milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
I'll tell the story tomorrow with better pics but wanted to get this started. Suffice it to say I have been wanting one in a pot for many years. I think they are a super cool tree!
Parkinsonia microphylla (Foothill or Yellow Palo Verde)
- Thread starter milehigh_7
- Start date
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Alright, so the story starts with the fact that I found a place to get pumice and scoria very cheap and went to pick up 25 gal of each. They let you load your own 5gal buckets so it's pretty cool. Anyway, I am scooping and sifting the dust out of the pumice when I glanced over and these two little fellas just fell out of the pumice pile. I basically just picked them up and tossed them in the car. When I got to the nearest convenience store I got some paper towels and a water bottle and wrapped and soaked them. These two little guys are not much to look at, but normally they are VERY difficult to collect because they basically put down a single tap root either very deep or if it can't go deep it just runs for a long distance. Also, they are quite rare.
I have loved them since I first saw these pure green trees 26 years ago. In the spring they are absolutely covered with bright yellow flowers. It's quite a sight! There are several things that are amazing about this species. First, they don't need leaves at all. the majority of its photosynthesis is done by the trunk and branches. They will put out leaves if conditions are right but the bright green trunk and branches can do the work! Secondly, this is the nurse species for baby saguaros. Without them, the mighty cactus that everyone associates with the Arizona desert would not exist.
Again, from a bonsai standpoint, not much but for me as a tree lover, it's a rare and awesome privilege. Hope they live! In the last pic you will see in millimeters why it's "microphylla" those leaflets are 1-2 mm.
Here's the first one as you can see not much rootage but I didn't lose any either this is all they had:
I have loved them since I first saw these pure green trees 26 years ago. In the spring they are absolutely covered with bright yellow flowers. It's quite a sight! There are several things that are amazing about this species. First, they don't need leaves at all. the majority of its photosynthesis is done by the trunk and branches. They will put out leaves if conditions are right but the bright green trunk and branches can do the work! Secondly, this is the nurse species for baby saguaros. Without them, the mighty cactus that everyone associates with the Arizona desert would not exist.
Again, from a bonsai standpoint, not much but for me as a tree lover, it's a rare and awesome privilege. Hope they live! In the last pic you will see in millimeters why it's "microphylla" those leaflets are 1-2 mm.
Here's the first one as you can see not much rootage but I didn't lose any either this is all they had:
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milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
First the bad news. The entire top died on both trees. Now the good news! Honestly I'm okay with the tops dying anyhow. This allows me to build some taper. Fingers crossed!
SilverCeder
Sapling
started from seed this past spring. One on the left is in “bonsai soil”. One on the right is about 4 foot tall and in potting soil. Thought I’d try this species. I grew up outside of Tucson. I cut back the one on the left mid summer to see how it would respond. It didn’t die back and made a new lead.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Nice!!! I have discovered that rabbits really like the new growth! lol! Anyway, both still alive!
