You can only grow one species of bonsai!?

[GGB]

Just having some fun, I enjoy games like this. You can only have one species/cultivar of bonsai on your bench forever.

The upside is you can master the subtleties of it, the down side is obviously boredom. What tree do you pick and why?

I personally can't decide between three. But you don't get that luxury! you need to decide now, gun to your head .. what tree?..

 

[cmeg1]

Coreana Hornbeam.....Like a very nice seedling air-layer/cutting/air-layer.
I have made several this season.

 

[VAFisher]

I want to say something cool like American Elm or Black Hills Spruce. But if it came down to only one species, I would probably go Japanese Maple. You could diversify with different cultivars.

 

[John P.]

Oaks.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Ficus benjamina 'Too Little', there are a number of varieties. You can play with a fig all year around even in a winter-wonderland. They are not the best, but they are always available, tough as nails, cheap, grow well, and tolerant of styling and have nice proportions of wood-to-leaf. Not the best of the best, but pretty darn good.

 

[Ohmy222]

Japanese Maple. My collection is probably 50-60% of my current collection.

 

[Colorado]

Colorado Blue Spruce

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Shimpaku

 

[AZbonsai]

Chinese elm. Great ramification. Small leaves. Suitable for most styles. Bit of color in fall. Tough as nails.

 

[penumbra]

As soon as I go to post my answer, my answer changes.
I just can't do it. Variety is the spice of life. If I was limited to a single species, I would probably give up bonsai.

 

[GGB]

I want to say something cool like American Elm or Black Hills Spruce. But if it came down to only one species, I would probably go Japanese Maple. You could diversify with different cultivars.

Nice try, I specified only one species OR cultivar. No loopholes here

@cmeg1 @Brian Van Fleet @AZbonsai good choices

all three have fine leaves/needles and can create convincing trees at almost any size. Shimpaku lacks the seasonal beauty of the other two but will make up for it with variability in the trunks between each tree

 

[GGB]

As soon as I go to post my answer, my answer changes.
I just can't do it. Variety is the spice of life. If I was limited to a single species, I would probably give up bonsai.

penumbra if I chose? I'd choose wrong, I'm with you. But since you have failed to choose, you get the gun...

 

[penumbra]

penumbra if I chose? I'd choose wrong, I'm with you. But since you have failed to choose, you get the gun...

Its ok, its not loaded.

 

[MrWunderful]

Zelkova or standard JM

 

[Carol 83]

Ficus benjamina 'Too Little', there are a number of varieties. You can play with a fig all year around even in a winter-wonderland. They are not the best, but they are always available, tough as nails, cheap, grow well, and tolerant of styling and have nice proportions of wood-to-leaf. Not the best of the best, but pretty darn good.

I was never much for ficus, but I do like my "Too Little" quite a bit.

 

[Carol 83]

I would hate to give up my Bougies, but I would choose Barbados Cherries. They grow like mad, even inside under lights and are prolific bloomers. As long as you don't let the branches get too leggy they backbud easily. But I am also in love with the tiny leaves and flowers of my Serissa's. It's hard to pick just one. And I'm sure picking a tropical will not be popular here.

 

[shinmai]

Satsuki azalea, no question. For the flowers, and what they signify.

 

[Japonicus]

bonsai on your bench forever.

Does this include the life beyond life as we know it now?

I choose JWP one of the Azuma cultivars but most probably the 'Aoba jo' like I just got for its' striking blue foliage.
I also chooe this species, so I can learn it better. It will take the after life to accomplish that, but I can have fun trying now.

 

[Gabler]

Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)

 

[GGB]

@Japonicus if you believe in life after life, then yes. If you don't, but think that it's a fun thought, then still yes.