PiñonJ
Omono
Thanks for the update. I'd love to see bonsai culture techniques become more established for this genus.
Manzanita Thread
- Thread starter Arcto
- Start date
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
This species is not so commonly encountered in the bonsai community. It was not until the last ten to twenty years that the tree has been successfully harvested. As you see from the above there are more than one variety/species of the tree and it seems that not all of them can be treated the same. I have yet to see anyone successfully post a photo of any of the driftwood pieces I used to see all over the hills of California that looked like they jumped from Kimura's nursery. Most of what I have seen are by comparison on the uninteresting side. It is an accomplishment that they have been harvested but from the above post it is indicated it is not such an easy thing to keep one alive and flourishing let alone train it as a bonsai. Eventually someone will figure it out, beyond the first step. This is one of the two trees I started asking questions about when I first came to the forums, the other is the Bristlecone Pine.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
This is an old thread, but I'm surprised no one answered this question. Yes, "manzanita" means "little apple" in Spanish. Manzanitas were given this name by the Spanish because of the small green and red fruit that they bear. In California alone there are over 80 naturally occurring species in the genus.
Here in Southern Cal, you don't see manzanita until you hit 3000'. After that, they are ubiquitous. In fact, there are certain areas within the mountains where manzanita is just about the only thing growing.
There are several California nurseries that sell manzanita varieties. One of my new favorites is Tree of Life Nursery here in South Orange County. They have at least ten different species, including a massive landscape specimen that has to have at least a 12" trunk at the soil line. I asked the nursery manager what the secret to keeping manzanita healthy was. Her tips were consistent with what we have been discussing here:
(1) They don't like it when their roots are disturbed. Plant them and then leave them alone.
(2) They like free-draining non-organic soil like decomposed granite. In fact, if possible she recommended planting them on a mound or elevated area in your yard.
PiñonJ
Omono
That's fine, but you should've secured the pot better - something knocked it over!
That's a lot of foliage gone. Will it grow more leaves this year?That pot is full of heavy native soil. It's not going anywhereThat's fine, but you should've secured the pot better - something knocked it over!
. I removed a few small branches. There has been some dieback and this fungus, Exobasidium Gall I believe. 
. I've been removing the infected twigs before it goes to spore. I'm starting to get more back budding from this one. But leaf growth is pretty much done for the year.I decided to style this one this season. 1st pic at the time of collection. 
This summer the tree did quite well with new growth and health.
I took it to Bonsai Mirai when I had class there. Even though broad leafed evergreens weren't the focus of the class, Ryan was kind enough to let me work on this one as well. It was naturally forming a raft. I didn't want to do that because I might have ended up removing 1-2 trunks, killing main live veins and probably a significant chunk of the root system. I decide to go with a partially uprooted leaning tree. I chose the angle and front, then Ryan had a very fine suggestion of bringing all the branches back against the direction the trunks were leaning. I liked that as the branches were long and leggy and the hardened bends in them would have been challenging to place on the other side of the trunks and pull it off from a style viewpoint. I wired, raffied, and set the branches. Ryan helped me guy wire a few and did some tweaking. The finished job for this year.
I elected to keep the farthest right branch until I see if I lose any branches to help keep that live vein healthy. Moving forward, all the wire comes off next spring. I'll start reducing the rootball right of the trunks. I'll be reducing the branch lengths as needed as I get more interior backbudding. More work on all that Jin too.
This summer the tree did quite well with new growth and health.
I took it to Bonsai Mirai when I had class there. Even though broad leafed evergreens weren't the focus of the class, Ryan was kind enough to let me work on this one as well. It was naturally forming a raft. I didn't want to do that because I might have ended up removing 1-2 trunks, killing main live veins and probably a significant chunk of the root system. I decide to go with a partially uprooted leaning tree. I chose the angle and front, then Ryan had a very fine suggestion of bringing all the branches back against the direction the trunks were leaning. I liked that as the branches were long and leggy and the hardened bends in them would have been challenging to place on the other side of the trunks and pull it off from a style viewpoint. I wired, raffied, and set the branches. Ryan helped me guy wire a few and did some tweaking. The finished job for this year.
I elected to keep the farthest right branch until I see if I lose any branches to help keep that live vein healthy. Moving forward, all the wire comes off next spring. I'll start reducing the rootball right of the trunks. I'll be reducing the branch lengths as needed as I get more interior backbudding. More work on all that Jin too.
MaxTheSpy
Yamadori
I don't mean to bring up possibly a dead topic, but My local nursery finally has some of these in stock and I will be picking up 2-3 saplings ranging from 4 inches to 8 inches. I'm excited to see where this goes. these trees used to grow everywhere in a summer camp I went to every summer when I was a kid.
Not dead...simply dormant. Welcome. Please don’t flame or troll here. Please feel free to share and contribute all things Manzanita related. I’ll be posting a spring update soon. Spoiler, it isn’t all pretty.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
I have two manzanitas I picked up last year... was very excited when one of them flowered with pretty little white bell flowers this winter. I repotted them into pond baskets and held my breath... but they both seemed to take the transplanting in stride and are pushing new growth. These are the "before" photos from last summer.
Arcto "emerald carpet":
Arcto "andersonii" - this one is an endangered species:
Arcto "emerald carpet":
Arcto "andersonii" - this one is an endangered species:
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PiñonJ
Omono
Yamadori, or nursery stock?
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Both are nursery stock from a native nursery here. There are tons of yamadori in the hills around where I live, but I thought it might be prudent for me to develop some experience first on nursery stock. I have heard nothing but nightmares from people who have tried to collect yamadori - and it sounds like most of the issues involve their tendency to throw extremely long running roots with very little fine rooting by the base of the trunk, so when you collect it is difficult to obtain the roots necessary to transplant the tree without killing it.
Shima
Omono
One fine day someone will figure how to layer large specimen's, ground or air. They were all over the hills of Sonoma valley. Trunks big as my arm. Twisting and turning, half bark half shari.
MaxTheSpy
Yamadori
I picked up this beautiful little manzanita tree today after I got off of work. my goal is to make this. about 2 feet tall Let me know what you think or any other reccomendations!
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I lived in Marin County for a number of years back in the 60's and that was my experience, drooling over these wonderful natural Yamadori trees as you have described. I made mention of them on my first visits to bonsai forums asking if any had experience with them. There are some people that will not talk to me to this day because of some of the conversations over that subject so tread lightly.
MaxTheSpy
Yamadori
Seems like these trees have quite a cult following. Touchy subject I've noticed as well. When I had mine shipped in to me they almost were hesitant to do it. I grew up going to a summer camp that had a hike called Vista Point. Was 3 miles pretty much up a mountain, and at the top were these beautiful Manzanita trees about 20 feet tall and twisty and gnarled and had a ton of deadwood. I would spend hours up on the top of that mountain. I fell in love the first time I peaked my head over the rocky bluff and met these trees.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
The trees I encountered were twisted and stressed like the trees you see in the books. Those I saw were no more than four feet tall and had to be hundreds of years old. I knew where quite few of them that were in walking distance from my home but at the time I had no idea how to collect them There was no way I was going to try and collect one knowing I would probably kill one.
MaxTheSpy
Yamadori
From what Ive read they grow out more than down roots wise. I was told that If I was going to collect one, dig a few deet down in all directions and take a massive soil sample as well. it looks like these trees hate to be transplanted.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
That has become my oppinion over the years.
