PierreR
Shohin
Any body successful at Bonsai-ing these? These grow all over here, some in ditches are really stunted, this one is about 3 1/2' tall. as an example...
Poplar/aspen?
- Thread starter PierreR
- Start date
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Its been said they are short lived Pioneer species.
Easy branch loss.
I'd do it though!
Sorce
Easy branch loss.
I'd do it though!
Sorce
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Agree with both. Short lifespan for tree, but root mass can live thousands of years. Will lose lower branches as soon as they are shaded. They are a magnet for pathogens and insects. Can get a nasty and fatal trunk canker. As you live in their natural range, would be an interesting species to play with. Not sure I'd advise it if outside their range though.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
No.
PierreR
Shohin
Haha! You have tried Mike? Are they that big of a PITA?
My dang neck is sore. Since starting this thread, I have been looking while at work. Its tough to scout out trees from the truck doing 80!
I got out and looked at maybe a dozen in the past couple days. Some had 4-5" bases, but 5-6' tall. Found a couple with 2" bases, under 3' tall. Do these trees back bud at all?I dug up a couple old threads on this forum, there were a couple nice trees, but comments by a couple people mention that they didn't take well to pruning.
michaelj
Chumono
I have some cottonwood, and they are not turning out to be very well suited for life in a pot.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
They don't really take or lend themselves to bonsai culture. As pointed out before they tend to drop branches. If you look at large ones all or most of the foliage is at the top of the tree and tips of branches. They and birch are pioneer trees. They are the first into an area. They die,they grow,they die. As they are dieing and growing and losing branches they get the ground ready for the real trees like the oaks and maples.
And I'm not so sure about chopping one hard. Under stress they will abandon the tree and sprout out of the ground like grass. That's how hunt clubs here provide a natural source of food for deer. Cut all of the poplar off of the property and it sprouts out like mad. The deer love the buds in spring.
And I'm not so sure about chopping one hard. Under stress they will abandon the tree and sprout out of the ground like grass. That's how hunt clubs here provide a natural source of food for deer. Cut all of the poplar off of the property and it sprouts out like mad. The deer love the buds in spring.
PierreR
Shohin
Ah, now I understand. Thanks Mike.
I am growing mine in 1/2" perlite, pumice and chopped spag. Disease and bugs dig them. Unstable branch dropper die-back queens. I am going with lots of fert and systemic insecticide--so far so good--it had lots of borer holes. My focus is to keep trunk alive and let the top be what it is--for now I am establishing the thing--it's growing good. Here is how it looked when I first started with it:
Attachments
Haven't mowed the lawn for a week. All the "weeds" you see are aspen root sprouts.
More in the landscape beds. Parent trees in the background. Perhaps the culture method should be to establish a tree in a pot, chop the trunk off at soil level and presto! Instant forest planting!
Insects and pathogens aren't the only things that attack aspen.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
We've got a lot of these in our back field. I tried prepping some to dig a couple of years ago (by digging around the trunks in the fall) and they died. We have a lot of seedlings that have volunteered elsewhere in our yard and I'm going to try digging a few of these. Since they're not so established with extensive root systems, I think I'll have a better chance of success. Thinking they might be good for a small group planting so that branch loss, which seems to be an issue, won't be such a big deal. Time will tell.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
They grow readily from root cuttings obviously.
wireme
Masterpiece
Crust, did you get much root with that initially?
I agree with a lot of the comments on suitability for bonsai culture but I've located a couple with believe it or not, really outstanding trunks. They are in rockslides, pretty sure I would only get a long runner root and feeders are unlikely so I left them be for now.
Wire me,
My tree is a ice smashed tree. Pretty gnarly. It was growing on rock adjunct to big water and ice shelves torn at it every year. It came away with a small amount of root but it was fibrous and I knew it would live. It seems to love the mix it is in and roots are everywhere now. I don't know if they transplant well without much for roots but when I worked at a arboretum the old guy running it said they they resented movement and died back easily when dug--who knows. I can tell you the sound of the shimmering leaves is nice. Next year I plan on transplanting into a slightly nicer container but still deep one, and cutting the gangling branches back and let it grow.
My tree is a ice smashed tree. Pretty gnarly. It was growing on rock adjunct to big water and ice shelves torn at it every year. It came away with a small amount of root but it was fibrous and I knew it would live. It seems to love the mix it is in and roots are everywhere now. I don't know if they transplant well without much for roots but when I worked at a arboretum the old guy running it said they they resented movement and died back easily when dug--who knows. I can tell you the sound of the shimmering leaves is nice. Next year I plan on transplanting into a slightly nicer container but still deep one, and cutting the gangling branches back and let it grow.
wireme
Masterpiece
Thanks, was kind of hoping to hear you lopped off a sucker underground and it did fine.. I'll probably try one if I can get back to that spot at the right time.
The shimmering of the leaves is nice, my driveway is lined with them, trembling aspen, leaves tremble in the slightest breeze. Lots of leafminers on my driveway trees this year, kind of cool designs they make.
PierreR
Shohin
Ok, so there has been success to a point. Gonn keep my eyes open, they grow rampant around here. There sems to be three if not 4 different thrre, in the same family? The smaller leafed variety, has leaves dime to nickle sized. The largest has leaves 4-5" long. The one with the smaller leaves, seems to be naturally stunted. Some trees I saw today, were 12-16 feet tall, with trunks 8- 10" across. The lergest variety had trunks 16-24" and 50-60' tall. Gonna look for a runt with a thicker trunk. See what happens.
Thanks for the pictures and guidance.
Thanks for the pictures and guidance.
wireme
Masterpiece
Yeah there is some variety within the species. The very good ones I found but didn't collect belong to a named subspecies only found in a small geographic area. I only know that because my mom took botany courses there when she was a university student. They have better natural growth habits than typical aspen.
Also, google the twisted forest of Saskatchewan for some interesting aspen images.
Leaves 4-5" longs seems a bit big for aspen unless they are in really favorable conditions, maybe those were cottonwood? Still part of the populus family. There are a lot of trees that can be called poplar.
Giver a shot, chop one off that's only fed by a long sucker root and tell me if it lives.
Also, google the twisted forest of Saskatchewan for some interesting aspen images.
Leaves 4-5" longs seems a bit big for aspen unless they are in really favorable conditions, maybe those were cottonwood? Still part of the populus family. There are a lot of trees that can be called poplar.
Giver a shot, chop one off that's only fed by a long sucker root and tell me if it lives.
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PierreR
Shohin
that place is 2 hours drive east of me. Need to find an excuse to go there.
wireme
Masterpiece
Worth a trip I'll bet, looks like a fun place to see.
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