What about a Pear?

[TreeKiller64]

Okay, for anyone who has followed my threads knows I like to CHALLENGE you thoughts and MINDS on Bonsai.
John Naka was 1 of my GREAT Influence of Bonsai when he said to make your Bonsai looks like trees not you trees into Bonsai, He and others like Jerry Stowell pushed me into using MORE NATIVE material than most would.
So how many of you have tried to use Pyrus communis as a BONSAI?
Well I have 2 that I have been training from seed for going into the 2nd decade, so lets here if anyone has tried this tree!!!
Always,,,
KJ

 

[dpowell]

I have one that grew from seed that sprouted in a compost pile. It grew free for a few years until it had a 3-4" trunk and I chopped it to a single sucker and put it in a bucket.

Strong points: It's a very strong grower, transplants well, back buds.

Negative points: Large leaves, and I've had a bit of trunk dieback for unknown reasons (I'm guessing fungal infection, but just because prunus are prone to it).

It doesn't ramify extremely well and suckers a lot, which can be used as sacrifice branches.

The picture I'm including below is about 1.5 years old (I need to take more pics), but the main branches in the picture were all grown in 1 year. It's made a lot of improvement since then.

 

[Dan W.]

I don't have any pears... but I sure wish you would share pic's KJ.

 

[jk_lewis]

I've had this pear since 1995. From a seedling. 11 inches tall.

 

[Nybonsai12]

Absolutely beautiful tree JKL.
I have two (gremels)pear seedlings from Evergreen gardenworks that I put in the ground this year that I hope to be able to work on one day. I thought these were slow growers? isn't the expression, plant pears for heirs?

 

[John Ruger]

Jim Gremel at Deer Meadow Bonsai has some Asian Pear listed on his site. They're not cheap at all, but sound interesting.

 

[MidMichBonsai]

Absolutely beautiful tree JKL.
I have two (gremels)pear seedlings from Evergreen gardenworks that I put in the ground this year that I hope to be able to work on one day. I thought these were slow growers? isn't the expression, plant pears for heirs?

Pear trees themselves grow like weeds. I think the phrase itself comes from the idea that it takes many years before they actually are mature enough to produce pears on them. I have 2 that I'm letting grow in my flower bed right now. They grow quite quickly.