Sapling Division: Sputnik 184 Nothofagus Dombeyi Forest

[Sputnik 184]

These little Nothofagus Dombeyi were collected Autumn 2019 from beneath an old Dombeys Beech.Lots of small seedlings were growing in the leaf litter and I brought some home and planted them. They seem quite a robust species. I don’t think I lost any in the collection process. I have grown Nothofagus Antarctica before but have no experience with these. I believe they are native to Chile. I will need to research further to begin to plan a forest planting but with their small leaves of a similar size to Chinese Elm I think they will make an interesting project.

 

[Loup97]

Do you know what temperatures it gets in the area the large one grow ? (I mean in winter)

 

[Sputnik 184]

The seedlings were collected from a tree in SE England where winter temps drop down to -6C typically as a low. It is expected to cope with -15C as a mature tree but obviously this would be far too low for a bonsai potted tree. A very versatile tree. Many have been planted in ornamental parks and gardens across the south of England. I would think your climate in Normandy would be pretty similar.

 

[Sputnik 184]

I decided to try the Nothofagus as a small sized forest as the leaf size would make this possible. As my alders had seemed to flourish grown closely in a shallow tray I planted the Nothofagus similarly. They seemed quite happy with the change and have retained their leaves although the colour now is quite yellow.

 

[Kanorin]

Never heard of this genus or species. Power to you for trying something new!

 

[Sputnik 184]

Never heard of this genus or species. Power to you for trying something new!

Thanks. Hoping it works out.

 

[penumbra]

Intriguing plants but hard to locate here. Saw them offered once when I didn't have any money.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Nothofagus are very cool, sadly very unknown species in bonsai. The kiwi folks have a lot of nice species

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nothofagus are related to Beech (Fagus) but are found only in Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea. They really look a lot like small leafed beeches. They were experimented with in forestry projects in UK in the hopes they would grow faster than European beech. I'm not sure of the success. I know little about their horticulture, don't see them up in North America much, they don't tolerate extreme cold winters, and they dislike hot dry summers. They tend to occur in the cool temperate rain forests of Tierra del Fuego, New Zealand and pleasant moist areas of Australia (not the dry outback). Think not too hot & not too cold.

So Chicago is out.

 

[Sputnik 184]

Nothofagus are related to Beech (Fagus) but are found only in Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea. They really look a lot like small leafed beeches. They were experimented with in forestry projects in UK in the hopes they would grow faster than European beech. I'm not sure of the success. I know little about their horticulture, don't see them up in North America much, they don't tolerate extreme cold winters, and they dislike hot dry summers. They tend to occur in the cool temperate rain forests of Tierra del Fuego, New Zealand and pleasant moist areas of Australia (not the dry outback). Think not too hot & not too cold.

So Chicago is out.

Interesting you say there were forestry projects in the U.K. I have only seen them here as semi decorative trees in parkland and country homes. The usual deciduous forest planting around here seems to be the European Beech. Can’t imagine they were too successful commercially.

Not too hot & not too cold sounds about right for me though.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

In all likelyhood the only area Nothofagus would grow well in North America is in mild coastal Pacific Northwest, where they already have hundreds of "bonsai worthy" species of trees to choose from.