Hello, I’m not necessarily new to bonsai however, I am new to yamadori. I’m about to graduate for forestry and would like to collect native species. I have marked out a few trees I found on private property for spring and would appreciate some insight. The tree in question is a Ohio buckeye (I know the leaves won’t reduce well) is this tree suitable for yamadori?
Advice for yamadori Ohio buckeye
- Thread starter SnoderlyD
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rockm
Spuds Moyogi
ANY native tree is suitable for collection if it's got some potential. It's about dealing with it and if the effort is worth it. Buckeye has compound leaves which is its biggest drawback IMO. That can be minimized if the tree to be collected is large and substantial enough to support the leaves physically and visually. The trunk you have pictured is pretty good has character and looks like it has some substance--although it's hard to tell how big it is from the photo. Compound leaves require a very large trunk to match up to the leaf mass.
Do you know how northern spicebush fares as bonsai?
I have a few of those in the yard, and it has been a slow grower- might be a long project. Another thought is the witch hazel, such a pretty bloom - I've seen those, nice subject.
B
PaulH
Omono
I have collected California buckeye and while the leaves do reduce somewhat you still need a big tree for it to look right. They backbud well on the trunk but are difficult to create good ramification.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Don't collect it until spring. The top ten feet or so of the trunk are not going to be used. You will reduce the tree substantially at collection.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
I agree. Buckeye fits into the same category with other large-leafed compound trees that I enjoy - like walnut, hickory, ash...
I'd enjoy them in landscape, but skip them for bonsai.
I just put a some flagging tape on it to collect later, I do understand it may not be traditional or easy to do but buckeye was my grandfathers favorite tree who passed away last month and I have searched high and low for a good specimen. Do you have any advice or ideas on making a buckeye somewhat work. It is a pretty substantial tree and is growing in loose rock and shouldn’t be TOO difficult to collect later on
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Best advice is to find a BIG trunk--in excess of five inches in diameter--with character to work on. This one looks on the smaller side of big, but it might work. At least it has movement.
Bigger is better with compound leafed species.
To tell if this one is collectible, give the trunk a shove. It if moves at soil level a bit, it probably is. If it acts like it's stuck in cement and doesn't wiggle even a little at ground level collecting it will be a challenge. Stony soil can mean BIG stones underground, which can complicate collection.
I collect most deciduous trees using a cordless reciprocating saw and a hand trowel. Shovels are mostly useless. I saw all roots in a six to seven inches out from the trunk all the way around the tree. Then sever tap roots. I don't save any field soil and rinse what is there off completely when I get home from the collection trip and plant the tree out in a growing container.
That techniques works for many deciduous trees, but haven't tried it on buckeye. If the species is a vigorous grower, it should work OK, though.
I lightly kinda pushed the tree, the soil and whole tree moved slightly but keep in mind I was very gentle when I did this
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I'd bet the majority of that tree's roots are back up inside the slope behind it and I'd bet they're pretty extensive.
Even though the tree and soil are so loose? there was a witch hazel I also had my eye on but gave that thought up because it had absolutely no give at all. Here are more pictures of the tree and surrounding area
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rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Yup. That tree is growing on a slope and that's not an easy place to do that. It's anchored somewhere back up the hill. That is shakes easily could mean it's mostly a single trunk moving back into the hill, where it's feeder roots are. Could be quite a distance. Of course I have no way of knowing any of this. It's just intuition. You will find out exactly what the sitch is when you start to get it out.
I appreciate your advice, thank you
Tiny Leaves
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I started bonsai in 1964 and soon tried California Buckeye. The secret is this:
Clip all the leaves off. They will grow in smaller.
Clip them off again ... smaller still.
The smallest you can get is about 1 3/4 inches diameter with short internodes.
Try to go smaller, you'll kill the tree.
Do it less than once every 5 years, you'll kill the tree.
When you force a second or third
flush, the tree is using up dwindling reserves.
The smallest leaves come when the tree is literally starving.
My best buckeye was several years old, 3" tall, with three thin trunks, short internodes, and several branches.
Sorry, I lost all my photos in a computer crash.
Clip all the leaves off. They will grow in smaller.
Clip them off again ... smaller still.
The smallest you can get is about 1 3/4 inches diameter with short internodes.
Try to go smaller, you'll kill the tree.
Do it less than once every 5 years, you'll kill the tree.
When you force a second or third
flush, the tree is using up dwindling reserves.
The smallest leaves come when the tree is literally starving.
My best buckeye was several years old, 3" tall, with three thin trunks, short internodes, and several branches.
Sorry, I lost all my photos in a computer crash.
Gabler
Masterpiece
Did you intentionally choose the username "Tiny Leaves" in order to give advice on how to get tiny leaves?
