Japanese Larch/American Larch Source?

[Nybonsai12]

looking for some quality pre-bonsai or something with minor training, likely for informal upright. Only Japanese larch I can find are on Wee tree and unless I missed something I didn't really see anything that special. Anybody know of any other sources?

THANKS,

 

[JudyB]

There's a guy on ebay that sells larch occasionally, I think his name is Rebnaes or something like that. Seems like some interesting stuff, but it always goes too high for me.
And I think it's all pretty small, not that it matters....

 

[davetree]

Try Telperion Farms, Chris has some nice Japanese larch.

 

[Nybonsai12]

Thanks Judy,
I was bidding on one last night, but hesitated to go too high because the entire base/nebari was covered by moss growing up the trunk. There was no telling what the nebari looked like. it ended up going for roughly $90 plus $25 shipping. I just can't see buying something like that if I don't know exactly what I am getting. I know you are a larch lover, have you seen the ones on wee tree? Nothing special or am I crazy?

 

[JudyB]

Thanks Judy,
I was bidding on one last night, but hesitated to go too high because the entire base/nebari was covered by moss growing up the trunk. There was no telling what the nebari looked like. it ended up going for roughly $90 plus $25 shipping. I just can't see buying something like that if I don't know exactly what I am getting. I know you are a larch lover, have you seen the ones on wee tree? Nothing special or am I crazy?

Only saw one on wee tree that was interesting to me, and Eric Ridgeway (angelfire) wound up with that one. Nothing else has seemed like something I'd go for. Still looking for one, since G52 couldn't ship me that wonderful tree he has.

 

[sdavis]

larch sources

For larches you might try Evergreen Gardenworks, Lawyer Nursery, Forest Farm, Cold Stream Farm, and nurseryman.com.

 

[fourteener]

You could come up by me and gather several hundred in an afternoon!!

 

[terry]

You might also try Ken Huth at Kens Bonsai in Ohio and flowermarketdundee.com in Dundee, MI.

 

[Nybonsai12]

You could come up by me and gather several hundred in an afternoon!!

that would be nice. You could dig one and mail to me, which would be nicer!

 

[davetree]

Don't they grow wild in upstate NY ?

 

[fourteener]

There is an old abandoned railroad near Ely MN where a one mile hike down the track, you will find a little beat up tamarack between every railroad tie on either rail for mile after mile. Funky roots from growing in the rocks. Beat down because, I bet they check out the tracks once in awhile even though they are not is use.

Piles of slate that makes the landscaper in me dream of how to get it out of there.

I need a local friend in the railroad business!!

 

[crust]

Don't they grow wild in upstate NY ?

Funny, I have collected some pretty nice larch from exactly there (upstate NY). Good swamps with heavy browse damages and heavy snow effects--better than MN for sure.

 

[coppice]

Don't they grow wild in upstate NY ?

They do indeed. All of mine provinance is from ditches in NY & ME.

 

[cvarcher]

But dont you need permission to dig up a larch seedling in NY?

I thought it was a fine to remove native plants from a state forest ?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

For state forests the stated purpose in the definition of a state forest is for resource extraction. This means state forests are designated to be logged off on a schedule. Recreation is a secondary purpose for a state forest.

It is fairly easy to get a permit to collect in a state forest. Go to local (usually county or district) state forest headquarters, and ask for a permit to collect for personal use plants for landscaping your personal home, not resale. I think standard permit allows 12 or less, but it varies by state. They will also tell you where you may collect. If you already know where you want to collect you can clear the location with them. Be patient, if you are the first in a few years, it may take a while to talk them through it. But they have the forms. Fees are not real large. Most states under $50.

This only applies to state and federal forests. Wilderness areas, State Parks, Recreation areas, Refuges, and other designated areas may have rules that prohibit all harvest of plants. Worth asking if you have a specific area in mind. But unless it is land managed for logging leases, it is not likely you will get a permit.

 

[coppice]

I thought it was a fine to remove native plants from a state forest ?

From a state forests yes. That said there are about a half million miles of back country roads in upstate NY, VT, NH, ME with uncounted millions of stunted and many times cut back larch in road side ditches, Free for the asking of abutting property owners. So ask.

Up on the bank of the same country roads are neighboring uncounted million up-land blueberry which are also dandy free-for-the-asking bonsai projects.

If at first you don't succeed, ask the next guy. My last larch were delivered by a co-worker who needed to do some ditch work on his summer camp (in Maine).

He was intregued to see what I could do with his junk. I got a gloppy lump of clay with some "sticks" (his words) in it. Each stump of a larch (there were five) potted up and became some of my favorite trees.

So ask. I got lucky, but ask anyways.