Should I Dig up This Monster

[thomas22]

I have the opportunity to dig this up for free. I'm not sure what kind of tree but it kind of looks like a Tamarind. Its about 13 feet tall with no foliage until about 4' off the ground. The trunk is about 7'' across. You can see my keys for scale. Sorry, no pic of the entire tree.

First of all, can any of you help identify. If you can identify then let me know the odds of this tree surviving multiple major chops and digging out of ground all at once.
I'm thinking if it is a tropical then maybe there is a chance it could survive.

Secondly, Is the trunk worth the effort? In other words, would you go for it?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

How large a bonsai do you want? I don't think that this tree could be made into a bonsai less than 3 feet tall. I would pass on it.

 

[thomas22]

How large a bonsai do you want? I don't think that this tree could be made into a bonsai less than 3 feet tall. I would pass on it.

I don't have a size limit really. I'm ok with a nice big tree but those cuts I would have to make may always look bad. If I used pic 3 and 4 for the front then at least all the cuts would be on the back side. The first think I need to figure out is will it live being chopped and dug from the ground this time of year. I may be able to wait a few weeks but that's it. The people are doing a backyard remodel.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Perhaps cut back first/wait one year to collect? Personally would not collect.

 

[thomas22]

Perhaps cut back first/wait one year to collect? Personally would not collect.

That is a good suggestion but this tree is getting demolished in three weeks if I don't remove.

 

[j evans]

In my opinion you have nothing to loose other than investing your time. Even if it turns out to be nothing you will gain experience and maybe learn a thing or two along the way.

Have the time? Go for it!

 

[Lou T]

Shoot it with a shotgun then dig it up. Might be cool if it survives.

Edit: my bad, you live in SoCal.

 

[Dav4]

The leaves alone would be enough for me to walk on by.

 

[BackyardBonsai]

NO

 

[penumbra]

Do it.

 

[rockm]

Uh, no. not only no, but F#$% no. Not worth it. Both trunks already have inverse taper to begin with. You'd have to get rid of one of those or face a weird looking bonsai with a telephone pole tuning fork of a trunk. Neither trunk is all that great by itself. Remove one and the remaining one will just look odd. Foliage looks like dawn redwood to me, but in cali. could be something else. Additionally, you have no idea what the root crown looks like. It's still buried. It is the reason you collect trees. Without a decent nebari (root crown and first third of the trunk), trees aren't worth collecting.

BIG does not equal good.

 

[Vance Wood]

If you can't get it to back bud down on the trunk it's a probable wast of time.

 

[thomas22]

If you can't get it to back bud down on the trunk it's a probable wast of time.

Yes, that is where I am now. If I could identify and determine it should back bud then maybe I will just go for it. I don't think it is Dawn Redwood but I appreciate the suggestion.
Any other guesses?

 

[Forsoothe!]

The feeder roots will be miles away... At the ends of the anchor roots.

 

[Smoke]

I was going to chime in but Rock said everything that needed to be said, especially the part about the "tuning fork trunk".

I couldn't say that better myself.

 

[Stormwater]

BIG does not equal good.

Not what she said.

 

[thomas22]

Uh, no. not only no, but F#$% no. Not worth it. Both trunks already have inverse taper to begin with. You'd have to get rid of one of those or face a weird looking bonsai with a telephone pole tuning fork of a trunk. Neither trunk is all that great by itself. Remove one and the remaining one will just look odd. Foliage looks like dawn redwood to me, but in cali. could be something else. Additionally, you have no idea what the root crown looks like. It's still buried. It is the reason you collect trees. Without a decent nebari (root crown and first third of the trunk), trees aren't worth collecting.

BIG does not equal good.

Seriously, thanks for your honesty. Also thanks to @Smoke for chiming in. I think at this point I will pull the plug on digging this tree and save that day for family or working on the trees I already have. If anybody in Socal wants to grab it, private message me and I will give them the contact info.

 

[Carol 83]

Not what she said.

Not necessarily......

 

[Smoke]

Not necessarily......

ahhh... things are picking up around here.....

I'm gonna wait around and see how this plays out...

 

[thomas22]

I had a friend who used to say "I may not hit rock bottom but I'll bang the hell out of the sides".