Hi all I am just curious if anyone has ever tried to uae aspens for bonsai stock? I was up in the mountains a couple of weeks ago and saw several that would make a good looking bonsai, but its not something you see on a regular basis.
Tried Aspen?
- Thread starter dkraft81
- Start date
I collected some this spring. They are doing well so far but I haven't done any training with them yet.
The tricky part is getting more roots than just the one large root connecting them to another tree. But they do root easily if you get a few smaller roots. There is often reverse taper where the tree connects. I think air or ground layering will solve this easily though. I also lost one to a really bad scale infestation last year.
Some club members in Denver (Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society) are using them. Will Kerns took one of the "best in show" awards at the show last year for his aspen.
I agree with you, I think they can make very nice bonsai if we play with them enough. I'd wait until spring to collect. Good luck!
The tricky part is getting more roots than just the one large root connecting them to another tree. But they do root easily if you get a few smaller roots. There is often reverse taper where the tree connects. I think air or ground layering will solve this easily though. I also lost one to a really bad scale infestation last year.
Some club members in Denver (Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society) are using them. Will Kerns took one of the "best in show" awards at the show last year for his aspen.
I agree with you, I think they can make very nice bonsai if we play with them enough. I'd wait until spring to collect. Good luck!
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
I tried them several times from seedlings. Both as bonsai and as yard trees. No luck, they hate my climate. I think too humid?
fourteener
Omono
I think of them as a trash tree. They don't live long, they'll send up suckers all the time, low branches die off. I've never seen a mature one in nature have any ramification, always new shoots at the expense of old branches. I would classify it as a tree "not worth trying."
It'll take 7 years to figure out if it was a waste of your time or not. If your inner rebel wants to prove people wrong, go for it!!
It'll take 7 years to figure out if it was a waste of your time or not. If your inner rebel wants to prove people wrong, go for it!!
I was wondering if the suckers would be an issue. I might still try one for giggles. If it does not succeed, itll beone more bit of experience learned.
fourteener
Omono
It never hurts to try. I have a few things sitting around everyone would say no to. It's part of the fun! Who knows, maybe you'll unlock the code and be the world authority on Aspen!!
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
You might want to check the older posts on IBC, I seem to recall a couple of people there were working with aspens.
And you're right, why not experiment with an unusual species or two. Maybe you'll figure out a way to make it work. I've got some black locust and tulip poplar that I'm playing with, just for fun. I have heard of a few black locust bonsai but never tulip poplar. I'm sure there's a very good reason for that...
Chris
And you're right, why not experiment with an unusual species or two. Maybe you'll figure out a way to make it work. I've got some black locust and tulip poplar that I'm playing with, just for fun. I have heard of a few black locust bonsai but never tulip poplar. I'm sure there's a very good reason for that...
Chris
I collected some this spring. They are doing well so far but I haven't done any training with them yet.
The tricky part is getting more roots than just the one large root connecting them to another tree. But they do root easily if you get a few smaller roots. There is often reverse taper where the tree connects. I think air or ground layering will solve this easily though. I also lost one to a really bad scale infestation last year.
Some club members in Denver (Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society) are using them. Will Kerns took one of the "best in show" awards at the show last year for his aspen.
I agree with you, I think they can make very nice bonsai if we play with them enough. I'd wait until spring to collect. Good luck!
Dan out of curiosity why would you wait until spring? Im guessing because thats the best time to collect deciduous trees, but just in case there is another reason.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Link to info about quaking aspen, including a map showing where they grow. Generally colder areas, so higher elevations out west and northern latitudes further east. I'm not sure how this may apply to other aspen species.
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/communities/aspen/grow.shtml
We have some growing in our back fields, roughly 500' above sea level.
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/communities/aspen/grow.shtml
We have some growing in our back fields, roughly 500' above sea level.
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That was the reasoning. If you're set on trying to collect some this year then at the very least wait for a good rain. The heat and dry ground this time of year makes collecting spotty at best.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
I think that they just like the climatic conditions better at certain altitudes. Hot and humid are not what they thrive on.
I have no idea Adair; they are certainly a mountain tree, and they grow well out here. As to whether specific elevation is important... I'm sure there's a study out there somewhere... lol.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
I think that they just like the climatic conditions better at certain altitudes. Hot and humid are not what they thrive on, and so are more prevalent there. Sorry for the double post...
fourteener
Omono
Their roots spread over the surface rather than having a tap root. Like other trees that grow in rocky conditions this suits them well. Also as Judy said they like the dry climate. I don't think it has anything to do with elevation.
Is there such a thing as elevation as a "need" for a tree?
Is there such a thing as elevation as a "need" for a tree?
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Only in the sense that elevation will create the correct conditions that a plant can take advantage of. (As far as I know...)
ghues
Omono
Its like most things in Bonsai - location... location ...location
TREMBLING ASPEN -populus tremuloides
•Trembling Aspen is also known as Quaking Aspen, Quivering Aspen, Quaking Asp, Golden Aspen, Mountain Aspen, Trembling Poplar, Popple .... the aspen colonies can be large and some are estimated to be over 5,000 years old.
If you look at the natural distribution of them they grow from Coast to coast and up in Alaska... We've even got some where I live - East Coast of Vancouver Island (on the west coast of Canada "eh")- we are at about 100 feet.
I've got one that I started from a cutting about 7 years ago its about 36"tall- it put on roots easily just in a jar of water...
It did loose it's top from frost damage a few times (so its not a pencil straight formal upright) but it hasn't suckered from the roots....but even if it did I think it would be a welcome addition - a natural forest/clump -
Why not try one
TREMBLING ASPEN -populus tremuloides
•Trembling Aspen is also known as Quaking Aspen, Quivering Aspen, Quaking Asp, Golden Aspen, Mountain Aspen, Trembling Poplar, Popple .... the aspen colonies can be large and some are estimated to be over 5,000 years old.
If you look at the natural distribution of them they grow from Coast to coast and up in Alaska... We've even got some where I live - East Coast of Vancouver Island (on the west coast of Canada "eh")- we are at about 100 feet.
I've got one that I started from a cutting about 7 years ago its about 36"tall- it put on roots easily just in a jar of water...
It did loose it's top from frost damage a few times (so its not a pencil straight formal upright) but it hasn't suckered from the roots....but even if it did I think it would be a welcome addition - a natural forest/clump -
Why not try one
ghues
Omono
Hi dkraft81,
I finally got around to taking a few photos of my Aspen, not a show stopper by any means....but it is an interesting specimen to work with and I haven't killed it yet.
The leaves do reduce in size as you can see in the photo - leaves from my tree are on the left as compared to one from a grove not too far from where I live. I tried to pick a large leaf and a typical sized leaf from each tree.
I also think that die-back (mentioned earlier in this post) can be attributed to drought too (miss a day or two of watering) as they like wet feet.
Cheers
Graham
I finally got around to taking a few photos of my Aspen, not a show stopper by any means....but it is an interesting specimen to work with and I haven't killed it yet.
The leaves do reduce in size as you can see in the photo - leaves from my tree are on the left as compared to one from a grove not too far from where I live. I tried to pick a large leaf and a typical sized leaf from each tree.
I also think that die-back (mentioned earlier in this post) can be attributed to drought too (miss a day or two of watering) as they like wet feet.
Cheers
Graham
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Thanks for the pic's Graham. Yours is nice and healthy, especially when you compare the leaves! Have you had to battle fungus or any particular critters with this one?
Also, how does it handle trimming and cutting back? Back-budding characteristics...etc?
Also, how does it handle trimming and cutting back? Back-budding characteristics...etc?
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