What do I have? North Carolina mountain collection.

FreeFlyer

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Hey all,

I was on my annual Paragliding competition trip a few weeks ago, and the owner of the mountain and I got to talking Bonsai. He was really into is 20 years ago, and had collected trees from the top. EVERY year he tells us not to take any plants from the mountain (there are a few species of plants that are so rare they’ve only been identified on this particular mountain) There is a biologist/botanist PHD that lives on the mountain solely to study the habitat...
Anyway, the owner this year insisted that I take a few trees and try to Bonsai them. Not the correct time for collecting, I know, but he insisted.

I got one small Eastern Hemlock, a very small 2nd year maybe American Beech, a “wild blueberry” as he called it, and another tree that I can’t seem to accurately identify.
I’ve been using the app “Picture this” and it gives me a different identification almost every time I take a picture. I’ve gotten sweet birch, Yellow birch, America Hornbeam and others. So whatdoyathink?
 

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Leo in N E Illinois

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First 3 images do indeed look like birch. So you at least have genus correct. It is difficult to tell Betula lenta from Betula allegehniensis from each other, so sweet birch or yellow birch will require a botanical key, and seeing it live in person.

Last photo that starts C71F is probably Kalmia latifolia, mountain laural, there's a remote chance it is Kalmia carolinia, Carolina Laurel. I don't think it is hornbeam, as leaves are not serrated. But it is always tricky identifying a plant from a photo.
 

FreeFlyer

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First 3 images do indeed look like birch. So you at least have genus correct. It is difficult to tell Betula lenta from Betula allegehniensis from each other, so sweet birch or yellow birch will require a botanical key, and seeing it live in person.

Last photo that starts C71F is probably Kalmia latifolia, mountain laural, there's a remote chance it is Kalmia carolinia, Carolina Laurel. I don't think it is hornbeam, as leaves are not serrated. But it is always tricky identifying a plant from a photo.

I do believe the last photo C71F to be a Rhododendron of sorts. I know it’s hard to tell from photos. The owner was referring to them as such.
 

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StarGazer

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Plant in photo 4E6 looks like a rosemary. Do leaves have a whiter coloration underneath? Rubbing the leaves with your fingers should also have the aromatic smell of rosemary.
 
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StarGazer

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It could also be Tusga Caroliniana, Carolina Hemock
Given that this was collected on a North Carolina Mountain, I am thinking that this is either Carolina Hemlock but could also be the Eastern Hemlock.

Carolina Hemlock are rare and are in some trouble, so if this is one it would be good to have it correctly identified. If so, try to collect cones for germination and replanting to aid in conservation. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/compass/2017/11/14/carolina-hemlock-populations-isolated-and-imperiled/

Eastern Hemlock are more common.
 
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FreeFlyer

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Given that this was collected on a North Carolina Mountain, I am thinking that this is either Carolina Hemlock but could also be the Eastern Hemlock.

Carolina Hemlock are rare and are in some trouble, so if this is one it would be good to have it correctly identified. If so, try to collect cones for germination and replanting to aid in conservation. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/compass/2017/11/14/carolina-hemlock-populations-isolated-and-imperiled/

Eastern Hemlock are more common.

Good to know! This little one was right in front of my tree tent the whole week. There were maybe 8-10 mature specimens in the forest around. The one I took looked like it was disturbed some time before I got there, and rerooted itself after being knocked over.

I’m just in love with that part of the country. The forests are just stunning. The view from the top is wonderful too!
 

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StarGazer

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Good to know! This little one was right in front of my tree tent the whole week. There were maybe 8-10 mature specimens in the forest around. The one I took looked like it was disturbed some time before I got there, and rerooted itself after being knocked over.

I’m just in love with that part of the country. The forests are just stunning. The view from the top is wonderful too!
great camping place! Amazing views! I just saw your icon, so I assume that's you paragliding.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Beautiful photos.
Why don't you get the names from the guy who gave you permission to collect them? It would make more sense to ask the person who is familiar with the flora and fauna of the location. We here at Bonsai Nut are just a bunch of hobby growers, from all over the world, most of us have never seen anything like the habitat you got these trees from.

