Waltron
Chumono
could it work as a multiple trunk? I keep coming back to it. i did some root work on it where it sits. its a big leaf maple, either a sugar or a norway I suspect.
Opinion on this big leaf maple yamadori?
- Thread starter Waltron
- Start date
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
The tree in question...the trunk you focus on in the second photo. To me looks to be a sucker branch attached to the nebari. I would hope to think you could find better collection material than that. One...if it's a large leaf you will need a bit larger bones to carry it. To the trunk your showing it has no substantial character to have me see having it a larger bonsai.
Study up on Nebari...how you wish to really have them circle the entire tree. I see so many faults...that I don't honestly see it worth your time to collect.
Study up on Nebari...how you wish to really have them circle the entire tree. I see so many faults...that I don't honestly see it worth your time to collect.
Cypress187
Masterpiece
How dead is the big trunk? I think it's too dead to use, which leaves u with only the sucker.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
No only no, but Gawd no. Trunk is too spindly to support the mostly unreduceable leaves on either a sugar or Norway maple.
The nebari isn lopsided and would have an enormous dead spot and gap once the dead trunk is removed. Stop going back to this piece of crap...;-)
The nebari isn lopsided and would have an enormous dead spot and gap once the dead trunk is removed. Stop going back to this piece of crap...;-)
Waltron
Chumono
yea ive been going back and forth about this one for 2 years... I definitely have better material available.. I just think I could get artsy with this one maybe idk. i was going through some old photos and found this one.. i don't even know exactly where this tree is,I forgot about it.. has pretty decent nebari... american hornbeam, need to go find it here soon.
Jester217300
Shohin
I say no, as well.
You want to get some real good field grown stuff for bonsai? I'm going down to Cincinnati in March to pick up a few pieces. I went last year, it's a nice gig. Let me know if you want to come.
You want to get some real good field grown stuff for bonsai? I'm going down to Cincinnati in March to pick up a few pieces. I went last year, it's a nice gig. Let me know if you want to come.
Waltron
Chumono
yea the one in the subject i guess i was thinking more of a group planting than a double trunk if anything. ive seen the leaves reduce on sugar and silver maple pretty small though.
Waltron
Chumono
its actually surprisingly not that dead. double trunk was the wrong idea, i was thinking more like a raft type group planting with a connected base, long way off.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
That one is better. Looks like a Carolina Hornbeam (carpinus caroliniana) to me. And definitely worthwhile. Nice low movement. Trunk diameter is such it won't take forever to grow out a new leader. Easy to collect. Won't find movement like that in field grown stuff, or a decent nebari
As far as "artsy" for the maple--that's a beginner's mistake. Artsy is most often "Fugly". Weird doesn't = attractive.
As far as "artsy" for the maple--that's a beginner's mistake. Artsy is most often "Fugly". Weird doesn't = attractive.
Cypress187
Masterpiece
I like the lichen covered one, good movement and tapering (or a good structure to taper/prune to), but it looks huge.
aml1014
Masterpiece
I've reduced one of my silver maples leaves to about 1.15in this last season, I'll give it a rest this year but I wanna see how small I can get em.
Aaron
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Honestly..I don't know the species to offer up advice on it. It's not as bad as the first tree in question. That's for certain. But...I don't know anything of how well they back bud...and such. You would have to do a chop. Is there decent taper in the trunk? I can't personally tell. If your going to collect...make your material stunning. Go on hunts...make it a trophy tree with character...make it worth the back braking effort to bring home. Patience...and time. I know some even found material to collect from Craigslist. Just make sure it's worth your time. Study it...make a list of pros...and cons. How does it balance out in the end. Is it worth the back braking effort to bring it home and such? I know the itch...shoot when I first started...I thought all the ugly trees in the woods brought character. But...you still have to boil it down to basic guidelines of bonsai. And how they line up...never did dig up a tree yet from a hunt. Now, I did dig up a tamarix from the yard. It was declining from the winters we had the arctic blasts...so not sure if a bit of TLC will bring it back...or...if it's a goner. Spring will enlighten me as to how that goes.yea ive been going back and forth about this one for 2 years... I definitely have better material available.. I just think I could get artsy with this one maybe idk. i was going through some old photos and found this one.. i don't even know exactly where this tree is,I forgot about it.. has pretty decent nebari... american hornbeam, need to go find it here soon.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
If you are thinking of dealing with a Michigan native Maple I would suggest Silver Maple. It is not the best tree but unlike any other Maple you will find here the leaves will reduce and if you are diligent about pinching/cutting back, you might be able to get the tree to ramify moderately well. It is a better choice than the ones you have posted and should be pretty available. They are naturally shallow rooted and produce really nice nebari. But; you have to take the tree seriously.
Waltron
Chumono
I appreciate the offer, I saw the ones you got there, they are pretty sweet, I just don't get my kicks off buying them, my main interest is finding potential in the woods, successfully digging them, and going from there.
im sure one day if i don't have any success in the next few season's, I might buy something decent. i patrol the woods so often I just see so much potential out there, and finding a good one is like stumbling across a patch or morels, or a deer shed, gets me all giddy and excited. cant buy that feeling. my biggest problem is remembering where they all are at, haha I know that sounds pretty stupid. i always tell my self... ahh ill find it.. end up forgetting it even exists.
Waltron
Chumono
FOR THE RECORD,
its images like this that make the think of this tree.
its images like this that make the think of this tree.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
this species backbuds extremely well. A final chop about two inches above the bend would make this a small, powerful little bonsai down the road. Since the trunk isn't all that big, it would bypass the biggest issue with C. Hornbeam and that their slowness in closing big pruning wound. A new leader would fill in quickly to match the main trunk -- probably within two years, if the leader was left to grow out.
You can build branches on this species pretty quickly too.
Collecting that would take me about 15 minutes. You don't dig hornbeam, you saw them out of the ground. Saw a circle about six inches out from the trunk, push up, saw big downward roots. Repeat on the other side. Lift, take it home, hose all the old soil off, plunk into clean good bonsai soil--covering the nebari under at least two inches of soil. Seal the top. Wait six weeks for new growth....
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
That stump has none of the potential that would lead to a tree like this (and this isn't really all that great. The base root is bulbous and unrefined.) Sorry.FOR THE RECORD,
its images like this that make the think of this tree.
Waltron
Chumono
I think this is a silver, yea i know its not great bonsai, but its a small tree already ramified, small leaves, this picture is 2 years old, i think im going to put it in a pot this year for practice.
j evans
Omono
Congratulations on the amount of ambition that you have.
