Japanese Stewartia

[mwar15]

I found these guys at a local nursery. I’ve been looking for one for a while and they’re difficult to find at a reasonable price. I have a couple seedlings that I’ve got started but I’d like something with a little bit more girth and trunk. These guys have a good trunk but they are from a nursery so they haven’t been worked properly. And the taper isn’t fantastic.

My question is is it worth taking an 8 foot tree in a 15 gallon pot and chopping it and working it over a few years or hold out and buy something that’s been trained more as a pre-Bonsai?
They are $95

 

[penumbra]

is is it worth taking an 8 foot tree in a 15 gallon pot and chopping it and working it over a few years

That's what I did, mine is psuedocamillia and it was b&b. Its not as much a bonsai as it is a dwarfed Stewartia. It pleases me. This year was its heaviest bloom in 30 years.

 

[mwar15]

That's what I did, mine is psuedocamillia and it was b&b. Its not as much a bonsai as it is a dwarfed Stewartia. It pleases me. This year was its heaviest bloom in 30 years.

Do you have a thread on it? Did it back-bud well? Any dieback?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

These look like pseudocamellia as well. I have monadelpha and they grow pretty fast. However, you should poke around in the soil and find the root spread. That will tell you if they’re worth $90.

If they were monadelpha, I’d say go for it regardless and develop them.

Pseudo is a coarser grower with bigger leaves, so I wouldn’t bother unless the root spread and base is decent.

 

[mwar15]

These look like pseudocamellia as well. I have monadelpha and they grow pretty fast. However, you should poke around in the soil and find the root spread. That will tell you if they’re worth $90.

If they were monadelpha, I’d say go for it regardless and develop them.

Pseudo is a coarser grower with bigger leaves, so I wouldn’t bother unless the root spread and base is decent.

Thanks for the insight. I was thrown off by the large leaves. I personally don’t think it is a smoking deal, but wanted to get more opinions.

I’ll look into the other varieties

 

[Forsoothe!]

That's the price range that's typical. Many odd or special trees just are not available in smaller (read: cheaper) sizes. Take it or leave it, it's a long range program to get one down to bonsai size, but on the bright side, you will have a one-of-a-kind tree that others will envy.

 

[mwar15]

That's the price range that's typical. Many odd or special trees just are not available in smaller (read: cheaper) sizes. Take it or leave it, it's a long range program to get one down to bonsai size, but on the bright side, you will have a one-of-a-kind tree that others will envy.

I do live in nursery country. I’ll see what I can find of the monadelpha variety. I can alway go back and get one

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I agree with Brian, S. monadelpha is a better species to work with. Monadelpha at that size would be a good deal for the price.

 

[mwar15]

I agree with Brian, S. monadelpha is a better species to work with. Monadelpha at that size would be a good deal for the price.

Thanks. I found a nursery that has some I just need to go check them out

 

[mwar15]

I found one! A local nursery had some pencil thick seedlings.

 

[Ohmy222]

Call them. They used to carry them in a few sizes. Great place to buy ornamental trees, Japanese Maples, and Flowering/fruiting trees. Not a bonsai nursery but you can tell it is for bonsai. Website is below too but very outdated and you can't order. Owner is very old school so you have to call to order but a good place.

Whitman Farms
3995 Gibson Rd NW
Salem, Oregon 97304

Telephone: (503) 510-0486

Whitman Farms | Growers of unusual trees and shrubs since 1980

 

[mwar15]

I actually ran up there last year looking for an Arakawa maple. Quite a bit of stuff. A lot of it is grafted though. That was before I was on the stewartia kick. I figured I’d run up there next spring when it’s a better time to dig stuff from the field