Roadside blackthorn

[Berra]

Found by a road winter 2022. To be continued

 

[Cadillactaste]

Found by a road... winter 2022. Whose property does it belong to? Is where my gerbil lands.

 

[Berra]

I am a big fan of Ume, but other Bonsai enthusiasts in my part of the world seem to have trouble making them thrive.

So I tried finding blackthorn in the wild since brexit made it impossible(?) to buy from UK. I have spent probably hundreds of hours driving and walking around meadows and pastures where I live, looking for Prunus spinosa.

They are abundant, but 99% are completely straight and young with shiny dark brown/red bark.

This plant has probably been chopped down by road maintenance crews during many years. It grew next to a country side road, farming area.

I dig this up May 2023 and black Bagged it, I pestered bonsai Dave and others for info om how to do it.

 

[Berra]

Black bagging was successful, the plant survived 2023 and fell asleep around november. It woke up and grew at a decent pace through 2024. No major work done yet.

Will cut back this spring and return here.

 

[Yamamomiji]

That's a mighty bent trunk there at the base ...
This will turn out great over time, I am sure.

 

[Shibui]

They are abundant, but 99% are completely straight and young with shiny dark brown/red bark.

Prunus spinosa are rare down here but we have many feral P. cerasifera. They grow similar. Need to look at hundreds before finding one worth the time and effort to dig.

Isn't it wonderful how nature puts lots of white flowers on these in Spring. I'm sure that's so bonsai growers can spot them more easily when driving.

Your trunk looks great with that low bend. Animals and road maintenance can sometimes be a great aid to forming good potential bonsai trunks.