Impossible Question to Answer

[rockm]

Sloe is plum. There are many wild plum species here in N America They just haven’t been “discovered” for bonsai or have pretty pics in bonsai books.

You just have to look. They are vigorous growers and not hard to collect. I dug an old one out of a field in Texas and made the mistake of leaving it in the yard. The bucket had a hole in the bottom. The tree not only filled the soil in the bucket with roots in a year but began colonizing the backyard with sprouts from the escaped roots that pushed through the hole in the bucket

Black cherry is also an equivalent to sloe in character and can develop really gnarly and thick plated bark. They take to containers pretty well.

Any European species can be matched and surpassed by species in North America. We have some of the most biodiverse forests on the planet not to mention more land mass and climate zones.

The grass isn’t Always greener.

 

[jevanlewis]

My list:

1. Cedrus Libani*
2. Cedrus Brevifolia
3. Cedrus Atlantica
4. Mountain Hemlock
5. Subalpine fir

* Bonus points if you can somehow get the "Green Prince" variety on it's own roots. Not sure if taking the seeds from a grafted "Green Prince" would yield seedlings with the characteristics of regular Cedrus Libani or the "Green Prince" variety.

I bought seedlings of #1-4 this year, knowing that it will take decades to get them to reasonable sizes for bonsai. I have three yamadori of #5, but even these could use several decades of growth. I'll admit that #5 probably doesn't make sense to grow from seed since it is more readily available as yamadori.

 

[Weta]

Here's a few.
Kowhai (sophora microphylla)
Miro
Kahikatea
Totara
Kanuka/Manuka
Rimu

 

[Cadillactaste]

It looks like even the seeds are hard to come by. I'm on a waitlist. Any other species you'd like to see?

personally for myself. That's it. Sorry.

 

[JudyB]

Black cherry is also an equivalent to sloe in character and can develop really gnarly and thick plated bark. They take to containers pretty well.

Sadly they have great characteristics and character, but tend to have massive insect and fungal and rot issues. I’ve had several wonderful trunks that lasted some years and then declined, even with best practices.

 

[Gabler]

Sadly they have great characteristics and character, but tend to have massive insect and fungal and rot issues. I’ve had several wonderful trunks that lasted some years and then declined, even with best practices.

Every black cherry I've seen has been riddled with fungus. None looked worth collecting, notwithstanding the craggy, black bark.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

since no one else seems to be doing it

Plenty of people are doing it, despite what you might hear in podcasts.

And as it turns out, with exception of Takamatsu, the situation in Japan is very much like the situation in North America -- it is mostly hobbyists and backyard-size nurseries (often far far smaller than the backyards I'm familiar with in North-East USA) producing material and entering it into the market. Should more people be doing it? Yes absolutely, and I'm happy to hear you will be joining our large and ever-growing group of growers.

What species of field-grown tree would you buy in ten to twenty years? I'm going to buy some seeds and/or seedlings to grow, and I'd like to gauge what people will want to buy in ten to twenty years

It's important to grow species that are suitable for ground-growing, especially if you intend to sell the material. This is often species for which the nebari is not valued as highly as it is for Japanese Maples, for example. Also, you ideally want species that are known for deadwood and/or that can be allowed to grow freely and essentially be pruned quite 'carelessly' for 20 years (you don't want to be lying on your belly wiring thousands of branches). Ezo Spruce, Ume, Prunus tomentosa come to mind, as well as Chojubai, Gingko, Rose, Chimonanthus. Possibly Ilex, Styrax and Junipers but, in my opinion, these 3 will require special attention. Vaccinium (blueberry) and grape vine can be very interesting -- don't make the mistake of growing pinot noir for the sake of growing pinot noir Instead, select strains and hybrids that are well-known for their resistance to pests and diseases in your area. If you have the possibility of using stakes/trellises, do consider vines like Ampelopsis, Cocculus, Celastrus, and Wisteria. Have you considered Quercus, Sorbus and Rhus? I have never looked into these 3 properly myself, just thinking out loud.

 

[Gabler]

Plenty of people are doing it, despite what you might hear in podcasts.

And as it turns out, with exception of Takamatsu, the situation in Japan is very much like the situation in North America -- it is mostly hobbyists and backyard-size nurseries (often far far smaller than the backyards I'm familiar with in North-East USA) producing material and entering it into the market. Should more people be doing it? Yes absolutely, and I'm happy to hear you will be joining our large and ever-growing group of growers.



It's important to grow species that are suitable for ground-growing, especially if you intend to sell the material. This is often species for which the nebari is not valued as highly as it is for Japanese Maples, for example. Also, you ideally want species that are known for deadwood and/or that can be allowed to grow freely and essentially be pruned quite 'carelessly' for 20 years (you don't want to be lying on your belly wiring thousands of branches). Ezo Spruce, Ume, Prunus tomentosa come to mind, as well as Chojubai, Gingko, Rose, Chimonanthus. Possibly Ilex, Styrax and Junipers but, in my opinion, these 3 will require special attention. Vaccinium (blueberry) and grape vine can be very interesting -- don't make the mistake of growing pinot noir for the sake of growing pinot noir Instead, select strains and hybrids that are well-known for their resistance to pests and diseases in your area. If you have the possibility of using stakes/trellises, do consider vines like Ampelopsis, Cocculus, Celastrus, and Wisteria. Have you considered Quercus, Sorbus and Rhus? I have never looked into these 3 properly myself, just thinking out loud.

I say "ground growing," but really it will be a mix of ground growing and containers with escape roots that are pruned annually.

Off the top of my head, I have seedlings of Acer rubrum, Acer palmatum, Acer buergerianum, Pinus rigida, Pinus taeda, Pinus virginiana, Styrax japonica, Ginkgo biloba, Quercus alba, Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus macrocarpa x lyrata hybrids, Quercus palustris, Quercus ellipsoidalis, Quercus coccinea, Quercus bicolor, Ulmus americana, Taxus baccata, Buxus sp., Lagerstroemia indica, Lindera benzoin, and probably something else I'm forgetting about.

I presently have seeds for Celtis occidentalis, Celtis laevigata, Celastrus scandens, Ilex verticillata, Liquidambar styraciflua, Acer buergerianum, Euonymus alatus, Styrax Japonicus, and Prunus Americana.

 

[Gabler]

Morus alba, Lonicera japonica, and Euonymus fortunei have claimed a large part of the yard. I plan to tear them out to make room for ground growing, and I'll keep the ones with decent trunks.

I haven't bothered sowing seeds for Fagus grandifolia or Carpinus caroliniana beause they are common and easy to collect from the woods for my own use, but I may plant some seeds if there is a demand.

 

[Gabler]

Now I remember! Maclura pomifera.