Sitka Spruce

[grouper52]

Here the beginnings of a progression on this Sitka Spruce variety that Dan Robinson and his son, Will, collected near Katchikan, Alaska several years ago. Neither Dan nor Will ended up being interested in it, so Dan offered it to a few of us, and I was the first to speak up. Photo - 1.

One reason it was given away was the needles on this particular Sitka variety - each one is so stiff and so sharp it could serve as an effective dagger. They literally stab you and draw blood when you try to work on the tree. It is probably requires a permit to own one of these "deadly weapons", and it requires a masochist to want to.

Its a robust tree, lots of useful back budding. I'm just going to let it grow out for a year or two, I think, and see where the new growth wants to take it. About 18" tall. Photo - 2 is the likely front. Enjoy.

 

[irene_b]

I like image 3 as the front better....
It is probably requires a permit to own one of these "deadly weapons", and it requires a masochist to want to.

That's what hubby calls the Texas Natives!

 

[grouper52]

Hi Irene,

Yeah, image #3 is also a contender. Image #4 is not - just included that one to show something of the tree's structure.

 

[Attila Soos]

Finally, a sitka spruce! One of my favorite West-Coast trees. Probably the toughest material ever, to make a bonsai out of, but the challenge makes it so much more valuable.

This material has great nebari and top notch bark. I like the third picture for the front. I have no idea what you will end up making from it, but you've got a great start. If I were you, I would do a sketch for the imaginary final image, just to have some goal in mind.