Tulip Poplar

[just.wing.it]

So, I see that I could have waited another 2 weeks or so, but it's fine...no prob.

Leaves emerging!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Windstorm knocked a massive tulip magnolia down at my sister's house. The logger got 225 feet of bolts over 24 inches in diameter. They are one of the giants of the forest. Trunk was over 5 feet in diameter just above ground level, maybe 4 feet at dbh.

 

[Dav4]

Windstorm knocked a massive tulip magnolia down at my sister's house. The logger got 225 feet of bolts over 24 inches in diameter. They are one of the giants of the forest. Trunk was over 5 feet in diameter just above ground level, maybe 4 feet at dbh.

They're awesome trees for sure, but shouldn't be deliberately planted anywhere near a house or building. I paid close to a grand to take down an 80 fter in my yard next to the deck... super messy tree and way too big to be that close. Volunteers within a 100 ft radius of my house... on my property... are dealt with extreme prejudice.

 

[MMJNICE]

I do not see any potential for Bonsai with this kind of tree. Massive leaves, massive blooms, long internodes, no ramification....

They are pretty trees, but they are not Bonsai.

Don’t chop it, don’t plant it on a tile, stick it in the ground and let it grow up.

Have you ever tried or known someone that has tried to Bonsai a poplar? I find it funny when people without any experience tell people that what they are doing is a waste of time. I had people.... mostly very Unknowledgeable tell me that trying to make a Bonsai out of a blueberry bush is not worth my time.. but in actuality all they where doing are telling everyone how limited their noliage was of Bonsai. I thought that makeing a Bonsai out of a catalpa tree was really stupid because they have the largest leaves I've ever seen on a tree deciduous but I tried it anyway.. on a full tree the leaves are bigger then dinner plates but under Bonsai growing conditions the leaves reduce down to the size of a 50 cent piece.. be very careful about telling someone that this tree or that tree is horrible for growing in Bonsai conditions unless you have personal experience.

 

[rockm]

Have you ever tried or known someone that has tried to Bonsai a poplar? I find it funny when people without any experience tell people that what they are doing is a waste of time. I had people.... mostly very Unknowledgeable tell me that trying to make a Bonsai out of a blueberry bush is not worth my time.. but in actuality all they where doing are telling everyone how limited their noliage was of Bonsai. I thought that makeing a Bonsai out of a catalpa tree was really stupid because they have the largest leaves I've ever seen on a tree deciduous but I tried it anyway.. on a full tree the leaves are bigger then dinner plates but under Bonsai growing conditions the leaves reduce down to the size of a 50 cent piece.. be very careful about telling someone that this tree or that tree is horrible for growing in Bonsai conditions unless you have personal experience.

Uh, so, let me get this straight...Aside from resurrecting a four year old thread, You fault people who haven't had experience with a particular species advising not to grow it...OK, so, have YOU worked on this species? I mean, encouraging people to grow it (without any experience of your own) is fair game? I'd say the same caution applies. Anyone who has been around the species in the wild and is familiar with bonsai can pretty much see the issues the tree will have. That is how wild species are adopted for bonsai--someone sees traits (vigorous backbudding, dense ramification, shallow roots, etc) that will make it useful in bonsai culture. Tulip poplars don't have much to work with.

The person who told you not to bother with blueberry obviously didn't know what they're talking about. Blueberry has been a bonsai subject for 50 years or more in the U.S.

Show us pictures of your catalpa...

 

[MMJNICE]

Uh, so, let me get this straight...Aside from resurrecting a four year old thread, You fault people who haven't had experience with a particular species advising not to grow it...OK, so, have YOU worked on this species? I mean, encouraging people to grow it (without any experience of your own) is fair game? I'd say the same caution applies. Anyone who has been around the species in the wild and is familiar with bonsai can pretty much see the issues the tree will have. That is how wild species are adopted for bonsai--someone sees traits (vigorous backbudding, dense ramification, shallow roots, etc) that will make it useful in bonsai culture. Tulip poplars don't have much to work with.

The person who told you not to bother with blueberry obviously didn't know what they're talking about. Blueberry has been a bonsai subject for 50 years or more in the U.S.

Show us pictures of your catalpa...

Yup have blueberry and Catalpa trees... three blueberry two Catalpa trees.. they are not much to look at right now but time will see if I've got the nachos to create something nice to look at. I live off Catalpa street in Dayton Ohio where the streets are lined like weeds with ..... ... well you know.. they are absolutely vigorous growers take root pruning well an back bud easy.. I'll give you I have limited experience with them.... not like years of training but what I've seen so far I'm impressed.. and of course I'll jump at the opportunity to post some pictures of what I've been doing cuz I'm new to this group and in bonsai I'm a newbie of sorts cuz lots have been doing this for decades.. I would be inclined towards guessing that your not in for 20 years experience either cuz I would hope someone with that kinda experience wouldn't try to discourage someone from experiencing this hobby with what they have on hand. Not one tree I've acquired be that a success or failure was a waste of time. I've got more than one ugly ducklings but with patience and time and more importantly experience my ugly ducklings are developing into less ugly ducklings hehehehe...

 

[MMJNICE]

Uh, so, let me get this straight...Aside from resurrecting a four year old thread, You fault people who haven't had experience with a particular species advising not to grow it...OK, so, have YOU worked on this species? I mean, encouraging people to grow it (without any experience of your own) is fair game? I'd say the same caution applies. Anyone who has been around the species in the wild and is familiar with bonsai can pretty much see the issues the tree will have. That is how wild species are adopted for bonsai--someone sees traits (vigorous backbudding, dense ramification, shallow roots, etc) that will make it useful in bonsai culture. Tulip poplars don't have much to work with.

The person who told you not to bother with blueberry obviously didn't know what they're talking about. Blueberry has been a bonsai subject for 50 years or more in the U.S.

Show us pictures of your catalpa...

Ohh btw I have a stellar magnolia tree that I'm developing into a bonsai trees.. are those not worth my time as well? Oh course I don't care about your opinion if it's why it's a horrible idea,,,,but advising me how to best develop it best .... .. I'm all ears.. if I haven't made my point yet that's cool.. I really don't like conversations that I can't learn from much,,, but any advice on Blueberries would be much appreciated if you have experience with them.. they have such a shallow root system it's crazy.. the blueberry with the exposed roots has been struggling all this year.. it hasn't put on much growth compared too the same cultivar in the picture with the watering can on the side.. I only want personal experience advising.. I've probably read and see all the videos you can search on Google..

 

[rockm]

Ohh btw I have a stellar magnolia tree that I'm developing into a bonsai trees.. are those not worth my time as well? Oh course I don't care about your opinion if it's why it's a horrible idea,,,,but advising me how to best develop it best .... .. I'm all ears.. if I haven't made my point yet that's cool.. I really don't like conversations that I can't learn from much,,, but any advice on Blueberries would be much appreciated if you have experience with them.. they have such a shallow root system it's crazy.. the blueberry with the exposed roots has been struggling all this year.. it hasn't put on much growth compared too the same cultivar in the picture with the watering can on the side.. I only want personal experience advising.. I've probably read and see all the videos you can search on Google..

Wow. Nope didn't say anything about any other species (and BTW Magnolia Stellata is a traditional bonsai subject. It responds to bonsai culture pretty well. Had a few myself. Sold them off). Blueberry is much the same for native bonsai material. It's been used for decades.

Good luck with the catalpa and Tulip poplar.