Haha! Yes…I have several in the $600+ range!I happen to be a person who likes to develop my trees from scratch, so I am typically in the pre-bonsai / yamadori camp. Though I agree with @Brian Van Fleet about how trees can cost money over time. For example I know some trees that I have where the pots cost more than the original cost of the tree. That will be our second survey - what is the price of your most expensive pot
What's the most you have ever spent on a single tree? (finished or pre-bonsai or yamadori or raw stock)
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leatherback
The Treedeemer
Nope. Shaping was part of a test, and I was not arrogant enough to tape during.
pandacular
Omono
Eventually, I'll need to get serious about tracking expenses on my trees. Soil, workshops (those kinda count?), maybe pro styling/hands on guidance, pots, etc. I would like to keep the door open to making something of a business out of this, which would only work if I know my expenses well!
But for now, that feels that far enough down the line that I can ignore it.
But for now, that feels that far enough down the line that I can ignore it.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
For me right now the ceiling is $2K. I've yet to buy anything at that price but that is my planned spending limit for each tree.
TrevorLarsen
Shohin
Those prices are incredible! That is so cheap for those trees.
n8
Shohin
The most I have spent on a single tree was $275 for this Japanese white beech, which came with the pot.
John Goodenow
Seed
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And it would be crazy to post that you have a $25000 chunk of tree sitting in your back yard!
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
FWIW, $1,000 trees are mostly the entry level for higher quality bonsai if you're looking in the right places where value is not inflated. Those places exist and -hint, hint--they're not online. They're in person, found through person to person contacts)
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
True enough...last few quality trees came from friends I knew. But they are my online circle. As I've no bonsai community near me.
Wulfskaar
Omono
Holy yikes. 
I'm in the < $100 range (not even listed!), although I have received $129 and $100 trees as gifts.
I spent too much on my house and property, which has some massive trees on it, so I don't have much left over to spend on bonsai. I struggle just to get a few gallons of soil per year!
In about 20 years, I hope to be able to sell a few of my trees for a bit more after significant development.
I'm in the < $100 range (not even listed!), although I have received $129 and $100 trees as gifts.
I spent too much on my house and property, which has some massive trees on it, so I don't have much left over to spend on bonsai. I struggle just to get a few gallons of soil per year!
In about 20 years, I hope to be able to sell a few of my trees for a bit more after significant development.
DanaWhicker
Mame
< $100 range for me. I'm in it for the journey. The destination is what the destination will be.
Ruddigger
Omono
I just watched a guy spend 5 figures on a tree this morning. 
Weta
Shohin
I bought a tree once about 15 years ago for $10.
A Tea tree that didn't respond to well to root pruning lol.
Everything else since then I've collected from country gardens.
A Tea tree that didn't respond to well to root pruning lol.
Everything else since then I've collected from country gardens.
ZombieNick
Mame
These are great prices, unfortunately this isn't the case anymore, seems to be getting worst every year. Was this at SGV?
A couple years ago I was lucky enough to find an instructor that I have been able to learn from regularly. One piece of advice he gave me early on, was to stop buying the cheaper material and save for nicer starts. If I needed material to work or practice on I could always use his. This has enabled me to slow down my purchasing quite a bit. I have bought several pre bonsai in the $500 range, and recently made my first 1k purchase.
Fidur
Chumono
Once I spent 600$, just for this tree:
but also spent 6$ for this one:
The average price paid for my trees is about 20$, and they bring me the chance to make the most important decisions in their development. Even so, if a tree I really desire comes around for less than 500$ I will bite...
but also spent 6$ for this one:
The average price paid for my trees is about 20$, and they bring me the chance to make the most important decisions in their development. Even so, if a tree I really desire comes around for less than 500$ I will bite...
I'm yet to spend over what probably converts to about $150USD on a tree (I'm in Australia); but i'd be okay spending up to $1000 (so probably about $650USD without looking at the current forex rate) for something I really love.
The things stopping me doing that are 1. that it still doesn't seem you often find anything overly good for that sort of money here and 2. I'm relatively new to bonsai and I'm very conscious that I 'don't know what I don't know' (although sometimes I feel I do) in terms of my maturing (hopefully) tastes alongside experience and so forth.
I'm someone who really aspires to develop some trees that are my own and enjoy/learn through the process, but it'd also be nice to have something good in my collection; in saying that, I want to set aside thing to look forward to ie. spending a little more on more advanced trees as I myself, progresses.
But yeh, moral of the story, for $1000AU here, it's seems difficult to get anything great (in my limited experience). You can certainly buy a decent trunk, even some decent primaries, but it doesn't seem like you're going to find much beyond that.
(I really hope I'm being ignorant here and just haven't found the right sources - maybe someone more travelled can set me straight if so).
The things stopping me doing that are 1. that it still doesn't seem you often find anything overly good for that sort of money here and 2. I'm relatively new to bonsai and I'm very conscious that I 'don't know what I don't know' (although sometimes I feel I do) in terms of my maturing (hopefully) tastes alongside experience and so forth.
I'm someone who really aspires to develop some trees that are my own and enjoy/learn through the process, but it'd also be nice to have something good in my collection; in saying that, I want to set aside thing to look forward to ie. spending a little more on more advanced trees as I myself, progresses.
But yeh, moral of the story, for $1000AU here, it's seems difficult to get anything great (in my limited experience). You can certainly buy a decent trunk, even some decent primaries, but it doesn't seem like you're going to find much beyond that.
(I really hope I'm being ignorant here and just haven't found the right sources - maybe someone more travelled can set me straight if so).
pandacular
Omono
Personally, I don't understand the attitude of “I’m all about doing it myself” as a rejection of nicer stock. There’s so much to do already on a nice piece of stock, and it is likely impossible to cultivate a great collection without great stock.
Weta
Shohin
How I see it is there are collectors that are caretakers then there is artists that create.
Nothing wrong with admiring others vision just don't call it yours.
Nothing wrong with admiring others vision just don't call it yours.
NaoTK
Chumono
Now let's do this for pots!
pandacular
Omono
I think this dichotomy isn't quite right though. A $1000 tree might not even be closed to show ready--it could just be a trunk! My exact point is that an "expensive" tree might not have a vision of any sort yet, and arbitrarily limiting oneself to nursery stock doesn't get you anywhere.
I'm not talking about buying a tree that has just won a show--though there's nothing wrong with that either--but a tree that has just had it's path to being a bonsai started. There is a famous field grower in my region that produced some fantastic black pines. They were quite ubiqutious before a fire took out their operation that practically any large black pine was grown by them, and most of their trees were rather expensive. But they were for the most part just a start!
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