White Cedar XL

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1,154
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3,530
Location
Northern Michigan
USDA Zone
5
Im not sure if I have posted this tree before on this site. It is one of my favorite trees I have collected for sure. It was really a challenge to collect. Ill tell the collection story:

I have a landscape business in Michigan. There is one particular road that has very old trees with a steep bank down to the water. The bank is sand dune like and very big and steep. Most of the homeowners on this road know me and my interest in bonsai. Anyway, this is how I have been able to get access to these and also able to water and fertilize them some in preparation for collection. This tree was half way up the bank when I found it a few years ago. I started watering it and came to collect by myself in early September. I watered the tree using buckets, which was a huge workout, before I started. Digging the tree was the easiest part, I was done in about 20 mins. Then I started getting the tree moving by myself and of course fell/slid down the bank with the tree about 40 ft. Falling really annoyed me and started me sweating even more as I broke a branch on the back of the tree. After that I called a friend and employee of my business, he dropped what he was doing and came to help. After another 30 mins - 1 hour we finally got the tree to the top of the bank and used an extended roof van to get the tree back to my house. After that the tree sat in a wheelbarrow full of water for 24 hours. I always submerge the rootballs for 24hrs before potting them, it alllows the tree to fully saturate and for me to get a break.

All in all, this was a lot of work but I like the challenge.

I like bonsai of all sizes but I really like working with a few really big ones as they really make the setting of my garden more interesting and contrast well with shohin size stuff. The picture of the tree is today after I set the structure.
Red drill for scale.
DSC_0925.JPG
 

Hartinez

Masterpiece
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Location
Albuquerque, NM
USDA Zone
7

is it this tree?? If it’s not it is so similar! Again, the taper blows me away. Excellent collected trees Matt.
 
Messages
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Location
Northern Michigan
USDA Zone
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is it this tree?? If it’s not it is so similar! Again, the taper blows me away. Excellent collected trees Matt.
Yes this is the tree, its one of my favorites for sure. It has a lot of details to see in person.
Wow, that is a beast. Its scale is quite good, as without the drill it is difficult to know how large it really is. Nice.
Thanks Leo!!!
 
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Location
Northern Michigan
USDA Zone
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an update on this tree...

Today a friend and I potted it. The tree had completely filled the original box with roots and I was able to fit it pretty nicely into a Sara Rayner pot.
 

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Brad in GR

Chumono
Messages
650
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Location
West Michigan
USDA Zone
6a
Love the pot! Any shows in this trees future?

how many years in the box after collection?

Re-reading the story again and the bank, sounds pretty intense! Thanks for sharing the progress, it’s a remarkable white cedar.
 
Messages
1,154
Reaction score
3,530
Location
Northern Michigan
USDA Zone
5
Love the pot! Any shows in this trees future?

how many years in the box after collection?

Re-reading the story again and the bank, sounds pretty intense! Thanks for sharing the progress, it’s a remarkable white cedar.
Hey Brad, thanks! Yes, I definitely plan to show the tree, probably next year. With some detail wiring now I think it would look great but I don't know if I want to drive it all the way to Grand Rapids after potting it this spring. It was collected in 2019. Hopefully I will see you in GR this spring.
 
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