Good species for colder climates

[KennedyMarx]

After another year of wondering if my trident maple made it through the winter I'm trying to find more species to use that are more cold hardy and require less protection in the winter. Please suggest any for me. Here is my list so far:

Amur maple
Siberian elm
Mugo pine
Scots pine
Privet
Chinese Juniper

 

[JudyB]

American Larch
Russian Olive
crabapple

 

[M. Frary]

After another year of wondering if my trident maple made it through the winter I'm trying to find more species to use that are more cold hardy and require less protection in the winter. Please suggest any for me. Here is my list so far:

Amur maple
Siberian elm
Mugo pine
Scots pine
Privet
Chinese Juniper

American Hornbeam
American elm
Chinese elm
Parsons juniper
Shimpaku juniper
Procumbens juniper
Seiju elm
Hinoki cypress
Hawthorns

 

[brewmeister83]

American Hawthorns (Crataegus sp.)
Asian Bush Honeysuckles (Lonicera sp.)
Red or American Elm (Ulmus rubra/americana)
Hornbeam/Blue Beech (Carpinus caroliniana)
Red/Swamp Maple (Acer rubrum)

I've seen all these growing strongly in the woods around here, and I've seen them all used for bonsai as well

 

[jk_lewis]

Eastern White Cedar . . and any tree or shrub that grows naturally in Wherever, Indiana

 

[Dav4]

Don't forget JWP, Chamaecyparis thyoides- Atlantic White cedar, and Japanese Yew- Taxus cuspidate.

 

[wireme]

Douglas fir, spruce, native northern junipers.

 

[M. Frary]

And Barberry and Japanese maple.

 

[milehigh_7]

Ponderosa and Pinon Pine

 

[sorce]

I'm sticking with Locals.

And any nursery stock will be from Canada, not Florida!

If I gotta heat em, let the squirrels eat em!

Sorce

 

[sdavis]

After another year of wondering if my trident maple made it through the winter I'm trying to find more species to use that are more cold hardy and require less protection in the winter. Please suggest any for me. Here is my list so far:

Amur maple
Siberian elm
Mugo pine
Scots pine
Privet
Chinese Juniper

.....and you can add Pinus nigra, Austrian Black pine

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

don't forget Pinus banksiana - Jack pine. south end of its range is northern half of Indiana. Cold tolerant all the way to Hudson Bay and northward.

Pinus rigida - Pitch pine, becoming more popular for bonsai - thought to be good at back budding on old wood.

Pinus virginiana - possibly native to Indiana.

 

[coppice]

Larch, larch, larch, crab apple, larch picea glehnnii.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Thanks for all the suggestions. There are some I wasn't too aware of. I keep forgetting about larch. In my few years of learning bonsai I have yet to see one at a nursery around here. I'd love to find some without paying to have them shipped here, but I may have no choice.

 

[M. Frary]

Can't believe I forgot about Tamaracks.

 

[Paradox]

San Jose Juniper

 

[Djtommy]

Red pine is also one of the stronger for cold more so then jwp,

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Forgot to add - flowering quince - the larger growing forms are very hardy, such as Toyo Nishiki, Orange Storm, Red Storm, Iwai Nishiki, and 'Contorted Red'. The dwarf flowering quince, Chojubai, might be quite hardy planted in the ground. but I found that 'Chojubai' in a pot needs some protection in winter.

 

[erb.75]

American Hornbeam
American elm
Chinese elm
Parsons juniper
Shimpaku juniper
Procumbens juniper
Seiju elm
Hinoki cypress
Hawthorns

Chinese elm and seiju elm? I thought they were a little hardy but hardy enough to handle michigan winters? surely only with decent protection right?

 

[M. Frary]

Same as the rest. Sitting on a bed of straw covered up to the lowest limbs with straw then the snow. Also placed on the north side of the shed for sun and wind protection. The regular chinese elm I have took a good hit. Looks to be some dieback of the fine twiggery. It sticks out of the snow cause its kind of large. A small amount of some of the very smallest twigs on the rest. All of which is O.K. because they all get some cut backs any way.