What's the most you have ever spent on a single tree? (finished or pre-bonsai or yamadori or raw stock)

[IzzyG]

Such an amazing tree! Out of curiosity. Since the pallet is the stand. Have you considered having a decorative pallet made?

The tree is being repotted this Spring so it’ll unlikely be on the pallet long term. I will likely build a long term stand for it once we’ve figured out the overall size.

 

[rockm]

The most I’ve spent on a piece of raw material:

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The most I’ve spent on a piece of styled tree:

View attachment 526092

How much that thing weigh? Glad you found a pot for it. I'm sensitive to both issues since I just got a new pot for my big oak. The new pot weighs 55 lbs unfilled by itself. Good thinking to keep a pallet underneath it for the forklift to move it.

 

[BrightsideB]

The tree is being repotted this Spring so it’ll unlikely be on the pallet long term. I will likely build a long term stand for it once we’ve figured out the overall size.

Really cool! I think I phrased my question wrong. I meant like a decorative stand that could functioned as a pallet would in a discreet way. I don’t know how these huge masterpieces are moved around. But I always see huge bonsai on a pallet most the time so I figured a forklift.

 

[IzzyG]

How much that thing weigh? Glad you found a pot for it. I'm sensitive to both issues since I just got a new pot for my big oak. The new pot weighs 55 lbs unfilled by itself. Good thinking to keep a pallet underneath it for the forklift to move it.

Bjorn’s one seed is about 600lbs on the pallet right now but it’s definitely overpotted. @NaoTK is helping build a custom container for it. I’d imagine it’ll end up being around 300-ish lbs once repotted.

 

[IzzyG]

Really cool! I think I phrased my question wrong. I meant like a decorative stand that could functioned as a pallet would in a discreet way. I don’t know how these huge masterpieces are moved around. But I always see huge bonsai on a pallet most the time so I figured a forklift.

I started building more aesthetically pleasing stands for the trees this past year and for the larger ones, I’ve been leaving space underneath for the pallet jack or skidsteer to pick up easily. Admittedly I try to not move them if I don’t have to

 

[rockm]

Bjorn’s one seed is about 600lbs on the pallet right now but it’s definitely overpotted. @NaoTK is helping build a custom container for it. I’d imagine it’ll end up being around 300-ish lbs once repotted.

I have friends with an old huge Chinese elm about that size. Pot is a bit bigger. They built a custom reinforced stand to support it and have to build a temporary shed around it in the winter for shelter from the coldest weather. They move it with a forklift. It's about 900 lbs.

 

[BobbyLane]

It's not complicated. US vs USSR standard of living. China now vs China 1960. There are hundreds of examples.

If you unknowingly drop 18k on a tree, without being lied to, is it really the sellers fault?

Is it any worse than buying seedlings online and not getting a well rooted stick? In any way but scale? Except in this case, the buyer knows exactly what they're getting. You call it a rip off, but if a buyer and a seller agree on a price, again, who are you to say otherwise.

How is it any different than selling a ceramic pots worth about $100 for $5000?

Now the online sellers that lie about the ages of their saplings, or even throw some crazy age on a prebonsai, I'll grab a pitchfork right along side ya.

That'll be my last contribution to thread drift.

Back on Topic, I suspect I'll exceed my "most paid" number when being able to visit my first in person convention this April.

Somewhat agree. and in regard to the 'or make an offer' option, if the buyer doesn't think the tree is worth the asking price, make an offer. Thats what its there for.
To add to that, we live in an age where it only takes a few seconds to do some market research.

 

[IzzyG]

I have friends with an old huge Chinese elm about that size. Pot is a bit bigger. They built a custom reinforced stand to support it and have to build a temporary shed around it in the winter for shelter from the coldest weather. They move it with a forklift. It's about 900 lbs.

My skid steer maxes out at 600lbs(I’ve technically moved a 700+lb tree on it but it was sketchy) and I’m using it’s inability to move anything bigger as my self imposed limit on tree size

 

[BobbyLane]

Buyers can in fact know better with some research.
I was recently looking for a pendant light I'd seen trending for 2024 on pintrest. They have it for £60 in Homebase, upon searching amazon I found a good quality replica for a fraction of the price at £20, with great reviews, because I always read reviews before purchasing anything. Want to save a few pennies do your research.

 

[pandacular]

I’m happy to report that I can update my vote in this poll! I had to get another yamadori Tsuga mertensiana from Anton Nijhuis’ final haul.

…and I swear I didn’t just buy it to get this thread back on topic.

 

[leatherback]

I’m happy to report that I can update my vote in this poll! I had to get another yamadori Tsuga mertensiana from Anton Nijhuis’ final haul.

…and I swear I didn’t just buy it to get this thread back on topic.

I bet you did! Pictures or it did not heppan!

 

[pandacular]

Snuck out of the demo to snag a pic. Lower end of the $500-999 range.

 

[NaoTK]

Bjorn’s one seed is about 600lbs on the pallet right now but it’s definitely overpotted. @NaoTK is helping build a custom container for it. I’d imagine it’ll end up being around 300-ish lbs once repotted.

Nobody is more surprised than me

 

[IzzyG]

Nobody is more surprised than me

I have to send out my heartfelt gratitude to @Sansokuu for talking you into it!

 

[Weta]

Lifting that mass could be interesting

 

[Esolin]

Does it count if you bought a house and the tree was in the yard?

Otherwise I'm a cheapskate. $70 is about the most I've ever spent. $100 if you count a workshop-provided tree, which was pretty ugly, actually.

 

[JackHammer]

I picked up a scotch pine at a nursery with a $250 price tag. But it was the end of summer and in the reject pile so i got it 70% off. I guess no one wanted a super fat pine tree that was only 9 inches tall... That will likely be my best tree for the immediate future. I will start working on it this summer.

 

[Sansokuu]

I have to send out my heartfelt gratitude to @Sansokuu for talking you into it!

I talk him into doing a lot of things, some things questionable in hindsight.

 

[snowman04]

Lifting that mass could be interesting View attachment 526263

That's nice mass!!!

 

[Scrogdor]

When I go looking for a tree, I'm looking for around 200-400. I've found that's sweet spot for fun material to work on, and so that I also don't have an issue selling at cost if I want to move on from it and get something else. My collection has gotten to the point where I don't spend my own money anymore, just move one tree and get another .

Spent a lot of money on really cheap trees early, only to realize I didn't have the space to watch them "thicken" in a pot for 10 years living in an apartment.