Bovine Yamadori

[M. Frary]

Walking around at work today in a cow pasture checking out hawthorns and came across this apple tree. It is only about 3 feet tall. It was designed by Elsie the cow herself! Check out the ramification. I thought about asking the landowner if I could dig up a couple Hawthorns if there were any good ones. And there were. But now.....
I know crab apples make alright bonsai but how about old Jonathan apples. I'm not up on the whole flowering tree thing even though I have Hawthorns. I like them because look good without flowers.
I thought about just collecting and get it healthy and plopping it into a pot as is.

 

[edprocoat]

You think its alive? In central Ohio the apples are leafing, I aint home yet but my cousin sent me a picture of his broken laser line striper and the apple tree behind it was opening leaves. You are further north though ...

ed

 

[Eric Group]

The same principals should apply in theory... But I think the Apple will just produce more coarse growth and larger fruit so with Bonsai people tend towards Crabapple to get better scale for a miniature tree. If it is a larger Bonsai, I don't see why you couldn't make something cool with it.

I don't have a Crabapple myself any longer... Had one for years but my old rommate's dog got it (along with a bunch of my books, mags and other trees...). My mother has one she got from the Arbor Day foundation as a little seedling years ago... We are keeping it in a pot along with the other Bonsai I have given her over the years (she is a master gardener! Seriously... Just "graduated" from the course through Clemson extension which is our state's agriculture college that has extension offices in every county). I think I might take a couple cuttings this weekend when I go to see her.

Damn thing doesn't bloom worth a crap for her... Might need to mature a little more..

 

[wireme]

Hmm, may be some real quality there, hard to say but what's hidden in the grass? Possibility to divide the clump if needed too.

 

[Brian Underwood]

Cool! I've seen a number of apple trees used successfully as bonsai and they can be quite nice. Jim Gremel has done at least a dozen of them and I worked on a few with him. They do have slightly coarser growth which can be kept in check, they have larger leaves which are difficult to reduce, and the fruit stays just about the same size with almost no reduction over time. BUT, the blossoms are wonderful, and larger trees with fruit are pretty convincing (and even a tiny tree with an apple as big as its trunk is fun). I say do it if you can! If you get the whole plant you can start making air layers and end up with some fantastic trees.

 

[sorce]

Looks like a machine lift. ?

I think with a little cleanup, this thing could be right nice off the bat!

Score + Pie!

Sorce

 

[GrimLore]

If you don't collect it send me a map to the location

Grimmt

 

[M. Frary]

I walked out and looked at it today again. I keep thinking I want it but then I'm not really sure what to do with it. It has multiple trunks of roughly the same size. Big. 4" in diameter. I only need to carry it out maybe a quarter mile and through an electric barbed wire fence. Which is no problem. I would bareroot it right there. It's an apple. They are tough customers.
If it was only a single trunk it would be at my house right now. Still thinking whether I want an apple tree. It sure is cool though. If I don't get it this year it will still be there next year.

 

[Dav4]

Nick Lenz has an entire chapter dedicated to apples in his book "Bonsai from the Wild". He named the bovine yamadori as being "Cow Chomped". They can make exceptional bonsai, but are magnets for fungus and bugs during the growing season....and mice love to snack on them over the winter. There in lies the issue for you, I suppose. Good luck.

 

[M. Frary]

but are magnets for fungus and bugs during the growing season....and mice love to snack on them over the winter.

Yeah. Just growing in orchards they get 5 to 7 treatments of pesticide throughout the year.
I've got the bigger varmints covered but still working on mouse issues.
You guys are trying to talk me into this aren't you? Don't dare me to do something! As a matter of fact, I think I may go get it next week.
Now I'm getting all worked up. It's a good thing I have someone coming over in a bit to collect some Hawthorns because pictures of this would be up on here tonight! You people!