Went to Home Depot....

[Metalgrootvader]

Looked at thw 50% shrubs and trees. Here are what I found interesting. Please feel free to give thoughts on these species!

Dappled Willow

Rhododendron hybird "Purple Gem"

Dwarf Alberta Spruce

Emerald Green Arborvitae

Leyland Cypress

Had some juniper and boxwood that didn't impress me....

 

[sorce]

• Hearing the juniper and boxwood didn't impress you much, reads, the others may have, which would tell me you aren't searching for the right attributes.

the boxwood should have the "best nebari(surface roots)"

And the junipers are the most "workable".

I wouldn't buy willow. It roots too easy.

The purple gems are useless until they are in 2gl pots. Even most of those suck. Most are from a nursery in havana Florida. Which means they could winter shitty.

Dwarf alberta can work but ive killed 2. Gotta go slow.

Arborvitae can be had free on craigslist allday.

Leyland cypress? Sounds a difficult cultivar.

Back to Box. Juniper. Id buy one of those blind before any of the others.

I don't want to sound know it all.......but when it comes to depot stuff........
I kinda do!

Sorce

 

[JoeR]

I have wanted to work on a dwarf Alberta spruce for a long time. I think they have potential.

What I have heard, but have had no real experience with so take it how you will, is that they will not back bud. At all. Nada.

But they are very hardy, grow almost anywhere, lend themselves to container life well, etc. So they are workable.


Don't waste your time with the azalea.

 

[Vin]

Looked at thw 50% shrubs and trees. Here are what I found interesting. Please feel free to give thoughts on these species!

Dappled Willow

Rhododendron hybird "Purple Gem"

Dwarf Alberta Spruce

Emerald Green Arborvitae

Leyland Cypress

Had some juniper and boxwood that didn't impress me....

Strike one... It's considered unethical to post a thread about trees you purchased (or want to purchase) unless accompanied by photos. Check the Bonsai Nut "Rules and Regulations" on page 89,455 [1]z(56.834). It's in the 22nd column fourth sentence down in the 92nd paragraph.

 

[j evans]

I don't think that they got his money............he was just "browsing". You can find that on the same page but at the bottom in the notes when you turn the page 90 degrees to the right.

 

[Txhorticulture]

Leyland is a hybrid between Alaskan yellow cedar and monterrey cypress. It is a very fast growing very boring tree that really needs a big spot because it gets huge fast.

 

[Metalgrootvader]

Thanks all. I didn't buy any. I didn't want to buy them and find out it was dumb. Money is tight right now so want to spend wisely!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Many times people ask "what is the one bit of advice you would offer someone starting out?" Answer: NO Arborvitae!

Better to start with a small tree, with potential, versus a larger tree, with... less. The first will give you a lifetime of pleasure - even if you never finish it.

 

[augustine]

Skip them all except the azalea

 

[sorce]

I think Alberta may back bud for you.
Others can confirm.

MGV if money is tight. Spend the first on oil dry.
Second on decent scissors, pruners.

Everything else can be had for free.

Never slack on soil!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

And if you want a good azalea, go to wherever them dirty south fellers go.
It ain't the depot!

Of course- I could be wrong. But I'm not!

@Bonsai Nut the first? Dappled willow or small tree?

Thanks!

Sorce

 

[CWTurner]

I visited a Lowes on the NY PA border last week and picked up a couple Japanese yew and birds nest fir in 1 gallon pots for 75% off! Like $5 each!
My local Philly Lowes doesn't carry the Japanese yew.
Happy hunting Metal.
CW

 

[MidMichBonsai]

I would humbly disagree with the suggestion to use the dwarf alberta spruce. They do not respond to wiring AT ALL. The just spring back as soon as you take it off. Deal breaker for me. The only thing you could really use them for is a formal upright...maybe. Much better stock out there to work with...even nursery stock.

My 2 cents...

 

[rockm]

Skip them all, especially the Alberta spruce and --shudder--Leyland cypress.

Alberta spruce may look like bonsai material, but it won't take to wiring very well. ALL of the branching on them will require wiring. The onlyl way to get the branch to set in a more horizontal and less stupid looking position is to undercut it halfway through with a saw at the trunk, then wire it down. Healing can take a while, IF you haven't cut too far through the branch.

The Leyland cypress is just an all-around awful tree, coarse foliage, ungainly branching and it's just plain graceless. Most arborists HATE the full size version, as they are a bastardization of Monterey and Nootka cypress. They're generally only used where fast growing trees are needed to hide something even uglier than Leyland cypress--like catchponds, sewer systems, Kim Kardashian's backyard, etc.

Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) is also called Eastern White cedar. Ancient examples collected along the Niagara Escarpment in New York state and Canada were pretty widely used as excellent bonsai material back in the 90's.

http://torontobonsai.org/galleries/bonsai-varieties/cedar/

 

[Paradox]

Personally I wouldnt buy any of those. I have a Purple Jem Azalea. So far Ive kept it alive but someone I know tried many of them and they all did not survive. I am not sure it will respond well to pruning.
Will know next year when I prune mine heavily to develop better branching.

 

[KennedyMarx]

If I had to get any of those I'd get a juniper. You could wire some movement into the trunk, assuming it's skinny in that little gallon pot, then put it in a pond basket for a couple years to grow out.