Collecting Advice Needed

[Huggz13]

I’ve got a sizable area of overgrown undeveloped land and small creek at the back of my property that I’m sure has some decent Bonsai material (no late night ninja missions here).

I won’t dig something simply because it’s free and available if it’s not suitable material.
And if I find some really good candidates I’ll likely leave them until I have more collecting experience (so I don’t kill them)

What I need to know is which of these I should avoid and not waste my time with and why, and maybe which of these might be best for a beginner.

What I know is back there:
Live Oak
Turkey Oak
Southern Magnolia (leaves and flowers are probably too big)
Dogwood
Boxwood (I think I read that they don’t heal wounds too well)
Chinese Tallow (we call them Popcorn Trees in the south - grow like crazy and have cool craggy bark)
Yaupon Holly
Slash Pine (needles might be too long)

What might be back there:
Azaleas
Red Maple

Other stuff I have plenty of that I can take from:
Loropetalum Carolina Midnight
Creeping Juniper (might make a decent cascade)
Needlepoint (Chinese) Holly

 

[Shibui]

I only know a few of the species mentioned and some only by reputation.
Boxwood transplants easily and is tough so suitable for beginners. It's true they grow slow and take time to heal over cuts so all the better to start sooner. consider converting unwanted branches to dead wood features instead of removing and leaving a scar.

Yaupon holly is frequently mentioned as collectable and good for bonsai.

Azaleas are great for bonsai and transplant very easily. Most back bud on bare wood readily so easy to reduce the length of branches and trunks.

Loropetalum transplants easily but may be slow to recover and grow again.

Junipers can be tricky to transplant but many species make great bonsai. Do not limit design to cascade. Cascade bonsai are amongst the most difficult to do well but prostrate junipers make great upright bonsai just by altering planting angle and wiring branches upward until they set in place.

Red maple (assume this is Acer rubrum?) is hardy and can be used but many growers avoid it because of large leaves and long internodes. Probably a good species to practice transplant techniques on.

Pines in general can be more difficult to transplant. Slash pine is one of the tougher ones but the long needles can make bonsai difficult.
Oaks are also more difficult to transplant but it can be done with some care. The live oak I am familiar with has smaller leaves so is Ok for bonsai but slow growing down here. Turkey oak has large leaves so not such a good choice for bonsai.
Not familiar enough with magnolia or dogwood too offer assistance.

 

[chicago1980]

Go join a bonsai club if available in your area.

They will help you with a lot of those questions and how to collect the material

 

[Huggz13]

I only know a few of the species mentioned and some only by reputation.
Boxwood transplants easily and is tough so suitable for beginners. It's true they grow slow and take time to heal over cuts so all the better to start sooner. consider converting unwanted branches to dead wood features instead of removing and leaving a scar.

Yaupon holly is frequently mentioned as collectable and good for bonsai.

Azaleas are great for bonsai and transplant very easily. Most back bud on bare wood readily so easy to reduce the length of branches and trunks.

Loropetalum transplants easily but may be slow to recover and grow again.

Junipers can be tricky to transplant but many species make great bonsai. Do not limit design to cascade. Cascade bonsai are amongst the most difficult to do well but prostrate junipers make great upright bonsai just by altering planting angle and wiring branches upward until they set in place.

Red maple (assume this is Acer rubrum?) is hardy and can be used but many growers avoid it because of large leaves and long internodes. Probably a good species to practice transplant techniques on.

Pines in general can be more difficult to transplant. Slash pine is one of the tougher ones but the long needles can make bonsai difficult.
Oaks are also more difficult to transplant but it can be done with some care. The live oak I am familiar with has smaller leaves so is Ok for bonsai but slow growing down here. Turkey oak has large leaves so not such a good choice for bonsai.
Not familiar enough with magnolia or dogwood too offer assistance.

Thank you so much.
Exactly what I needed.

And yes, Red Maple (Acer Rubrum).

 

[Huggz13]

Go join a bonsai club if available in your area.

They will help you with a lot of those questions and how to collect the material

I tried to join a Bonsai Club.
They haven’t met since Covid kicked off 2 years ago.
Haven’t posted on their FB in 2 years.
And haven’t returned my emails in over a month now.

If there’s a club, it exists in name only because it’s not active and not responsive.
Much better chance to learn on here.

But thanks though.

 

[BrianBay9]

Of the group you mentioned live oak, boxwood, azaleas and holly are strong candidates, depending on the individual. No bald cypress? Elms? Hackberry?

 

[Huggz13]

Of the group you mentioned live oak, boxwood, azaleas and holly are strong candidates, depending on the individual. No bald cypress? Elms? Hackberry?

Thanks.

No cypress or elms back there as far as I know. Haven’t been back there in about 2 years. Almost stepped on a cottonmouth last time I was in there.

