ardent_gardens
Seedling
Took the words right out of my thumbs. I can’t find it for sale anywhere
Impossible Question to Answer
- Thread starter Gabler
- Start date
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
For native North American species, I have been playing with these:
PItch Pine, Pinus rigida
Seedlings I collected in my area to develop. Seem very promising, get interesting bark early
Others have been growing these as well. There are a few nice larger collected specimens. Unfortunately around me they tend to grow ram rod straight trunks so I opted to try ~2 year old seedlings I collect then can bend movement into.
Juniperious horizontalis 'wiltonii'
A cultivar of this native species I found at a local nursery. Found a few that had already really nice sized trunks for the size of the plant.
These are ground growers typically. Been playing with them for a few years. Jury is still out on how well they work for bonsai
There are a lot of people trying out native NA species. They just dont get talked about as much as the more common non native species used for bonsai
PItch Pine, Pinus rigida
Seedlings I collected in my area to develop. Seem very promising, get interesting bark early
Others have been growing these as well. There are a few nice larger collected specimens. Unfortunately around me they tend to grow ram rod straight trunks so I opted to try ~2 year old seedlings I collect then can bend movement into.
Juniperious horizontalis 'wiltonii'
A cultivar of this native species I found at a local nursery. Found a few that had already really nice sized trunks for the size of the plant.
These are ground growers typically. Been playing with them for a few years. Jury is still out on how well they work for bonsai
There are a lot of people trying out native NA species. They just dont get talked about as much as the more common non native species used for bonsai
Cmd5235
Chumono
Hackberry- very yes. Hornbeam- very yes. Boxelder- even I can’t really get behind that, and I have several
Gabler
Masterpiece
What are your thoughts on Halesia caroliniana (Carolina silverbell)? Dirr and Heuser say it's easily rooted from cuttings. Also, Callicarpa americana (beautyberry) is supposed to be very easy to grow from seed, as are Euonymus americanus and Euonymus atropurpureum.
Overall, I'm thinking my best choices would be trees that are easy to propagate that have unique characteristics which set them apart from traditional Asian species.
Overall, I'm thinking my best choices would be trees that are easy to propagate that have unique characteristics which set them apart from traditional Asian species.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
It's important to know that you likely won't get dwarf pomegranate from seed. Poms do not germinate true from seed.
The Barber
Chumono
If you're wanting to go native, I think Amelanchier (Serviceberry) is one that gets overlooked often.
PaulH
Omono
Hornbeams
Seiju elms
cedrus brevifolia
Taxus brevifolia
Acer p nishiki gawa
Beauty Berry
cryptomeria
ume
silverberry
cork oak
Seiju elms
cedrus brevifolia
Taxus brevifolia
Acer p nishiki gawa
Beauty Berry
cryptomeria
ume
silverberry
cork oak
Kievnstavick
Chumono
Thank you for the reminder on that. I had forgotten it was a cultivar until now and I reread the description.
Worse case I get some pomegranates to grow as some fruit trees. Gotta love them pomegranates.
I've seen some amazing specimens, and in nature they're often the prototypical haunted house tree - it's a tough sell, I get it tho.
B
Gabler
Masterpiece
This is an excellent list. I hadn't heard of Cedrus brevifolia, and I didn't know Taxus brevifolia was so cold hardy until I looked it up. Apparently, it grows in Alaska.
I want to promote Carpinus caroliniana because it is significantly more cold hardy than any of the available Old World species, and it is very tolerant of wet soil, which makes it easy to keep. For similar reasons, I prefer Ulmus americana to its Chinese counterpart.
There's a native species of silverberry that I want to try, so that's on my list, along with beauty berry.
I'm growing regular green Acer palmatum var. palmatum from seed, but I would consider picking up a 'Nishiki Gawa' and taking cuttings and/or air layers.
Unfortunately, I can't grow cork oak here, but I am growing a hybrid Quercus lobata x macrocarpa in an effort to get a cold hardy tree with corky bark and reasonably-sized leaves for bonsai. If there's a hybrid Quercus macrocarpa x suber, then I want it.
I'm interested in trying different species of Prunus to find one that's somewhat resistant to fungus, but it might be tricky for me to keep them healthy. Every stone fruit I've tried to grow has been sickly, but perhaps that's because I've been growing commercial fruit tree cultivars, not healthy, wild-type trees.
I'm not really interested in cryptomeria.
Gabler
Masterpiece
How healthy is 'Nishiki Gawa' compared to the species? I'm not a fan of how weak and sickly other cultivars tend to be, but the bark is cool, and I love trees with orange fall foliage, so I might be interested. Also, how easily do cuttings root? Air layers?
