Yamadori identification

[dr.tenebris]

So I collected around three of these guys to practice some bonsai techniques on some older trees (not very successfully in some instances but I digress)

I believe this is an invasive species and I do believe it to be some kind of sumac, possibly the poisonous variety... But I'm completely unsure, this one in the photo was growing against the ground and I just loved the look of that loop, I did just cut off the dead/excess from it so it pushes growth through
But and identification assistance would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Shibui]

Hard to ID with the half open leaves.
Maybe give it another few weeks and add another photo when the leaves are fully open and hardened.

 

[dr.tenebris]

Hard to ID with the half open leaves.
Maybe give it another few weeks and add another photo when the leaves are fully open and hardened.

Much appreciated! Will do

 

[dr.tenebris]

Hard to ID with the half open leaves.
Maybe give it another few weeks and add another photo when the leaves are fully open and hardened.

So I have one the sprouted much earlier..

They do like making new trees through the roots as well,

Cuttings smell like peanut butter but not rotting like the Internet describes the poison sumac

 

[ShadyStump]

Looks like sumac to me.
Not bad for learning on, but not great for bonsai generally speaking. That pic with you holding the leaves up; that whole thing is actually one big compound leaf. That's not a branch with many leaves, it's one giant leaf.

And the new branches take all season to lignify. That means they won't start turning woody until the end of the season, after they've grown huge.

I have no idea what applying bonsai techniques will do to that, but if you're feeling experimental let us know how restricted roots and low nutrients effect its growth.

 

[dr.tenebris]

Looks like sumac to me.
Not bad for learning on, but not great for bonsai generally speaking. That pic with you holding the leaves up; that whole thing is actually one big compound leaf. That's not a branch with many leaves, it's one giant leaf.

And the new branches take all season to lignify. That means they won't start turning woody until the end of the season, after they've grown huge.

I have no idea what applying bonsai techniques will do to that, but if you're feeling experimental let us know how restricted roots and low nutrients effect its growth.

Will do! I have a good one downstairs that has decent shape (the one in the photo above is a failure in my mind, was practicing wiring techniques and it's a pretty rigid thing so it had a snap in the trunk... Still seems to be alive tho so definitely good for practice thing is hardy)

 

[ShadyStump]

Will do! I have a good one downstairs that has decent shape (the one in the photo above is a failure in my mind, was practicing wiring techniques and it's a pretty rigid thing so it had a snap in the trunk... Still seems to be alive tho so definitely good for practice thing is hardy)

Yeah, I've noticed that just when clearing them from the yard. They are an all-or-nothing sort of tree.
They do tend to make nice poles should you need them. Built a garden fence from sumac saplings from the yard at an old house a few years ago. By the time you need to reinforce or replace a pole, the stump from last time has already grown more for you. LoL

 

[dr.tenebris]

Yeah, I've noticed that just when clearing them from the yard. They are an all-or-nothing sort of tree.
They do tend to make nice poles should you need them. Built a garden fence from sumac saplings from the yard at an old house a few years ago. By the time you need to reinforce or replace a pole, the stump from last time has already grown more for you. LoL

XD yeah, I saw hundreds of stumps and new shoots coming up and I was like "yeah they won't mind if I grab one or two as they are clearly loosing this fight"

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I can't tell that it's not sumac. It does look like a handful of sumacs we have in the Midwest. But your comment about smelling like peanut butter makes me think of Ailanthus altissimus, better known as tree of heaven and stink tree. It's an invasive, Asian species. Has compound leaves that could look like sumac. . . . or it's something else. I couldn't say for sure.

 

[Michael P]

Another vote for Ailanthus altissima.

 

[dr.tenebris]

I can't tell that it's not sumac. It does look like a handful of sumacs we have in the Midwest. But your comment about smelling like peanut butter makes me think of Ailanthus altissimus, better known as tree of heaven and stink tree. It's an invasive, Asian species. Has compound leaves that could look like sumac. . . . or it's something else. I couldn't say for sure.

They are related I believe

 

[ShadyStump]

Could be.
The ones around here tend to grow long spurs, but I suppose that may be local growing conditions.

 

[Shibui]

Tree of Heaven was one possibility but I would not have described the smell as peanut butter?
Tree of heaven leaves are more shiny but the leaves shown so far are still immature which is why I suggested showing fully open leaves when they are available.
Some compound leaf species are differentiated by the arrangement of the leaflets. These have a single terminal leaflet which is also right for tree of heaven but also a number of other species.

Compound leaves can be reduced for bonsai by cutting the leaf to size. Cut through the stem leaving just 1 or 2 pairs of the lower leaflets on each leaf stem. That still makes the leaves large but better than the entire large leaf.

 

[Dabbler]

I was gonna say honey locust but I can't really see much in the pics - maybe sumac

 

[dr.tenebris]

Sorry if it was still too soon! I've been trying to figure it out since I collected it back in December, the snow had melted and it was very spring like outside so I had gone for a walk.

Needless to say I've been driving myself crazy with this. I'll probably know when it flowers for sure! Thank you everyone