Who has worked with Potentilla Fruticosa?

[mattspinniken]

I spend a lot of time scouting and collecting in Northern Michigan. My world has been full of two species Larch and Eastern White Cedar. I love both. Recently I stumbled onto a large area of wild Potentilla growing on a customer's property. At first I did not know what they were but I was intrigued by the deadwood, flaky bark, and yellow flower. The ones that I have seen have great detail in a small package.

After some research I am getting very excited about this species for my area. Another species and it flowers nearly all season....what!!!???!!! How have I missed this up to now. So far this is what I have found:

-roots very easily (can fill a pot with roots in one year)
-beautiful deadwood
-flaky bark
-yellow flowers almost all season long if you let them grow
-tiny leaves
-can make believable mame bonsai (im thinking bigger)

I can find some examples of Potentilla bonsai but I am suprised that I do not see more. Does anyone have any that they could share? Or any specifics about the species?

I plan to visit the property again to identify some of the top candidates. I have attached the picture I took of one of the trees when I was unsure what it was.

 

[leatherback]

Sold mine some 3 years ago

 

[mattspinniken]

Sold mine some 3 years ago
View attachment 269037

See that’s what I’m talking about.... that’s beautiful!

was it nursery stock or collected?

 

[leatherback]

See that’s what I’m talking about.... that’s beautiful!

was it nursery stock or collected?

this was collected from a field of potentilla. Municipality was taking it out, and I had a friend working for them.
It was not happy in my yard with my work-absense in mid summer.

 

[TomB]

This is mine.
Deadwood is soft and rots quickly.
Strong live veins / root-branch connections.
Wiring best done on soft shoots.
Likes a deepish pot to keep roots damp.

 

[mattspinniken]

This is mine.
Deadwood is soft and rots quickly.
Strong live veins / root-branch connections.
Wiring best done on soft shoots.
Likes a deepish pot to keep roots damp.

View attachment 269038

Thanks for that info and what a jaw dropper you have there!

 

[defra]

I've got a real small one from nursery material nothing compared as the examples shown above



Thread on it is found here:

Potentilla

I already have this one posted somewere but id like a thread fir this one to keep track of its progression Anazing how fast these things grow! A serie of pics from spring up to today ! Before After chop and repot First signs of life with a dice for scale More green with lighter for...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Hartinez]

This is mine.
Deadwood is soft and rots quickly.
Strong live veins / root-branch connections.
Wiring best done on soft shoots.
Likes a deepish pot to keep roots damp.

View attachment 269038

Dam @mattspiniken looks like TomB gave you the answer you need! That’s a beauty!

 

[0soyoung]

Potentilla was one of my initial efforts. I harvested a chunk of a plant that was (guessing) at 20+ years old while relocating it in our garden. This (below) is about as good as it got. I tired of it, tried to chop it, and wound up tossing it (I've chopped established ones in the ground and they respond well, but this thing did not). They are very reluctant to thicken stems, IMO. But they do present several flushes of flowers through the growing season.

 

[Clorgan]

This is mine.
Deadwood is soft and rots quickly.
Strong live veins / root-branch connections.
Wiring best done on soft shoots.
Likes a deepish pot to keep roots damp.

View attachment 269038

That deadwood how often do you treat it? Did you create the deadwood, or did it occur naturally? Also love that pot!

 

[TomB]

Hi,
I’ve had this about 3-4 years. The deadwood is mainly natural with a bit of tidying up. It’s treated with cyanoacrylate to harden the wood and prevent rot, especially near the soil level. I’ve only done it once. I don’t use lime sulphur, the colour is natural.

See http://bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/AT Using Superglue To Harden Deadwood On Bonsai page1.html