Do you have a least favorite species that you still own

[Mike Corazzi]

Pinus Masochisticus.

Besides being hard to pin down whether JBP, Mugo, or Tumbleweed.... this little SOB has been awful right from the start which was about 8-10 years ago.
People venture GUESSES as to what it is.
What it DOES is another ball of twine.
What you see is what it is now.

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It loves to spring back if I remove wire. Even wire that's been on for a long time. I think it is just fucking with me.
It abhors anything green on its branches. Loves the skinny Twiggy look.

It is going to sit in that large pot til it dies or I do.


Anyone asking for better pix can have the damn thing.

Withdrawing offer. I stuck it on the "IGNORE" bench and the perverse thing is sprouting shoots.
Bonsai: the art of leaving things alone.

 

[QuantumSparky]

I have a Hinoki cypress that's growing well and is healthy but I just don't manage to get a decent shape with the weird fan like pads. The fact that it doesn't back bud is also pretty annoying.
I much prefer my larches and broad leaved trees.

I quite hate my Hinoki Cypress as well xD It was my first purchase from a nursery along with some weird evergreen which I ended up pruning far too much. The Hinoki is still alive, but looks absolutely awful and embarrasses me to no end. I can't bring myself to throw it out since it's still alive, so I may just plant it in the ground and let it become a bush as a ground layer/cutting donor.

Against my better judgment, allow me to present to you: the embarrassing result of my first run-in with a cypress

 

[Katie0317]

Adam did an amazing job with one potting it into a crescent pot. Did you see that one? It was within the last month if not mistaken. In case others would like to see it. I went ahead and shared.

This shanty may make you like it more. Lol

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Darling little boy though!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I quite hate my Hinoki Cypress as well xD It was my first purchase from a nursery along with some weird evergreen which I ended up pruning far too much. The Hinoki is still alive, but looks absolutely awful and embarrasses me to no end. I can't bring myself to throw it out since it's still alive, so I may just plant it in the ground and let it become a bush as a ground layer/cutting donor.

Against my better judgment, allow me to present to you: the embarrassing result of my first run-in with a cypress

View attachment 391887

Ouch, that is painful.

Take the wire off, plant it in the ground, don't look at it for 3 years, it will be transformed.

My most hated is a boxwood. Got it in a trade, didn't think about it before I accepted it. Trunk is great, at least 2 inches diameter, it is over 40 years old. Yet I have no idea what "style" to put on it. It just sits there getting uglier and uglier.

 

[QuantumSparky]

Ouch, that is painful.

Take the wire off, plant it in the ground, don't look at it for 3 years, it will be transformed.

My most hated is a boxwood. Got it in a trade, didn't think about it before I accepted it. Trunk is great, at least 2 inches diameter, it is over 40 years old. Yet I have no idea what "style" to put on it. It just sits there getting uglier and uglier.

Did you post a pic already? I'm curious I'd bet you money that if I see it, I'll still be jealous haha

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Did you post a pic already? I'm curious I'd bet you money that if I see it, I'll still be jealous haha

I set it on the ground, roots escaped, I'm not picking up the pot for another year, to give it "three years, and it will be transformed". Boxwood with 40 year old trunks are rare around here. Hopefully good stuff is happening while I am ignoring it. Photos when I finally pick it up.

 

[Esolin]

Cotoneasters. I have three different varieties and want to love them, but for no apparent reason they'll all just randomly decide to dieback in the summer or fall. They look horrible right now. I'll nurse them for a few more years and see if I can learn to speak 'cotoneaster'. If not, they're going in the club raffle to become someone else's problem.

 

[Jiminsauga]

Cotoneasters. I have three different varieties and want to love them, but for no apparent reason they'll all just randomly decide to dieback in the summer or fall. They look horrible right now. I'll nurse them for a few more years and see if I can learn to speak 'cotoneaster'. If not, they're going in the club raffle to become someone else's problem.

I see you're in Cali. If they are young then I would suggest trying keeping them in the shade, but with clear sky above.
I have a couple here in Canada and find they don't like full sun after they've been transitioned to bonsai soil. Could be that they don't like their roots getting hot, but that's just my theory.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Schefflera- I want to like them because they are easy to grow. The compound leaf and leaf size is annoying. I have seen some that are amazing so I will try harder to appreciate it.

 

[Esolin]

I see you're in Cali. If they are young then I would suggest trying keeping them in the shade, but with clear sky above.
I have a couple here in Canada and find they don't like full sun after they've been transitioned to bonsai soil. Could be that they don't like their roots getting hot, but that's just my theory.

I think you're right. Today I moved them up against a north wall where I have camellias growing happily in 70% shade. If they don't like that, then I'll be stumped.

 

[Deleted member 38190]

You've got to call me a newbie for this one

3 years ago I got a money tree from lowe's thinking it was a bonsai.
The leaves are HUGE and it looks awful.
I actually still have it, but keeping it far behind all of my other indoor trees

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

This F. nerifolia. My only tropical and therefore has to come inside for regular attention and constant shedding over the winter.

I’d sell it for nearly the price of the pot if my wife would let me, but it belonged to her 2nd cousin Jack who grew it as his first bonsai for over 50 years. His widow (whose father basically created the houseplant industry) gave it to me after he died in 2014, so I think I’m stuck with it.

 

[Rivian]

I hated my French maple (Acer monspessulanum) for big leaves, long internodes, poor branching and poor spring color. I gave it 1 defoliation and it branched out a lot, has smaller leaves and internodes and the current young growth even has nice orangey color.
Certainly will defoliate this one again next year

 

[LeftHandLuke]

current young growth even has nice orangey color.

Pics always encouraged!

 

[Rivian]

Pics always encouraged!

peachy*

 

[Potawatomi13]

JBP!

 

[Mapleminx]

I no longer have my hated species, they were sold off with some of my other trees when I reduced the number.