Potentials for collecting

[silversara]

Went out today tree hunting on neighboring properties (with permission of course) to check out and see what was there, I found a couple that look like they have potential, and did some root trimming ( I believe I'm using the right phrase there) and I'll see if I do end up collecting them.
Opinions are great if any of the more experienced out there have any definite yes' or no's on any of the trees or see some thing with potential.


1
A scrub oak (aka oregon white oak/ garry oak depending on where you live)
Potential twin trunk design is what I saw. The snow has melted since this picture was taken. I like the view better from the other side, the trunks look more twined together, but the lighting didn't work out well the other direction.
Approx 28 in tall and trunk width (combined) of about 2-3 inches.




2
Small crab apple, white blossoms, dark red fruit, not sure on exact species.
Twin trunk potential, or possibly splitting them apart.
Approx 9 in tall and trunk width of (combined) 1 1/2- 2 inches.
Dog trying to help with pic taking.



3
A young ponderosa pine, I see a windswept or potentially semi cascade with some wiring and a few years.
Approx 24 in tall and trunk width of 1 1/2 inches.
It looks like it has a good nebari (? could be the wrong word I'm looking for) it has even thick surface roots and a decent root ball.






4
I believe the same species as above, ponderosa pine, and I like the trunk on this one. It has some nice movement too as well.
Approx 26 in tall and trunk width of 3-4 inches.
I didn't get any really good pictures of it, but it has some nice taper to it.

 

[silversara]

I did a rough outline of the trunk of the tree, since it's not clear. I thought I got some better pictures of it but I guess not.

Hopefully I can get some better pictures in the next couple of days or something.

 

[Arcto]

Sharper pics of the Pines would be helpful. Difficult to see (many) needles. Also some scars or trunk lesions on last pine pictured. What kind of native soil are they growing in? Welcome to the forum.

 

[sorce]

rough outline

If that is that thick....
It looks great!

For a deciduous tree!

Doesn't matter....doesn't matter if they are good material.....

Dig em and learn....

If someone says it is a waste of time....

Don't listen...

The real waste of time is digging an excellent tree with no experience!

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

I would pass these up.
At least the pines. They don't look all that healthy from the pictures.
It is hard to collect them and have them live even when they're healthy.
Sure it's practice. Practice diggng holes.
The one you think is oak I would leave as well. Oak are also tough to collect with success. They grow slow and have problems reducing leaves.
The apple looking thing maybe. But it has 2 trunks of the same diameter and would one grown out larger to look right.
The real waste of time is digging trees that either won't make it or digging trees thar aren't all that suitable for bonsai.

 

[silversara]

@Arcto
We have mostly clay/sandy soil, with a lot of surface loam. I got some better pictures and some detail shots. The last pine definitely has some scarring, to my unexpert eyes it looks like it was buck-raked sometime in its younger life and lived, but that's just a guess, I really have no idea.

@sorce
Yep, I was hoping to get a number of tree's to practice with, and these ones are free so... bonus!

@M. Frary
I think you're right about the pines, maybe more so the windswept one. I went back to check them out today, and I'll probably be leaving it as it does look pretty weak. I guess I was assuming it looked the way it did because it was still dormant, but we had a pretty harsh winter and a lot of the smaller tree's died, so it would make sense for it to be weak. Maybe if it picks up in the next couple years I'll come back to it.
I'm going to leave the oak for sure, if only because it's neighboring "plants" sprouted glossy red leaves in the past week and are now definitely poision oak. I'm not THAT invested in the tree
I may end up digging the second pine anyway, because my neighbor's planning on putting in a fence almost directly on top of where it's growing. So if it's going to die either way it might as well be in a pot on my sunporch, you know?

Making a separate post for pictures because the text is getting long and organization.

 

[silversara]

The newly revealed poision oak guarding my oak tree.




Better picture of the second pine, with my dog serving as a portable backdrop.
Detail shots below that, including some of the trunk.

 

[sorce]

It is hard to collect them and have them live even when they're healthy.

I agree with that!

It's not gonna be a big confidence builder.

However, pulling them out to solely learn what root systems tend to do in that soil/area could prove valuable for future digs!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

ine, with my dog serving as a portable backdrop

Someone deserves a treat!

Sorce

 

[silversara]

Someone deserves a treat!

He definitely does!