Mugo Pine 'Sherwood Compacta'

[oakandwalnut]

Hello,
I got this little guy earlier today. I don't know much about mugos. I know, it needs to be grown out, etc., etc. My questions: Has anyone used this variety for bonsai? I assume it is a very slow grower? Any advice on growing it out? I dont know how to make the picture show correctly. Sorry!

Brad in MI

 

[bonsai barry]

most of the mugos that I've seen have multiple curvy trunks This one is a little diferent! Vance Wood probably has the most experience with mugos at this site. If you search for posts by Vance Wood, you'll find a lot of info on this type of pine.

 

[Vance Wood]

Hello,
I got this little guy earlier today. I don't know much about mugos. I know, it needs to be grown out, etc., etc. My questions: Has anyone used this variety for bonsai? I assume it is a very slow grower? Any advice on growing it out? I dont know how to make the picture show correctly. Sorry!

Brad in MI

I am not personally familiar with this cultiver but it appears that the tree is rather small. All I could tell you is what I would attempt to do if I were faced with dealing with this tree. You already know that the tree needs to be grown out. However; it looks like it is a grafted cultivar and the trunk may present you with a series of difficulties latter in the process. The most important thing you are going to have to find out is how much it does grow. The size of the buds I can see in the photograph look rather large and the assumption that it is a slow grower may be incorrect. I don't know but soon you will. When that does happen let us know and we'll go from there.

 

[oakandwalnut]

Hey Vance! I am in Michigan too.
I would like to keep this shohin small. Is there any way to put a twist into this trunk when it is this small? More than trying to wire it?

 

[Smoke]

Flipped it.

I defer to the mugo experts.

 

[Vance Wood]

Hey Vance! I am in Michigan too.
I would like to keep this shohin small. Is there any way to put a twist into this trunk when it is this small? More than trying to wire it?

Again: It looks like this tree is grafted, I could be wrong, but the photo seems to show an annomoly on the trunk that appears to be a graft, and not a real good one. I fear that this graft is is what is known as a cleft graft, the trunk may take years before it's strong enough to not snap at the graft in an attempt to bend or twist the trunk. Sadly the only way you are going to bend or twist this trunk is with wire.

Where in Michigan are you??

 

[oakandwalnut]

I am in Pleasant Ridge, MI, just south of Royal Oak. I am sure the tree is grafted. I do not know how old it is, I bet around a year or so.

 

[Dav4]

"sherwood Compact" is a choice dwarf mugo cultivar so relatively slow growing...looks great in a rock garden, but I've never seen one as a bonsai...I'm pretty sure they are all grafted material.