John P.
Chumono
I have one, too, that never takes off. I’m in coastal SoCal, so it should. Always hovering around death,
The most disappointing species...
- Thread starter Forsoothe!
- Start date
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
I have a Parrots Beak that looks nice enough and responds well to defoliating almost too well. It likes more natural light than is available in winter in Michigan, so it is seasonally nice and at its peak right now...
HoneyHornet
Shohin
My bugbear would be JBP, I just can’t seem to keep them alive no matter what I do. I totally gave up on young saplings and seedlings of them as they all reach the same stage and then just keel over. They just don’t like me and I am not about to spend money on a larger specimen that might ultimately also fail. Fortunately they are not my favorite trees, what a cruel twist of fate that would have been!
Davidlpf
Chumono
This mulberry is my nightmare
But some day I'll tame the beast, or it'll die in the process!!
It has a potential nebari
Once upon a time that it has something like a canopy
We'll see!
Cheers.
But some day I'll tame the beast, or it'll die in the process!!
It has a potential nebari
Once upon a time that it has something like a canopy
We'll see!
Cheers.
VAFisher
Masterpiece
I killed 2 really nice Scots pines before giving up. I couldn't keep needle cast off of them and I wasn't able to cure it. Thats before I discovered the Bonide systemic granules, so maybe it would go better today. It didnt make any sense to me as they sat right next to my Mugo which was fine.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I haven't killed enough of them to know which one is my most disappointing species. Dem h'canes keep taking them before I have my turn haha.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Boxwood takes first place. Cotoneaster a close second.
Both are broadly available in garden centers, and I think that it what initially drew me to them decades ago. Once I started working with better material, I never went back.
Both are broadly available in garden centers, and I think that it what initially drew me to them decades ago. Once I started working with better material, I never went back.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
Ya know, I forgot Mugo Pine. There are lots of nice ones in landscape nurseries and I kill one every 3 or 4 years just to keep my hand in it.
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
I have read this post through and I guess I am finding that it is not so much the plants misbehaving as it is my lack of understanding what they need. I have four cotoneaster and they are all doing well, but they are slow to develop due to the growth habit. I kinda feel the same about my collected boxwood but I really love my Kingsvilles of which I have a few. Pyracantha are much like the cotoneaster, I can't kill them but they are again slow to develop though they grow very fast. It is simply that the growth habit confounds me. I have a couple Parrot's Beak and my only problem with them is that they grow so fast the only look like a bonsai for short periods. Fortunately or not almost all the cuttings strike. My Black pines grow well but look like crap because I haven't learned to work with them, but my Scots Pines are awesome and my JWP all look good.
Tropicals can be demanding but can also be a joy. Some of them look like small bonsai from cuttings, but some like BRT, grow very well but are ungainly.
Even with my poor dwarf powderpuff, its not really the tree, it is me lacking the full knowledge of either its requirements as a plant or as a bonsai.
Still learning after all these years.
Tropicals can be demanding but can also be a joy. Some of them look like small bonsai from cuttings, but some like BRT, grow very well but are ungainly.
Even with my poor dwarf powderpuff, its not really the tree, it is me lacking the full knowledge of either its requirements as a plant or as a bonsai.
Still learning after all these years.
A. Gorilla
Omono
Certain lilacs seem like they would maybe have a certain amount of deciduous, maple-like vigor. Small leaves. Reasonable little trunks you want to ramify. You imagine the blooms.
Nah. Total millennial snowflakes.
Maybe the very sun and water in the home depot parking lot is vastly better than the sun and water in front of my house?
Oh no...a slight difference of climate 15 minutes from the store, and one branch being pruned. Must....die...
Nah. Total millennial snowflakes.
Maybe the very sun and water in the home depot parking lot is vastly better than the sun and water in front of my house?
Oh no...a slight difference of climate 15 minutes from the store, and one branch being pruned. Must....die...
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Silentrunning
Chumono
I will add my name to the Cotoneaster list. I am 3 for 3 at killing them. In second place is the Fukien tea. Friends see them at the box stores and are sure I would love it. I have lost count as to how many I have killed.
hinmo24t
Masterpiece
surprised to see cotoneaster in here aside from someone mentioning its the growth habit vs ease of keeping alive.
i took a few cuttings from one i bought in August and the cuttings are now growing new leafs/rooted.
the parent plant responded to the august pruning by throwing new growth everywhere, including all along the base of the 1" bottom trunk.
im cutting it down by 90% next spring...
disappointing for me was slow death of a japanese black pine, and two nice mugo pines i had
as well as some pitch pines. i havent lost a ton of other plants in my tenure so i am hesitant to spend money on more pines now;
juniper and types of spruce i do better with. part of learning process
almost just put my formal email signature at the end of this, haha. TPL (taxpayer life, in process of trademarking like the Good Life shirts,
going to have stick figures working and outside office window able body adults packing up for the beach on a beautiful tuesday afternoon)
Best regards,
Tom
i took a few cuttings from one i bought in August and the cuttings are now growing new leafs/rooted.
the parent plant responded to the august pruning by throwing new growth everywhere, including all along the base of the 1" bottom trunk.
im cutting it down by 90% next spring...
disappointing for me was slow death of a japanese black pine, and two nice mugo pines i had
as well as some pitch pines. i havent lost a ton of other plants in my tenure so i am hesitant to spend money on more pines now;
juniper and types of spruce i do better with. part of learning process
almost just put my formal email signature at the end of this, haha. TPL (taxpayer life, in process of trademarking like the Good Life shirts,
going to have stick figures working and outside office window able body adults packing up for the beach on a beautiful tuesday afternoon)
Best regards,
Tom
Soup Dragon
Mame
Oddly enough, I can't keep privet alive. They are supposed to be unkillable, but I have had 3 and they all died in the same way. They slowly lose branches, one at a time, and over the course of about 3 years they die. These were big specimens too - not little things.
Mikecheck123
Omono
Privet was a big disappointment for me, too.
I had one that sulked and sulked for like two years. I finally threw it away.
A. Gorilla
Omono
Crimson barberry.
Some trunks look downright ancient and legendary and ya think there is some deciduous vigor and then...they just croak.
Another safe space species.
Some trunks look downright ancient and legendary and ya think there is some deciduous vigor and then...they just croak.
Another safe space species.
vbakatare
Yamadori
for me so far is JBP and Satsukis. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but after a couple of months they both start declining. Not touching JBP for a whole, but still want to try Satsukis again
You definitely should! I lost a couple early on, but bought one last fall. It made it through the winter here and bloomed like crazy. I bought quite a few this spring and they survived being repotted and are setting buds. Try, try again.
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
I think Acacia can be challenging for we gardeners that have to winter inside. My sweet acacia looked good last year but had a lot of dieback this year. I have several I have been growing from seed and I am hoping this makes a difference. If they winter ok I will send you a couple in the spring.
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