Collected Chinese Privet 5-AUG-17 - Zone 8

So I'm pretty new to bonsai and all the reading about it this year has gotten me pretty excited about trying collecting, propagating, etc. With that said, I saw this invasive Chinese privet on a property adjacent to my property that was being cleared for a new home to be built and I had to try get it.

I collected it by truncking it then digging a moat around the plant, roughly 20" in diameter and though the soil was extremely compacted, I got it out in about 30min.

Didn't get to take any pics of roots, etc, as it was freaking hot and I was dripping sweat. Also had my two small boys with me running around everywhere and trying to mess with it. Once recovered, I took it to my house and washed off all the native soil with the hose, did some fairly large root cutting (it was basically a big sucker that had grown off a large root that I had to cut on both sides of the plant when collecting). I then cut a large section off the bottom large root (probably 4" in diameter) before potting.

I potted the plant in 50% screened turface / 50% pea gravel / 50% screened pine bark, applied some normal glue on the chop cut (several times, tried to get a good thick coat built up over several applications, even though im not sure if that was the correct thing to do). Then I kept it fully shaded for 7 days, then moved to mostly shade with a little bit of direct sun, maybe an hr or so. At 10days, I noticed the first bud emerging one night.

Around late Aug, I moved to part sun and then to full sun within the last two weeks. I also removed some of the top soil and started to fert with normal Miracle Grow twice per week and 1/2" recommended dose each time.

Now we are a month and a half from collection and its growing like the weed it is. Though these don't seem to be really sought after, I feel Im going to enjoy this tree if it continues living. I will probably even go looking for some this winter to add to the mix and mess with.

Probably going to let it grow all next season then repot and start selecting new leaders, pruning, etc in spring 2019. Maybe some pruning in fall of 2018. We will see how my own discipline with the tree holds and also how much this thing starts growing in spring 2018. Seams like its about ready to start wiring soon and trimming everything that's not the leader, but im going to try and wait.

So this privet grew like a weed after collection last yr until the whips were 2 ft tall or so. Some time in the fall I cut back to one leader even though it was a bad time to do it but since it was a privet, I didn't really care. It did fine over our very cold winter (very cold for here) and now its been wired and cut back a few times this year. Been trying to keep my new leader growing. Ive been picking buds off te trunk all summer long.

Here is a shot of the trunk with the new leader growing. Its going to have to keep growing for a while to get a much better transition. I probably cut too steep and angle for the transition but its ok. Its just a plant for me to play with.




Here is a shot of the whole thing as of now.

Great material and you seem to be making all the right design decisions! All the best! Hope you don't let it set fruit, though. They are such a noxious invasive here!

there are definitely invasive here too. though invasive, these type materials can be some of the best to work with. not really pretty either but good material to play with.

RobertB said:

there are definitely invasive here too. though invasive, these type materials can be some of the best to work with. not really pretty either but good material to play with.

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I grew to loathe them because I see how much damage they do to local ecosystems; however, they are quite an attractive tree with smooth arching branches, glossy leaves and clusters of flowers in spring.