Traken Autumn Olive

Traken

Traken

Shohin
Messages
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Location
Western Chicago 'burbs
USDA Zone
5b
In this latest episode of Tales from @Leo in N E Illinois's back yard, I bring you an autumn olive that was way... waaaaaay too much of a pain to dig. The wife and I were at Leo's farm to pick blueberries, and even though it's not an ideal time to harvest, I still always try to rip out some weed trees, one to help clear some field space, and two to get some material to play with. If they die, it's one less weed, and since they tend to be invasives, they're usually pretty robust. This particular one probably took 30 minutes or more to rip out of the ground. It had some pretty substantial roots underneath that were a pain to get to and through.

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It has a pretty substantial root ball with original soil that I backfilled with every single speck of pumice I had. lol. I love large trees, but every time I dig one, I wonder why I put myself through the process and waste of materials. haha.

Thanks, as always, Leo for letting us come out and for putting up with me making holes on your property. ;D
 
And just like the good weed tree it is, it's starting to push buds all over the place.

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There are actually a bunch starting all over the place, but these were easier to see/get pics of. Heh.
 
Traken said:
And just like the good weed tree it is, it's starting to push buds all over the place.

View attachment 317905

View attachment 317906

There are actually a bunch starting all over the place, but these were easier to see/get pics of. Heh.
Click to expand...

They backbud like steroidal acne! It’s honestly ridiculous.. 🤣🤣

I’ll say it again, “I LOVE Elaeagnus!”
 
It was fun having you and your wife on the farm. For all concerned, proper spacial distances were observed.

None of us remembered to get a before picture. But the Elaeagnus was at least 15 to 20 feet tall and possibly equal in diameter as far as spreading branches. It is covered with thousands of tiny fragrant white flowers in spring, a little after apple blossom time. Then in late middle or late September the small gray fruit turn reddish brown with silvery speckles, and then the birds begin to "love" the tree.

When collecting, the whole point of collecting trees is to avoid the decades needed to get a "fat trunk" if one were to grow from seed or nursery stock. Essential to look at larger trees, and think, "how do I bring it down for bonsai" rather than "how to grow it up for bonsai". Important tools, a good sharp spade, the "Root Slayer" is excellent. Other branches work, the standard garden spade is really slow to work with. A gandy dancer's shovel, aka, trenching spade, is not bad either. The battery operated reciprocating saw with a demolition blade (cuts both wood and nails and what not) is extremely useful. Tracken "got it" in terms of go big or go home. LOL.

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and they also got a fair amount of fresh, no spray organic blueberries.

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Leo in N E Illinois said:
It was fun having you and your wife on the farm. For all concerned, proper spacial distances were observed.

None of us remembered to get a before picture. But the Elaeagnus was at least 15 to 20 feet tall and possibly equal in diameter as far as spreading branches. It is covered with thousands of tiny fragrant white flowers in spring, a little after apple blossom time. Then in late middle or late September the small gray fruit turn reddish brown with silvery speckles, and then the birds begin to "love" the tree.

When collecting, the whole point of collecting trees is to avoid the decades needed to get a "fat trunk" if one were to grow from seed or nursery stock. Essential to look at larger trees, and think, "how do I bring it down for bonsai" rather than "how to grow it up for bonsai". Important tools, a good sharp spade, the "Root Slayer" is excellent. Other branches work, the standard garden spade is really slow to work with. A gandy dancer's shovel, aka, trenching spade, is not bad either. The battery operated reciprocating saw with a demolition blade (cuts both wood and nails and what not) is extremely useful. Tracken "got it" in terms of go big or go home. LOL.

View attachment 317921

View attachment 317922

View attachment 317923

and they also got a fair amount of fresh, no spray organic blueberries.

View attachment 317927

View attachment 317928
Click to expand...

I have to Travel outside of my standard verbiage to say something about those blueberries....

DAAAAYUUUUM!
 
Leo in N E Illinois said:
It was fun having you and your wife on the farm. For all concerned, proper spacial distances were observed.

None of us remembered to get a before picture. But the Elaeagnus was at least 15 to 20 feet tall and possibly equal in diameter as far as spreading branches. It is covered with thousands of tiny fragrant white flowers in spring, a little after apple blossom time. Then in late middle or late September the small gray fruit turn reddish brown with silvery speckles, and then the birds begin to "love" the tree.

When collecting, the whole point of collecting trees is to avoid the decades needed to get a "fat trunk" if one were to grow from seed or nursery stock. Essential to look at larger trees, and think, "how do I bring it down for bonsai" rather than "how to grow it up for bonsai". Important tools, a good sharp spade, the "Root Slayer" is excellent. Other branches work, the standard garden spade is really slow to work with. A gandy dancer's shovel, aka, trenching spade, is not bad either. The battery operated reciprocating saw with a demolition blade (cuts both wood and nails and what not) is extremely useful. Tracken "got it" in terms of go big or go home. LOL.

View attachment 317921

View attachment 317922

View attachment 317923

and they also got a fair amount of fresh, no spray organic blueberries.

View attachment 317927

View attachment 317928
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm the literal worst when it comes to taking before pics of anything. I always forget until I'm halfway into it. heh. Also heck yeah to that root slayer. That thing has paid for itself many times already. As always, thanks for having us out, Leo.
 
Is this Eleagnus /Autumn Olive the same as Russian Olive which is an invasive pest in river valleys down New Mexico?
Which species is it?
We dont have them growing wild here in Britain, only as a landscape plant- normally E. ebbingei or E. pungens maculata, but I personally cant see the attraction as a subject for bonsai!!
 
AJL said:
Is this Eleagnus /Autumn Olive the same as Russian Olive which is an invasive pest in river valleys down New Mexico?
Which species is it?
We dont have them growing wild here in Britain, only as a landscape plant- normally E. ebbingei or E. pungens maculata, but I personally cant see the attraction as a subject for bonsai!!
Click to expand...

Autumn Olive is, I believe, Elaeagnus umbellata, whereas Russian Olive is Elaeagnus angustifolia. It looks like they're both invasives, though. While they can be terrible in the landscape for taking over and being aggressive, sometimes the invasives can be super handy for bonsai, because they're so hard to kill, that you can thoroughly abuse them, and they'll still bounce back.
 
AJL said:
Is this Eleagnus /Autumn Olive the same as Russian Olive which is an invasive pest in river valleys down New Mexico?
Which species is it?
We dont have them growing wild here in Britain, only as a landscape plant- normally E. ebbingei or E. pungens maculata, but I personally cant see the attraction as a subject for bonsai!!
Click to expand...

Russian Olives (Elaeagnus Augustifolia) are different.. I have both here.. and honestly.. Elaegnus Umbellatta (Autumn Olive) is my FAVORITE native species to work with.... i have never attempted to collect an Augustifolia... butFall IS almost here...

Maybe an “acquired taste” .. thing.
 
Traken said:
Autumn Olive is, I believe, Elaeagnus umbellata, whereas Russian Olive is Elaeagnus angustifolia. It looks like they're both invasives, though. While they can be terrible in the landscape for taking over and being aggressive, sometimes the invasives can be super handy for bonsai, because they're so hard to kill, that you can thoroughly abuse them, and they'll still bounce back.
Click to expand...

Dang-it!... beat me to it.... barely. 😂😂😂
 
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