Black Locust- Do I have Something?

[JPA IA]

Hello,

I've been interested in bonsai trees for a long time and have done some research on and off. I'm in Eastern Iowa. I spotted this black locust sapling that had been broken off about 12 inches off the ground and has several new branches growing from it. Does this have good potential and what is the best order of operations to collect it and start shaping? I'm unsure if this started from seed or is tied in with a root from a larger tree in the vacinity Thank you.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

The order of operations would be to dig around in the dandruff and see if its own its own roots.
If it is, wait until spring to dig it before leaf emergence. Take as much roots and soil as you can.
Then.. prepare a wooden grow box fit to size, and place it. Tie it down into that box.
You can wire it, but it's better to not stress the ties on the roots. Let it grow for a year and if it responds in good health, you can look at styling and design.
Locusts can grow gnarly branches, so a clip and grow approach would fit it well.

 

[rockm]

I’d leave it alone—for now. Collecting trees is not a great way to begin your bonsai journey. Collecting trees requires not no only bonsai knowledge but a pretty good amount of simple horticultural knowledge. Collection has a very steep learning curve before you get to the steep bonsai learning curve

Also collected trees are not some free source of trees. Everything you dig has a cost in time and labor and resources (skip using bonsai soil on newly collected trees at your peril, for instance).

If youre interested in bonsai get an actual bonsai (doesn’t have to be expensive) learn to care for it and what it takes. Then Move on to collection once you understand the basics

 

[JPA IA]

I’d leave it alone—for now. Collecting trees is not a great way to begin your bonsai journey. Collecting trees requires not no only bonsai knowledge but a pretty good amount of simple horticultural knowledge. Collection has a very steep learning curve before you get to the steep bonsai learning curve

Also collected trees are not some free source of trees. Everything you dig has a cost in time and labor and resources (skip using bonsai soil on newly collected trees at your peril, for instance).

If youre interested in bonsai get an actual bonsai (doesn’t have to be expensive) learn to care for it and what it takes. Then Move on to collection once you understand the basics

I should throw out a little background info. I have done quite a bit of digging young trees and relocating them or potting them for later relocation. I also enjoy starting trees from seeds, planting them and pruning them as they grow. So the collecting aspect doesn't intimidate me much and I don't look at the time involved as a cost because I enjoy being outside and working.

Say it has its own root mass, I dig it up early this spring and get it into a large pot or box and it survives and is putting on growth this summer. The branches coming out of it are all fairly long. Can I knock these back at all this summer or should I just let it go untouched? Then, in the summer of 27, what are my first steps as far starting to manipulate the canopy/future canopy?

Thanks,

 

[JPA IA]

The order of operations would be to dig around in the dandruff and see if its own its own roots.
If it is, wait until spring to dig it before leaf emergence. Take as much roots and soil as you can.
Then.. prepare a wooden grow box fit to size, and place it. Tie it down into that box.
You can wire it, but it's better to not stress the ties on the roots. Let it grow for a year and if it responds in good health, you can look at styling and design.
Locusts can grow gnarly branches, so a clip and grow approach would fit it well.

Thanks for the replay. Explain this clip and grow approach a little more.

 

[rockm]

choosing what to colllect and what to pass up is next on the collection learning curve This isn’t worth the time. There’s nothing remarkable about it.it”s bean pole straight with no suggestion of taper visible. Locust also has got compound leaves which makes the species difficult bonsai material for the most part. Smaller sizes like this one multiply that issue. The trunk is not thick enough to match up with what wil be extremely gangly foliage. Unless there is a spectacular nebari under that leaf cover this isnt even mediocre material. Nebari and taper in the initial third of the trunk is the first thing to consider in likely collection candidates

 

[JPA IA]

choosing what to colllect and what to pass up is next on the collection learning curve This isn’t worth the time. There’s nothing remarkable about it.it”s bean pole straight with no suggestion of taper visible. Locust also has got compound leaves which makes the species difficult bonsai material for the most part. Smaller sizes like this one multiply that issue. The trunk is not thick enough to match up with what wil be extremely gangly foliage. Unless there is a spectacular nebari under that leaf cover this isnt even mediocre material. Nebari and taper in the initial third of the trunk is the first thing to consider in likely collection candidates

Thanks for the feedback. This is just down the hill from my house, so maybe I'll leave it be and look for something more interesting.

 

[ponderingsage]

I believe Locust has a compound leave so just take that into consideration in terms of reducing “leaf” size

 

[Eckhoffw]

My two cents, maybe only worth one penny.

Black locust are not going to lend themselves to bonsai development easily.

If it were me, and I was still in the stages of bonsai mania,I’d go ahead and collect it and see what happens.

If you’re looking for a fabulous or even decent bonsai in a shortish time, this is not the route.

You’ll have to manage course growth with long straight shoots. They are quick to sucker when damaged or pruned. The group I’ve attached likely was a couple trunks to begin with.

However, I still find it very enjoyable just to work with odd species.

I have a black locust grouo in my backyard. I think it’s fairly odd to have black locust as an ornamental tree, but it came with the house. I began to prune it in 2024

 

[Shibui]

Keep looking for something that's worth the bother IMHO.
As mentioned, black locust have a number of down sides as bonsai - compound leaf, propensity to sucker, straight growth pattern, long internodes and thorns!
Chances are high that's a sucker growing from a larger root. Should still be able to cut it off and collect if you want the practice and have some spare space but still not great starting material.

Most of us start out collecting the first trees we see. Try to avoid that urge. Keep looking and invest your time and effort into stock that has potential.
My experience is that a great many trees that looked great at first sight are not great when you have them home. I suspect we look at collections through bonsai coloured glasses which makes ordinary stock look magnificent. As you go about digging they trunks seem to straighten out, any taper you saw disappears and branching turns out to be less than ideal. Trunks that still seemed to have some potential when you get them home have a habit of looking way less attractive after they're potted up and after a few weeks you'll be wondering what you were thinking to even start digging.

There are suitable trees out there and collecting stock for bonsai can be very rewarding but you will have to examine lots and reject most. I probably check maybe 100 possible candidates now before I bother digging one.
Best of luck on the search.

 

[rusticana]

Black locust is one of my favourite trees. I know people hate ithem
But did you know it was the prefered wood for ship building bellow the waterline for its rot resistance. And for fence posts. Strong and tough.
Also just the nature of the tree? From the top of sand dunes right down to the edges of swamps.lt could be a savior slowing environmental degradation. Native? Certainly naturalized.. for bonsai a nightmare.

 

[Attmos]

Black locust is one of my favourite trees. I know people hate ithem
But did you know it was the prefered wood for ship building bellow the waterline for its rot resistance. And for fence posts. Strong and tough.
Also just the nature of the tree? From the top of sand dunes right down to the edges of swamps.lt could be a savior slowing environmental degradation. Native? Certainly naturalized.. for bonsai a nightmare.

As a tree, I love them too.