Is this an Alnus Incana/Grey Alder and worth collecting?

[Fonz]

Since a few months I've been on the lookout for a tree to collect and put in a pot next year. Today I took a better look at the vegetation around the old swing in my backyard and apparently this young (5-6 years or so) Grey Alder with some movement in the lower part of the trunk was growing there unnoticed. After some googling it appears this species can be used for bonsai. So, is it really a grey alder and worth collecting or not? Your thoughts are appreciated.

 

[0soyoung]

If you like this hobby, it is worth a try. I would only keep what is below that first branch. There is at least one node below it, but this may indicate the internodes are quite long.

So, it may turn out to just be material with which you practice thread and/or approach grafting, but that in itself makes it worthwhile, IMHO.

 

[Fonz]

So you would suggest a chop right above the first branch like on the pic below?
And when would be the best time to do this?
Thanks!

 

[Fishtank307]

I'd do it in late winter/early spring. That time the wound will heal better, because the tree is just starting to grow again. (make sure that you make a clean cut) I dug up a couple of trees last year, potted them and chopped them all at the same time. Some reacted with good growth, others didn't... So I can't really tell you if it's good to do it all at the same time. You could for example make the cut and then leave it in the ground for another year.

 

[Fonz]

You could for example make the cut and then leave it in the ground for another year.

That's what I was thinking too.
Where in Belgium are you located?

 

[Fishtank307]

That's what I was thinking too.
Where in Belgium are you located?

Tremelo, near Leuven You?

 

[Fonz]

Pulderbos/Zandhoven, near Herentals/Lier, not that far but difficult connection with the roadworks in Putte an Keerbergen at the moment

 

[sorce]

I wouldn't chop it so low too hastily.

Looks like it could be used full..
Nice gentle taper...

Will look good in bloom.

Literate ish...

Sorce

 

[Fishtank307]

I wouldn't chop it so low too hastily.

True. Leaves are also quite large...

 

[sorce]

True. Leaves are also quite large...

I seen them smaller.

Few years ramification all it needs.

Sorce

 

[Fonz]

Ok, opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one
Thanx for the advice so far, in 24 hours I've had 4 different scenario's running through my head.

1. Trunk chop like on the last picture
2. Air layer above the first branch next year, collect the rest of the tree the year after that
3. Collect the tree next year leaving it as it is (ofcourse pruning it back to 75cm/30" since the tree is about 2m/6'6" tall)
4. forget about it

Got 2 seasons time to think about this one.
Actually, this is the first tree I posted where no one said: "that tree sucks big time". So I guess I'm making progress

 

[flyinmanatee]

One or the other or neither of the two.

 

[Fonz]

Ok, I'm digging the sucker up next year.

Had some spare time today and already build a box for it. No, I'm not excited at all... time to cool down now.
That's going to be a heavy sob once the soil and tree is in it...

 

[pyro gaz]

Looks like cherry mate

 

[Josh86]

I'm just going to throw this out there as I'm a noob myself but this is what I see. Air layer at blue. Chop at red and orange after layer is off

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I'm just going to throw this out there as I'm a noob myself but this is what I see. Air layer at blue. Chop at red and orange after layer is offView attachment 165036

Myself, I would collect as soon as the ground thawed in spring. I would chop below the first branch, but above the trunk bend. This will leave a trunk with zero branches. This type of chop and collect will force better back budding on the trunk, lower on the trunk, which is needed if the finished tree is to be less than a meter tall.

Alder have a fair track record as bonsai, you need to get several degrees of ramification to reduce leaf size. Best for medium to larger size bonsai, 0.66 meter to 1.3 meters.

 

[Fonz]

Myself, I would collect as soon as the ground thawed in spring. I would chop below the first branch, but above the trunk bend. This will leave a trunk with zero branches. This type of chop and collect will force better back budding on the trunk, lower on the trunk, which is needed if the finished tree is to be less than a meter tall.

Alder have a fair track record as bonsai, you need to get several degrees of ramification to reduce leaf size. Best for medium to larger size bonsai, 0.66 meter to 1.3 meters.

So I will get the best start if I just chop the trunk below the first branch and throw away the rest. No air layering the top part?
This is route 6 I can take with this tree

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

So I will get the best start if I just chop the trunk below the first branch and throw away the rest. No air layering the top part?
This is route 6 I can take with this tree

Alnus, the Adler's, are pretty common. If you want a second alder, just wander along a creek, and the shrubby thickets will be a blend of alders and shrubby dogwoods and maybe a willow or two. Alders are not often seen in nurseries because they are viewed as being too common and too plain, no special saleable feature. Don't get me wrong, your's is nice, just saying as landscape material they don't have a "big wow factor". All through Europe alder of one species or another are pretty common in the mesic zone just above wetlands. Where cattails stop, the alders can start.

If you were to do an air layer, you would delay beginning work on the tree at least on year, possibly two. If you dug the tree up, and did the air layer while it was getting established in a pot, the energy available will be largely gone by the time you do the trunk chop. Back budding will be poor, compared to my proposal. When a tree is dug from the ground, the stored energy is at a maximum. You need this to get low buds to pop. The air layer process will drain that energy away. It would take a number of years for the tree to get back to the level of stored energy it had when first dug up. A weak tree might only pop a bud or two, a strong tree could produce dozens.

Just my thoughts as to what I would do.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

What happened with this tree @Fonz? Curious if you collected, chopped, and what your observations were.

 

[leatherback]

and.. was it alder, or a wild cherry?