Driveway collected white alder (Alnus rhombifolia)

[choate_t_bonsai]

Hello. I am a very new bonsai afficionado (think weeks). My neighbor was going to cut down this white alder from his gravel driveway. I asked if I could dig it up and have it. It's probably about 4 years old? At least 4 feet tall.



After I got it out (the roots were very shallow) I brought it back to the potting area and looked it over. The roots weren't very pretty.



I decided to cut out the root going right, though it ended up being pretty fused together.

Then I did a drastic chop (18 inches now) and wired everything.



I don't see many discussions about white alder, and so it probably isn't very conducive to bonsai. Still, the price was right.

I would enjoy any comments about care or why white alder isn't used in bonsai. Thanks.

 

[Shibui]

My take on why alder is not used much would be that Alders as a genus tend to grow real fast, have long internodes (so difficult to get lots of branching close together for a neat looking tree) and have soft wood that rots easily when pruned. I don't know white alder but assume it is similar to others.

Having said that you are correct about getting a tree at the right price. Even if it doesn't end up as a show stopping bonsai you will have learned lots about watering, pruning, root pruning and lots of other bonsai techniques on a fast growing hardy tree so when a better species comes along you'll do even better with that one.

BTW, I would not call 18" a 'drastic' chop. That's only a moderate chop for alder in my book.

 

[Ininaatigoons]

Nice find. I have one just to keep some natives. I don't know anything yet since I just got it last year.

 

[KateM]

Hello. I am a very new bonsai afficionado (think weeks). My neighbor was going to cut down this white alder from his gravel driveway. I asked if I could dig it up and have it. It's probably about 4 years old? At least 4 feet tall.

View attachment 477949

After I got it out (the roots were very shallow) I brought it back to the potting area and looked it over. The roots weren't very pretty.

View attachment 477950

I decided to cut out the root going right, though it ended up being pretty fused together.

Then I did a drastic chop (18 inches now) and wired everything.

View attachment 477952

I don't see many discussions about white alder, and so it probably isn't very conducive to bonsai. Still, the price was right.

I would enjoy any comments about care or why white alder isn't used in bonsai. Thanks.

And it's nitrogen fixer!

I dug up a black alder (alnus glutinosa) a couple weeks ago. It's naturalized in America and in some places considered to be invasive...
Here is thread on this forum about Alnus serrata by Shogun610

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/alnus-serrata-alder-trees.50995/​

Interested to see progresas.

 

[choate_t_bonsai]

And it's nitrogen fixer!
View attachment 477975
I dug up a black alder (alnus glutinosa) a couple weeks ago. It's naturalized in America and in some places considered to be invasive...
Here is thread on this forum about Alnus serrata by Shogun610

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/alnus-serrata-alder-trees.50995/​

Interested to see progresas.

Yes, I was just reading up on that. I didn't know!