No Hackberry either, but there’s Chinese Tallow which are basically the same.

 

[BrianBay9]

Thanks.

No cypress or elms back there as far as I know. Haven’t been back there in about 2 years. Almost stepped on a cottonmouth last time I was in there.

No Hackberry either, but there’s Chinese Tallow which are basically the same.

Not familiar with chinese tallow, but from a quick read it sounds like you should dig it out whether you use if for bonsai stock or not.

 

[Huggz13]

Not familiar with chinese tallow, but from a quick read it sounds like you should dig it out whether you use if for bonsai stock or not.

Yeah they’re invasive and spread like mad here in the south from bird droppings. Like the tree version of kudzu.

I could dig them all and they’d come right back.

They grow very fast, have really cool craggy bark, grow in any kind of soil and pH, full sun or shade, they’re heat and drought and moisture tolerant, and you can hack them down to a stump any time of year and they’ll still grow right back, and have some nice fall color - sounds like a good Bonsai to me.

 

[crab apple]

The complaint I hear from Chinese tallow is that branches often die for no reason. I've heard it can make a good bonsai but you might get die back on a favored branch for no particular reason. I'm trying a few cuz they re so abundant but waiting to see if they're gonna wake up this spring after digging and transplanting, so far only know what I've read on line.

 

[SWfloirda]

Chinese Tallow sounds interesting. I have heard it is suitable for zone 10 and invasive but I'm not sure if there is any in my area.

 

[Huggz13]

The complaint I hear from Chinese tallow is that branches often die for no reason. I've heard it can make a good bonsai but you might get die back on a favored branch for no particular reason. I'm trying a few cuz they re so abundant but waiting to see if they're gonna wake up this spring after digging and transplanting, so far only know what I've read on line.

Ah good to know, brother.
Keep me updated on its progress.

They’re everywhere around here as you know, so I’ve definitely got to give them a try.

 

[Huggz13]

Chinese Tallow sounds interesting. I have heard it is suitable for zone 10 and invasive but I'm not sure if there is any in my area.

They’ve really got most of the qualities that one could wish for in a Bonsai - at least for a beginner anyway.

I’m sure they’re around down south too, although maybe not as abundant as up here in the panhandle.

Most people up here refer to them as Popcorn Trees.

 

[TinyArt]

You got me curious about Chinese Tallow -- I think I've seen it here in central Fla. too...

https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/sapseba.pdf

From

680 Tree Fact Sheets: Trees by Common Name | Environmental Horticulture Department | College of Agricultural and Life Sciences | UF/IFAS

 

[Bnana]

Dogwood deserves a much better name as a bonsai species. The ones i have are hardy, reduce leaf size well (see https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/bunch-of-trees-for-30-euros-35.52296/post-903928) and respond to pruning well.
I do not know which species you have but I would definitely give it a try. Likely you have a nice one with pretty flowers, making it even better.

 

[Huggz13]

You got me curious about Chinese Tallow -- I think I've seen it here in central Fla. too...

https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/sapseba.pdf

From

680 Tree Fact Sheets: Trees by Common Name | Environmental Horticulture Department | College of Agricultural and Life Sciences | UF/IFAS

Yeah I think it would make a great Bonsai.
Can’t kill it.
Super hardy.
Grows fast.
Fall color.
Surface roots.
Cool bark.

 

[Huggz13]

Dogwood deserves a much better name as a bonsai species. The ones i have are hardy, reduce leaf size well (see https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/bunch-of-trees-for-30-euros-35.52296/post-903928) and respond to pruning well.
I do not know which species you have but I would definitely give it a try. Likely you have a nice one with pretty flowers, making it even better.

Another one that seems like it would be a great Bonsai.
Super hardy and tolerant, etc.

Not sure the exact variety I have, but they are white flowering Dogwoods.

 

[19Mateo83]

Another one that seems like it would be a great Bonsai.
Super hardy and tolerant, etc.

Not sure the exact variety I have, but they are white flowering Dogwoods.

If it is growing wild chances are it is cornus florida, the common white flowering dogwood.

 

[JosefR]

Tallow and Hackberry are not the same. Hackberry makes good lumber, the Chinese Devil Weed is of no good use for anything. Kill it and then kill it again. And then burn it and bury the ashes deep underwater. And then repeat next year.

 

[rockm]

Of all the species you've listed, the one with the most promise is Yaupon Holly. It can be easily collected in large sizes and makes spectacular bonsai. It's long been used as bonsai material and there are some pretty excellent bonsai-ed yaupons out there. Red maple isn't great unless you have the "swamp version" of it Acer Rubrum 'drummonidii' which has tighter growth and shorter internodes than the main species.

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