Second point, this is going to have a scolding tone to it, but the scolding is not meant for you. In your case, you already have the trees. The "scolding" is for those contemplating collecting trees. There is no putting the "horse back in the barn".

In bonsai the value is in the appearance of the finished tree. It is not in the genetics of the tree. There is no benefit in creating a bonsai from a rare or endangered species. It is actually irresponsible, in that there is a fairly high mortality rate for trees in the collected stock to pre-bonsai to bonsai sequence. DO NOT RUN OUT AND COLLECT RARE SPECIES FROM THE WILD. This is selfish, irresponsible behavior. Eastern hemlock makes a passable good bonsai, there is no reason to ever deliberately collect Carolina hemlock. All specimens of Carolina hemlock need to be either left in the wild or in public arboretums or research collections. They have no business being collected. That is the only "rare" specimen you mentioned.

It is okay to use nursery stock, should a commercial nursery be producing a rare species, such as Carolina Hemlock. If they were producing it from seeds or cuttings, this would be fine. If they are going out and collecting the trees, this is wrong.

So that is my soapbox lecture for today.

THere is no need, no good justification, for collecting endangered species for use as bonsai. Artificial propagation of most plant species is effective enough that if you really are concerned about have a rare species, you can get one from seed or nursery propagation stock. There is no need to go collect it.
 

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Beautiful photos.
Why don't you get the names from the guy who gave you permission to collect them? It would make more sense to ask the person who is familiar with the flora and fauna of the location. We here at Bonsai Nut are just a bunch of hobby growers, from all over the world, most of us have never seen anything like the habitat you got these trees from.

Second point, this is going to have a scolding tone to it, but the scolding is not meant for you. In your case, you already have the trees. The "scolding" is for those contemplating collecting trees. There is no putting the "horse back in the barn".

In bonsai the value is in the appearance of the finished tree. It is not in the genetics of the tree. There is no benefit in creating a bonsai from a rare or endangered species. It is actually irresponsible, in that there is a fairly high mortality rate for trees in the collected stock to pre-bonsai to bonsai sequence. DO NOT RUN OUT AND COLLECT RARE SPECIES FROM THE WILD. This is selfish, irresponsible behavior. Eastern hemlock makes a passable good bonsai, there is no reason to ever deliberately collect Carolina hemlock. All specimens of Carolina hemlock need to be either left in the wild or in public arboretums or research collections. They have no business being collected. That is the only "rare" specimen you mentioned.

It is okay to use nursery stock, should a commercial nursery be producing a rare species, such as Carolina Hemlock. If they were producing it from seeds or cuttings, this would be fine. If they are going out and collecting the trees, this is wrong.

So that is my soapbox lecture for today.

THere is no need, no good justification, for collecting endangered species for use as bonsai. Artificial propagation of most plant species is effective enough that if you really are concerned about have a rare species, you can get one from seed or nursery propagation stock. There is no need to go collect it.

Thanks for your comments Leo.
I did ask him about the Birch. He’s an old hang gliding pilot that bought to top of the mountain years ago to secure the launch forever. He didn’t know what kind it was. We were actually supposed to get a talk from the PHD about the different species on the mountain, but it never happened. I wanted to know specifically what it was to find out any special care for it that was required.
The reason I collected, what I believe is an Eastern Hemlock, is that I saw no endangered listing about them. I took multiple pictures of “my” tree and the surrounding mature trees of the same species for several days with my tree identification app. Every one told me they were eastern Hemlock...if I did happen to take an endangered tree, I’m sure the Missouri Botanical Garden would be happy to give it professional care...I am not on the hunt for rare species, and I agree with you that none of us here should be either.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Ah, I understand. It probably is eastern hemlock. Though if you were able to get the email of the PhD working on the mountain, you could exchange email photos with him. Otherwise, the MOBOT is another excellent resource to get definitive identifications. They are a world famous herbarium, which means they have taxonomic botanists wandering about.

Oh, about Kalmia, most of the members of that genus have been transferred back to Rhododendron, so when I guessed Kalmia, and it is actually one of the RHododendron, I was not far off.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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First one looks more like a yoshino flowering cherry.
 
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