Kingsville Boxwood

[yashu]

I’m in Maine and the only place I’ve seen legit Kingsville has been at New England Bonsai Garden and their trees are both too expensive and more “refined” than I’d like so nurseries or any sort of local pick up is not really an option for me. I have not been to Bonsai West yet (also in MA) but I’m pretty sure that I’m limited to what I can find online that can be shipped. Of the links provided Bella Bonsai seems most promising. I’d love to here from someone who purchased one of their trees.

 

[yashu]

Evergreen Gardenworks has Kingsville and four other cultivars in 1-gallons. The trees are about 30 years old.

I will definitely check here. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Brent and his business.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

I will definitely check here. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Brent and his business.

In the catalogBrent posted will be availed in 2024 again. The availability list says they have some. In the past the catalog was the best info source, but it’s worth an email to Brent

Regards
DSD sends

 

[DaveStillwell]

I will definitely check here. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Brent and his business.

He has specimens that are boxwoods... as well as the smaller 1 gallon trees. If you email him he can tell you all about them.

 

[yashu]

Well, the deed is done. I put in an order for a one gallon Kingsville with Evergreen Gardenworks. I hope I get a nice one! I’ll post it up here when it arrives. I picked up another chojubai as well, I figure if I was going to be paying for the shipping anyway I might as well order enough to get over the minimum shipping fee.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Well, the deed is done. I put in an order for a one gallon Kingsville with Evergreen Gardenworks. I hope I get a nice one! I’ll post it up here when it arrives. I picked up another chojubai as well, I figure if I was going to be paying for the shipping anyway I might as well order enough to get over the minimum shipping fee.

I have two from the local nursery. Seller calls them Kingsville, IDK or care if they are but I love em!

I was told this one is 25+ years old.

View attachment 538780

 

[yashu]

I have two from the local nursery. Seller calls them Kingsville, IDK or care if they are but I love em!

I was told this one is 25+ years old.
View attachment 538781
View attachment 538780

That’s a nice one. I picked up two supposed dwarf boxwood varieties from the big box store during the end of season sales last fall but they are not at all like the Kingsville or the other true dwarf varieties that Brent propagates. I was at Bonsai West a few weeks back looking at some of their Kingsvilles (even the smallest were outside my price range) but I was reminded just how vastly different (smaller) the foliage is on the true dwarfs.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

That’s a nice one. I picked up two supposed dwarf boxwood varieties from the big box store during the end of season sales last fall but they are not at all like the Kingsville or the other true dwarf varieties that Brent propagates. I was at Bonsai West a few weeks back looking at some of their Kingsvilles (even the smallest were outside my price range) but I was reminded just how vastly different (smaller) the foliage is on the true dwarfs.

Thanks. I got it last year for $80 bucks, and good to know about the big box stores, I haven't seen one I liked at Lowe's so far. I'm going to look at the Evergreen Gardens advice you posted. Thanks!

 

[yashu]

Thanks. I got it last year for $80 bucks, and good to know about the big box stores, I haven't seen one I liked at Lowe's so far. I'm going to look at the Evergreen Gardens advice you posted. Thanks!

It seems there’s a bunch of places selling Kingsville that aren’t actually Kingsville but from everything I’ve heard Brent at Evergreen is a real stand up guy with a reputable business. I tried to do a quick search to find a decent foliage shot and the following was the best I could find that gives a decent idea of scale due the the persons hand in the shot.



You can see the leaves are tiny and the foliage is compact. It makes for an amazingly dense canopy in refined trees, even shohin.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I grabbed one at EVG. Roll the dice.

 

[Bonsai_hope]

I have two from the local nursery. Seller calls them Kingsville, IDK or care if they are but I love em!

I was told this one is 25+ years old.
View attachment 538781
View attachment 538780

This does not look like a Kingsville. The leaves are too large. The attached picture is of a Kingsville from Plant City in Georgia. The owner acquired the stock from the nursery in Maryland when it closed. I’m certain it’s a true Kingsville. It was ridiculously expensive but I’m planning on getting another. LOL. It’s the star of my collection.

