonwoods.

None of them are super common, but the first 3 have amazing flowers and fall color for the Forsythia, and the Chinese Pistache is awesome as a forest because of the vibrant colors and amazing differing colors throughout. Cottonwoods are nice because you can get amazing trunks by hardwood cuttings. Sure they don't have tiny leaves, but even the winter silhouette can be great
 

Mikecheck123

Omono
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Location
Northern Virginia
USDA Zone
7b
I like leucophyllum frutescens (Texas Sage / Texas Ranger), Vitex Agnus-Castus (Chaste Tree), Forsythia, Pistacia Chinensis (Chinese Pistache), and Cottonwoods.

None of them are super common, but the first 3 have amazing flowers and fall color for the Forsythia, and the Chinese Pistache is awesome as a forest because of the vibrant colors and amazing differing colors throughout. Cottonwoods are nice because you can get amazing trunks by hardwood cuttings. Sure they don't have tiny leaves, but even the winter silhouette can be great
Any difficulties with dieback on the cottonwoods?

I've got a free Fremont ones in development. They're actually quite colorful up close.

I'm also fixin to get my hands on the plains cottonwoods of my youth, which have noticeably smaller leaves.
 

Forsoothe!

Imperial Masterpiece
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Michigan
USDA Zone
6b
I like leucophyllum frutescens (Texas Sage / Texas Ranger), Vitex Agnus-Castus (Chaste Tree), Forsythia, Pistacia Chinensis (Chinese Pistache), and Cottonwoods.

None of them are super common, but the first 3 have amazing flowers and fall color for the Forsythia, and the Chinese Pistache is awesome as a forest because of the vibrant colors and amazing differing colors throughout. Cottonwoods are nice because you can get amazing trunks by hardwood cuttings. Sure they don't have tiny leaves, but even the winter silhouette can be great
I'd like to see some pictures. Especially the Pistache which I've been after for some time and couldn't find a vendor. Texas Sage, too.
 

a0kalittlema0n

Sapling
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Any difficulties with dieback on the cottonwoods?

I've got a free Fremont ones in development. They're actually quite colorful up close.

I'm also fixin to get my hands on the plains cottonwoods of my youth, which have noticeably smaller leaves.

I don't have anything amazingly developed atm, just some large cuttings that are starting to leaf out. I've heard that you can keep them from dying back by frequently pruning throughout the year to help the tree compartmentalize and not die back. Also this helps branches from becoming overrun with rogue branches that take over and cause the tree to abandon other branches.
I'd like to see some pictures. Especially the Pistache which I've been after for some time and couldn't find a vendor. Texas Sage, too.
I just dug up a large section of Chinese Pistache seedlings from a neighbor's yard. I have a ton of seedlings that I've been wanting to use for a forest for weeks. The problem is I need some time to get free from my children and transplant them into a better growing medium. I basically just dug up a shallow mass and placed it on the ground at my house because it had landscaping plastic under it.

I just have a 5 gallon texas sage that is barely starting to twist. Wasn't sure if I wanted to repot it yet or not, but I probably need to saw the bottom half off and get it into some better soil.

Where are you at @Forsoothe
 

Mikecheck123

Omono
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Northern Virginia
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I don't have anything amazingly developed atm, just some large cuttings that are starting to leaf out. I've heard that you can keep them from dying back by frequently pruning throughout the year to help the tree compartmentalize and not die back. Also this helps branches from becoming overrun with rogue branches that take over and cause the tree to abandon other branches.

I just dug up a large section of Chinese Pistache seedlings from a neighbor's yard. I have a ton of seedlings that I've been wanting to use for a forest for weeks. The problem is I need some time to get free from my children and transplant them into a better growing medium. I basically just dug up a shallow mass and placed it on the ground at my house because it had landscaping plastic under it.

I just have a 5 gallon texas sage that is barely starting to twist. Wasn't sure if I wanted to repot it yet or not, but I probably need to saw the bottom half off and get it into some better soil.

Where are you at @Forsoothe
Very similar to willows, which jettison branches that have a disadvantage. I've had good success with hedge pruned broom styles, where no branch ever gains a substantial advantage.
 

a0kalittlema0n

Sapling
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I'd like to see some pictures. Especially the Pistache which I've been after for some time and couldn't find a vendor. Texas Sage, too.
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This one leafed out just recently and I'm excited to see which parts make it. Definitely a good starting place, gotta love hardwood cuttings :D


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Here is a neighbors Texas Sage that I'm coveting. They have a ton of them out front and I'm waiting to see them outside to ask them if I can rip them out......for free of course!
 
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