Redwoods

[the.ecologist]

Not a common tree. I saw one that had been grown as a bonsai and it looked very nice, it was at the place just a little south of Seattle with all the things I cannot remember the names of. Anyway, I have zero good or successful experience propagating them to a point they could be shaped or cut or anything else related to bonsai, so I am asking for a little advice and help on it, other than that I'm in a dry place that doesn't get cold and it's too hot and there isn't enough... I already realized, but I can set it up inside, though inside is by a vent and a window, since I'm limited to where I can place things without anything proper like a little greenhouse or a specific room I can run grow lights in.

 

[Mikecheck123]

Growing trees that aren't suited for your climate is always asking for trouble. And redwoods can be very picky. As one example, they don't like drying out.

 

[Forsoothe!]

There are limits to pushing the envelope. Pick another tree.

 

[LittleDingus]

Not a common tree. I saw one that had been grown as a bonsai and it looked very nice, it was at the place just a little south of Seattle with all the things I cannot remember the names of. Anyway, I have zero good or successful experience propagating them to a point they could be shaped or cut or anything else related to bonsai, so I am asking for a little advice and help on it, other than that I'm in a dry place that doesn't get cold and it's too hot and there isn't enough... I already realized, but I can set it up inside, though inside is by a vent and a window, since I'm limited to where I can place things without anything proper like a little greenhouse or a specific room I can run grow lights in.

What species are you trying? I'm assuming coastal redwood (sequoia sempervirens)?

If so, you might try the other two species. It looks like there are several giant sequoia growing in New Mexico according to this page:

New Mexico giant sequoia | Giant Sequoia Nursery

www.giant-sequoia.com

I'm not sure how Albuquerque's microclimate compares to where these trees are, though. They might need extra water, but they are more heat tolerant. Mine love the summer heat! But I think my humidity is much higher than yours too...

Dawn redwoods may grow OK there too if you keep them well watered and out of the heat as much as you can.

But yeah, unlikely coastal redwoods would grow there without extreme measures

 

[MrWunderful]

Coast redwoods grow in a specific location for a reason and will not survive indoors.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Coast redwoods are a little picky and don't like heat or dry air. But dawn redwoods are more forgiving (as long as you don't mind that they are deciduous) and giant sequoias are very adaptable as long as their roots can reach water. They are actually growing dawn redwoods here in NC in landscape - I've even seen a number of them in my Costco parking lot

The issue you are going to have is that they are all relatively challenging to work with, and even if you have the skills, they do best as larger scale bonsai. But I have definitely seen it done. Here's a photo of a coast redwood bonsai created by Bob Shimon, where he carved the base of the tree out of a stump and then styled the deadwood to suggest a cliff. Not for everyone, but I really liked it! However the composition is definitely on the large size... I think it was about 4' tall!



Bob Shimon is highly regarded when it comes to coast redwood, and sells pre-bonsai. You can find him here: Mendocino Coast Bonsai. I have one of his Mendocino Pygmy Cypresses.

Also, someone posted a link to Giant Sequoia Nursery up above. I have purchased from them and highly recommend, however they are in a fire zone and have been evacuated Let's hope their nursery is saved!! Update - sadly I just went to their nursery page it appears they were burned out I am going to start a separate Go-Fund-Me link page.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

There are 6 tree species in the "Redwood" family 5 that are native to North America, one from China. (remember, Mexico is part of North America).

Sequoia sempervirens - the Coast Redwood - needs humid environment, will not tolerate much freezing, - bad choice for Abq.

Sequoidendron giganteum - the giant redwoods of the Sierra Nevada mountains - tolerates lower humidity. Has more cold tolerance than above, Might be okay for Albuquerque.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides - dawn redwood - very very cold hardy. Backyard Chicago cold hardy. Deciduous. Likes wet soils. Don't know how tolerant of low humidity it is. Worth a try.

Taxodium distichum - bald cypress - northern sourced seedling are very cold tolerant. Deciduous. needs wet soils, don't know how tolerant of low humidity they are.

Taxodium ascendens - Pond cypress, a less cold hardy variant of bald cypress.

Taxodium distichum from Guadalupe River basin, Texas - this geographic variant does not seem to form knees, seems intermediate between T, distichum and the Mexican species T. huegelii - the Montezuma cypress. This variant may tolerate low humidity better than the more eastern geographic races of bald cypress.

Taxodium huegelii - Montezuma cypress - a native to Mexico species, don't know much about it, may tolerate lower humidity. I don't know if it is deciduous or not. Don't know how cold tolerant it is.