 

[River's Edge]

For comparison here is my Kingsville. Acquired in 2012, PNBCA convention, Vancouver, Washington. The event was titled " Hacking at the Hilton" . Back when the word was used in a different context

 

[rockm]

I got this one from a local grower in Maryland who in turn got the cuttings from the original nursery where the cultivar was discovered. She had a pretty big grow bed or field of them for a while. Now that is mostly gone, from what I've heard. She was at the Potomac Bonsai Association show and sale about 10 years ago and had about seven or eight in nursery pots. Wish I'd picked them all up in hindsight.

 

[coachspinks]

I will try to take some pics of my Kingsville's tonight. In the mean time, here is one of the more iconic specimen's in the US. This is Father Paul's Kingsville. I worked on it in the mid 80's when it was already old. As of a couple of years ago, it was on display when the Monastery in Conyers, GA was open.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I will try to take some pics of my Kingsville's tonight. In the mean time, here is one of the more iconic specimen's in the US. This is Father Paul's Kingsville. I worked on it in the mid 80's when it was already old. As of a couple of years ago, it was on display when the Monastery in Conyers, GA was open.

For size reference, found on pinterest

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

It seems there’s a bunch of places selling Kingsville that aren’t actually Kingsville but from everything I’ve heard Brent at Evergreen is a real stand up guy with a reputable business. I tried to do a quick search to find a decent foliage shot and the following was the best I could find that gives a decent idea of scale due the the persons hand in the shot.



You can see the leaves are tiny and the foliage is compact. It makes for an amazingly dense canopy in refined trees, even shohin.

I've heard that places will try that, and it's rather upsetting that the place I go to would do that. Now I have to question everything they tell me. Maybe, when I get the one from Evergreen, I'll take it to a class. JK I need them more than they need me. I see what you mean though, those definitely look different.

This does not look like a Kingsville. The leaves are too large. The attached picture is of a Kingsville from Plant City in Georgia. The owner acquired the stock from the nursery in Maryland when it closed. I’m certain it’s a true Kingsville. It was ridiculously expensive but I’m planning on getting another. LOL. It’s the star of my collection.

Post a picture, it sounds cool.

 

[coachspinks]

The smaller of the two is one I bought from Plant City a few years ago. I was pretty aggressive in fitting it into that pot and it sulked last summer. The other is a large one I bought at our club auction. It is over 2' from soil line to the top of the tree. I recently moved it from a 3 gallon nursery pot into this pot. I was a lot less aggressive this time.

 

[rockm]

I've heard that places will try that, and it's rather upsetting that the place I go to would do that. Now I have to question everything they tell me. Maybe, when I get the one from Evergreen, I'll take it to a class. JK I need them more than they need me. I see what you mean though, those definitely look different.

Post a picture, it sounds cool.

FWIW, most vendors simply don't know the difference, including landscape nurseries. There are a few kinds of small leafed boxwood cultivars. They're often confused for each other and sold on by people who assume what they have is what's on the label. I'd say most often with Kingsville that's not the case. It's usually something else and that's not a bad thing. Most of the smaller leaved cultivars make good bonsai. Kingsville tends to have the smallest leaves, though.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

FWIW, most vendors simply don't know the difference, including landscape nurseries. There are a few kinds of small leafed boxwood cultivars. They're often confused for each other and sold on by people who assume what they have is what's on the label. I'd say most often with Kingsville that's not the case. It's usually something else and that's not a bad thing. Most of the smaller leaved cultivars make good bonsai. Kingsville tends to have the smallest leaves, though.

True, I like boxwoods either way. I just hope it's the nursery not knowing the difference and not salesman subterfuge. It's a Bonsai nursery btw, new owners in the last 4yrs, and they seem knowledgeable to me, but my knowledge just scratches the surface of an ocean. Both boxwoods I have are from them and both times they mentioned Kingsville and they leaves look the sameas the one I posted. I feel like it's a case of the blind leading the naked. Thanks Rockm.