Trashy Buxus

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Today on my lunch break I was minding my own business driving down a suburband road and 10 huge boxwoods jumped out right in front of me! Well, they were on a trash pile anyway, moist rootballs an all. So I did what any bonsai nut would do, I put on the hazards and started loading. I got 7 in all and ended up keeping 5 stumps. As you can see the trunks are very nice but all the foliage is 2 or 3 feet up. So, I did my best and out of the 5 maybe 3 really have any possibility of being anything. I'll try to post the finished for now pics tomorrow. Thanks Poink for the correspondence. Did I spell that right?

 

[BonsaiRic]

Hometeamrocker,

Great find!!! Looking at the bark and the root system, I believe you may have Privet instead of Boxwood. Boxwood bark is more scaly and the roots are more fine and fibrous. Privet bark tends to be smoother similar to what is in the pic.

I can't see the foliage too well though - (Both privet and boxwood have opposite leaf attachment to the branch.) Could you attach a picture of a closer look at the foliage?

Privet are tough like boxwoods and so you still have a great find IF it is Privet.

 

[Poink88]

Looks like holly to me (I am almost 100% positive). Take better pics of the leaves and post please. If it is holly, you can chop as hard as you want...just make sure to apply wound sealant so it will not dry out and reduce any die backs. They air layer very well too so if you have some branch you feel has good potential, save it for next year.

BTW, Judging by the bark, roots, leaves and branch formation (that is everything! ) these are definitely not boxwood.

Whatever it is, they look great especially the left most one on the first pic.

Good luck!

 

[NewWorldBonsai]

Looks like holly to me (I am almost 100% positive). Take better pics of the leaves and post please. If it is holly, you can chop as hard as you want...just make sure to apply wound sealant so it will not dry out and reduce any die backs. They air layer very well too so if you have some branch you feel has good potential, save it for next year.

BTW, Judging by the bark, roots, leaves and branch formation (that is everything! ) these are definitely not boxwood.

Whatever it is, they look great especially the left most one on the first pic.

Good luck!

Yea, almost looks like a Walter's Viburnum...

Interesting, more pictures please!

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Ok here's a few pics of the leaf. If it's ilex I'm gong to try to sub out "pissed" for "live and learn" as I may have hacked away the best parts. So, do tell... Ilex or buxus?

 

[Poink88]

I vote ilex.

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Thanks Poink... Just in case I took the other 2 off MY trash pile, hacked 'em hard and wrapped the root balls in plastic til I can get to 'em tomorrow. I'll likely go grab the 2 I left behind as well. I've got nothing to lose and free stock to gain. One more leaf pic:

 

[KennedyMarx]

Boxwood don't have serrated leaves, so that's definitely ruled out. Are you sure it's holly, Dario?

 

[Martin Sweeney]

Looks like Compacta Holly to me, maybe Convexa. Ilex convexa "Compacta" or Ilex convexa "Convexa"

Regards,
Martin

 

[Poink88]

Are you sure it's holly, Dario?

Can't be 100% sure but it sure matches Yaupon holly leaves, bark, branch structure, roots, etc.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Trashy ilex...
have fun.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Can't be 100% sure but it sure matches Yaupon holly leaves, bark, branch structure, roots, etc.

Oh, duh. You're right. I was thinking of the American Holly leaves with the more exaggerated needle-like serrations.

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Ok, so trashy Ilex they are. I went back today and got the other 2 and have worked all of them but 1. Whew! I need to go back down in a bit and look again with fresh eyes because the pictures make them still look too tall. I took a lot of large branches/trunks off looking for the lines of the final designs. All the individual pics are coming up sideways so here's a group shot that seems to view correctly.

 

[Poink88]

Yep some are still longer than should be but you did a good job going as far as you did...it is not easy to do at first.

I usually use 3x the diameter (or 2") as a guideline. If it is straight for that long...I chop it down to about 2-3x diameter or 2" which ever is longer. There are exceptions but it really helped me get rid of future problematic branches I might have to fix later.

You used expensive cut paste! Next time, try Elmer's glue, or regular wood glue and save those for nice pine or something.

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

I went to the school glue method after running out of the good stuff. I also went back for the last one and it may be the best of the bunch! They do appear too tall, but as I went back through with the glue I did the 3:1 measurement and they are all within reason. I went low on some and left a little on some, they are all freebie trees for learning, so if I make a "mistake" it's ok. Thanks for your posts and interest, I'll update the thread when they push new buds. Cheers all.