Piedmont Bonsai
Mame
Nishiki gawa is a very vigorous cultivar. Cuttings are pretty darn close to 100% success for a backyard hobbyist setup and I am 2/2 on air layer attempts. It barks up waaaay faster than arakawa too.
Gabler
Masterpiece
Nice. I might have to pick one up, then.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Diospyros virginiana
Carpinus caroliniana
Ostrya virginiana - likes more sun and is slightly more drought tolerant than Carpinus. Really an undervalued hornbeam (hop flowered hornbeam)
Pinus rigida
Pinus banksiana - jack pine for far northern growers - hardy thru zone 3. likely most winter hardy low elevation pine in North America.
Dawn redwoods are amazing with rapid growth, You can not plant them and forget them.
Crataegus - look for varieties with red fruit , black fruit varieties and green fruit types are not as interesting. Species are difficult to distinguish, and poorly described, so taxonomy is confused. Don't worry about names, just get one with good fruit and flowers.
Wild plums - find a local species that is pretty and propagate it. Although the domestic plum is really a pretty tree too, and apricots, the culinary apricot is as pretty as Ume, flowers just a week or two later. Culinary plums and apricots do flower before leaves have expanded so they can be used like later flowering versions of Ume. And fruit is still small enough it does not look too out of proportion should one allow fruit to develop.
Carpinus caroliniana
Ostrya virginiana - likes more sun and is slightly more drought tolerant than Carpinus. Really an undervalued hornbeam (hop flowered hornbeam)
Pinus rigida
Pinus banksiana - jack pine for far northern growers - hardy thru zone 3. likely most winter hardy low elevation pine in North America.
Dawn redwoods are amazing with rapid growth, You can not plant them and forget them.
Crataegus - look for varieties with red fruit , black fruit varieties and green fruit types are not as interesting. Species are difficult to distinguish, and poorly described, so taxonomy is confused. Don't worry about names, just get one with good fruit and flowers.
Wild plums - find a local species that is pretty and propagate it. Although the domestic plum is really a pretty tree too, and apricots, the culinary apricot is as pretty as Ume, flowers just a week or two later. Culinary plums and apricots do flower before leaves have expanded so they can be used like later flowering versions of Ume. And fruit is still small enough it does not look too out of proportion should one allow fruit to develop.
NashsMan
Shohin
Second the recommendation of Pinus banksiana! One of my favorite cascade pines ever is in a private collection here in Virginia (zone 7B).
shohin_branches
Chumono
Chinese elms that don't have an S curve in the trunk. That's all I really want
Wood
Chumono
I've wanted to play with the American snowbell for a while, but it seems less cold hardy than the Asian species and I've never found anyone selling it. Halesia caroliniana looks really cool and would be fun
I've seen a couple of people growing various Aronia, especially Aronia melanocarpa 'Brilliantissima'. Not sure how well it propogates, but it has wonderful fall color, nice winter berries and low disease pressure
Gary Clark was really enthusiastic about chalk maples (Acer leucoderme), and his collected ones at the winter silhouette show had a lot of potential. Super tiny internodes and Gary said their vigor is similar to tridents
There's got to be a deciduous oak species that'll work for bonsai, though I don't have any ideas on which ones to try
I've seen a couple of people growing various Aronia, especially Aronia melanocarpa 'Brilliantissima'. Not sure how well it propogates, but it has wonderful fall color, nice winter berries and low disease pressure
Gary Clark was really enthusiastic about chalk maples (Acer leucoderme), and his collected ones at the winter silhouette show had a lot of potential. Super tiny internodes and Gary said their vigor is similar to tridents
There's got to be a deciduous oak species that'll work for bonsai, though I don't have any ideas on which ones to try
bonsaiwood
Mame
Pomegranate takes well from cuttings and are perhaps one of the more resilient for field growing, much like Trident Maple. They will fatten up quickly in the ground provided they get enough water and nutrients. If you decide to plant some, I'll hit you up in 10 years for a tree.
Gabler
Masterpiece
Thanks for the suggestions! I'm growing Diospyros virginiana, Carpinus caroliniana, Pinus rigida, Prunus americana, and Prunus caroliniana.
I haven't tried Ostrya virginiana or Pinus banksiana, since I live outside their native range.
Dawn redwoods are interesting, but I'm not sure I understand why I would grow one when I have the option to grow bald cypress.
Crataegus tends to have problems with cedar rust, which infects the twigs and creates galls in a manner similar to black knot. None of the fungicides I tried were particularly effective, so I quit growing them.
Gabler
Masterpiece
I planted some seeds. We'll see if they grow.
