Five Year Native Tree Challenge: Gabler's American Sycamore

[Cmd5235]

That's not what I meant. I've learned a tremendous amount from experimenting with native material, but if I had chosen to start with tried and tested species, I would have some decent trees by now, and from there I could still branch out into various unusual species for something more challenging. Beginners should begin with beginner trees and then ramp up the difficulty at an even, measured pace.

Primarily, I was objecting to the assertion that all species can be good material. Some species are bad for bonsai. Black walnut is bad for bonsai. Period. That's not to say a talented grower couldn't meet the challenge and make something great with a black walnut tree, but let's not pretend that it has all the same great qualities as elm or zelkova. That degree of challenge is an insurmountable wall to a complete newbie.

I couldn’t agree more. I also wish I started with different material, but I’m now trying to work my way into it. Either way, I also enjoy working with natives that I know will never make great trees- I have the time, I have the space, and I enjoy trying.

I also love to see others experiment with natives, but I get disappointed when I see people jumping in with the first tree being a non-suitable species.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Advanced musicians still find use in running through scales and modes as practice as warm up but the best way to quickly advance is to stretch for what seems unobtainable and push to get there.

Working with difficult species and traditional at the same time is the way to go. My first trees were an A. Negundo and J. Virginiana... everyone stated they were terrible but I learned basics on them and grew collection having some confidence because I already had worked on a couple trees for a few years.

Anyway, this is a cool tree. I think Its imperative with high energy, high growth species to carefully manage the tree's energy distribution at all times. I would not let the apex push more than 2 or 3 internodes. I would consider leaf cutting to open up light to lower branches. I would fertilize only after mid summer to build strength without internodal length. I would repot less and let roots become tight and contained.

 

[Gabler]

Advanced musicians still find use in running through scales and modes as practice as warm up but the best way to quickly advance is to stretch for what seems unobtainable and push to get there.

Working with difficult species and traditional at the same time is the way to go. My first trees were an A. Negundo and J. Virginiana... everyone stated they were terrible but I learned basics on them and grew collection having some confidence because I already had worked on a couple trees for a few years.

Anyway, this is a cool tree. I think Its imperative with high energy, high growth species to carefully manage the tree's energy distribution at all times. I would not let the apex push more than 2 or 3 internodes. I would consider leaf cutting to open up light to lower branches. I would fertilize only after mid summer to build strength without internodal length. I would repot less and let roots become tight and contained.

Yeah. I found out the hard way how important it is to balance energy even while developing a tree. The common advice seemed to be to let a deciduous tree grow freely in early development, but trees with strong apical dominance end up losing lower branches that way. I didn't lose all my branches, but I lost enough to create some design challenges later down the road.

I've been learning that a lot of advice for bonsai trees in general is not meant for deciduous trees, and a lot of advice for deciduous trees is really tailored to Japanese maples, specifically. It's almost like deciduous species are an afterthought in many books, and non-maple deciduous trees are hardly considered at all.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Every species is different. I treat each based on how they have reacted in the past.