aml1014
Masterpiece
I may be mistaken but the nebari and trunk of a tree are the main things we look for in bonsai, the rest can be developed so I feel 90 percent of the tree is the trunk when that takes the longest to develop.
What happens when I get home with a stump.
- Thread starter M. Frary
- Start date
leatherback
The Treedeemer
The big beast sprouted in spring. Then I had to go on a work trip for 2 weeks and it dried out as it was sitting in a growing bed, and I neglected to specifically mention this tree to my caretaker
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Maybe there are some differences in interpretation of what a stump is? If I look at the hornbeam I collected, it went from about 12inches at ground lever, to 5 inches at 1ft above the ground, with only one noticable old cut part. From the front, a nice smooth taper, and roots well-spread around the trunk. That takes decades to develope normally. However, if you are looking at just a straight trunk with ok nebari, then you have at least a decade to just develop the trunkline.
Collecting a tree with a good trunkline and nebari is worth it, imho. Just a straigh cut-of trunk would be less interesting. Getting the true "fully developed" bonsai when collecting.. Requires the absolute right location & a bit of luck/time. (See the stuff they are pulling in Hungary & Croatia)./ I would just not get that stuff around where I live, so have stopped hoping..
peterbone
Mame
Nothing wrong with a tree that is mostly man made. I did say that it was *my* preference to incorporate the natural elements I find in collected material.
I went to Michigan earlier this year and saw many small stunted American hornbeams lining the sides of the highway. It seemed like they had been regularly cut back or grazed on (Elk?). Many had quite thick trunks and low branches. It was like yamadori paradise compared to what we have in the UK. All Hornbeam are shade loving. I've learnt that the best ones are mainly at the edges of woodland where they don't compete for light, get regularly burnt by the sun and are more likely to be grazed on.
mattspinniken
Omono
Peter we do have some good stuff in Michigan but I have always thought the UK had it better. I guess its alwasy greener....
I have always been jealous of the English Hawthorne Yamadori and Buckthorn out of the UK and the rest of Europe. Find any of those?
I have always been jealous of the English Hawthorne Yamadori and Buckthorn out of the UK and the rest of Europe. Find any of those?
choppychoppy
Chumono
choppychoppy said: ↑
got any 'stumps' that have actually turned into a nice looking tree? lots of 'before' pics but no afters?
So is that a NO on any pics of a developed tree M.Frary?
got any 'stumps' that have actually turned into a nice looking tree? lots of 'before' pics but no afters?
So is that a NO on any pics of a developed tree M.Frary?
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
I guess that question was directed at me and that answer will be a big fat no. The one in the picture is actually the first one out od 10 dug last year.
Get back with me in 50 years.
Get back with me in 50 years.
peterbone
Mame
I haven't found any great Hawthorns yet. The main problem in my area of the UK is that there are no truly wild areas left and not much altitude. Conditions are ideal for trees to grow everywhere, which is not ideal for finding stunted trees with a lot of character.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
Build one.
Waltron
Chumono
oh man you like buckthorne? I couldn't find much about them, here are two I dug up last spring, they are very easy to collect and I have them everywhere in my collecting woods. (SE Michigan)
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
This one looks more like some kind of prunus. A cherry maybe.oh man you like buckthorne? I couldn't find much about them, here are two I dug up last spring, they are very easy to collect and I have them everywhere in my collecting woods. (SE Michigan)
mattspinniken
Omono
Sorry guys I actually meant Blackthorn not Buckthorn 
Tieball
Masterpiece
There is an article on http://www.bonsai4me.com that talks about something to try for Hornbeam budding on a collected bare trunk. The article is titled "Collecting for bonsai on a club dig". Use the "Articles" tab. It's about 9th from the bottom on the article list. Go to page 2 of that article. Check the copy below the third photo...a Hornbeam. Might be worth a try. Just something found.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Look closer at the second tree. Blackthorn is Prunus.
Waltron
Chumono
Ya think? its a buck thorne, of that, im sure. here is the cherry I dug last year. the notorious black cherry.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
Those wild cherries are everywhere here.Ya think? its a buck thorne, of that, im sure. here is the cherry I dug last year. the notorious black cherry.
Waltron
Chumono
yea I have a lot of the narrower leafed "black" variety down state by me, up by you I see more of the rounder leafed "choke" kind. it collected easy sprouted buds all over the trunk, but was battling bugs and fungus all season long.. don't have high hopes for it but im not giving up yet.
Waltron
Chumono
Two trees out of many collected developed branches. However said:
Tieball,
howdy, I went to western michigan university, love the west side, so nice, I miss it. anyway, first of all nice looking tree. My question is, when you collected that one, did you chop the top at all or just chop down to the highest, lowest branch and train the highest branch as the new trunk? can you post a photo of that entire tree?
Tieball
Masterpiece
I chopped the top off down to a branch when collected. The tree, in the woods, was about 10' tall...a very skinny 10' tree. Easily collected. The two trees I mentioned were the only ones with any lower buds....I don't know why they had these buds as all others were without trunk buds...or if they were present and dormant they were to tiny to ever start. I've even chopped trees in the woods any never disturbed the roots....and nothing...not a new bud or branch. But some have that root sprout growth. Difficult trees in my neck of the woods.
Interestingly, the chop did not heal over for several years.....only last year did I notice some roll over beginning to start. A long ways to go. Don't know why it took so long to start. However, there were those tiny branches below on the trunk....below where I chopped. I hoped at the time that they would stay and develop....they did. The highest branch was trained upward as the new top. I have pruned the top back to a new branch trained about two times now. The top grows fast! ....just like in the woods. By me these trees grow inside the woods and all have bare trunks with a top searching or competing for some exposure to sunlight.
I'll try to remember to post some photos in spring 2016 when the trees come out of an area where they are bunched together for the winter....a winter which, this year, has not really started yet....but I'm sure it will as it gets closer to January. This tree is still under development but growing healthy.
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