The Five Year "Native Tree, Native Pot" Challenge!

[HorseloverFat]

Most of my trees are natives, dug up in the yard or from collected seed... so I'm limiting myself to only what Ive just recently procured or can procure. I would love to include my Alder or silver maple, but theyve been with me for several years and I like the idea of the contest being a way to push myself to improve material which, in my opinion, may have more potential.

I went a little nuts this year(Autumn) “tree hunting”... the GOOD news is that NOW all the DNR Marshalls and public (state/federal) property managers (around here) Are positively aware of me, and my “goings on” and we have developed a reasonably friendly relationship.

I also internally considered similar situations as you’ve described, regarding utilization of already possessed native material.. even spring collections. I ended up “landing on” (personally, mentally) the decision that material obtained or propagated with intent to use in the contest, needed to have said intent prior to collection or growing.



T’will be a grand contest.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I would love to use this crabapple tree, which I started last year from seed. Its in a local potter's pot... I may still use the pot.. I want to enter a deciduous also so... maybe Ill also use this. Its not like it has had any work done to it at all other than one repot into the Bill Guthrie pot.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Orion_metalhead - I was going to give you grief about crab apples being introduced from Europe, and as such do not fit in the definition of "native", but I checked Wikipedia, and there are at least 4 maybe more species of crabapples native to North America. However, the majority of the crabapples distributed through the landscape industry are of European and Asian origin or are hybrids of with mixed non-native ancestry. And a few crabapples are simply small fruit varieties of the culinary apple, which is of eastern european origin. IF you can not identity this apple to species level, chances are good it is not native. However there are at least four native crabapples including Malus fusca from western USA, Malus ioensis from the Mississippi valley, Malus coronaria from the Great Lakes region and Malus angustifolia from the eastern seaboard and southeastern states are the most common North American native crabapples. This means probably only Malus angustifolia is your only "within 200 miles native" crabapple. Check the description of angustifolia, if it is a match, go for it. If not, maybe one of your other native trees would work.

Not trying to bust your chops, I was drinking coffee and got curious as to whether crabapples really were native to North America or not. I found out some actually are native.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Yes, I mentioned this off the cuff. If there is even a chance that it is not native, I will omit it. Thanks for doing the research, Leo. I had not checked at all into whether it is or isnt native but I have some other options.

 

[Fonz]

Not sure how I missed this thread (and the entire contest) but count me in!

I dug up a few Quercus Robur (known for their super fast development ) youngsters last year in autumn and a Malus from an orchard this year in spring.

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

In.

 

[defra]

Ill play

 

[LittleDingus]

Yeah, I might be going overboard! I guess I'm going for quantity over quality?!?

Threads started so far:

ilex verticillata (Winter Berry)
physocarpus opulifolius (Ninebark)
quercus imbricaria (Shingle Oak)
quercus muehlenbergii (Chinquapin Oak)
rhus aromatica (Aromatic Sumac)

Threads planned when material arrives:

pinus echinate (Short Needle Pine)
ilex decidua (Deciduous Holly)

Undecided on:

juniperus virginiana (Easter Red Cedar)

...and this doesn't include the species I picked up because of this contest that are not "native" by the contest rules but are ubiquitous to my neighborhood so I had to give them a try anyway!

 

[stu929]

Can noobs get in on this ?

 

[leatherback]

Can noobs get in on this ?

Of course!
Good thing to join, as the "contest side" adds to the .. gotta do this right .. feeling

 

[stu929]

Of course!
Good thing to join, as the "contest side" adds to the .. gotta do this right .. feeling

That was my thought. And I could follow along with others with similar trees. I have some nursery stock j got for free but I can still follow along and see what I can apply to mine.

 

[Trenthany]

I’ve never entered one of these because I don’t have anything to enter yet but this gives me 5 years and I have a bald cypress I plan on collecting this winter! Who knows what else I may enter. I also have a cool sunburn tree can’t remember real name lol that I just got with a seedling in the pot it just got first chop so it does not have years of development and the seedling is well a seedling maybe 4”? I think I can do this one! I’ll get pics and start a thread ASAP! Back to work for me!

 

[Lumaca]

Phew submitted mine, they're a lot smaller than I would've liked but I was encouraged to see them breaking new leaves!

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Count me in but...... all native species here are the typical bonsai species hahahaha

 

[leatherback]

Count me in but...... all native species here are the typical bonsai species hahahaha

so the pressure is on. Nothing to blame if it does not work out!

 

[BunjaeKorea]

so the pressure is on. Nothing to blame if it does not work out!

I dunno, I am sure I can find an excuse.....you see we have lots of diseases and bugs and a schnauzer with no respect for trees.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

so the pressure is on. Nothing to blame if it does not work out!

Here's a sapling I want to enter. I know its not much but its a start right?

 

[leatherback]

Here's a sapling I want to enter. I know its not much but its a start right?

You cannot find any better starters?
Oh, I think someone has pruned this once to become a bonsai. The idea is to use raw material..

 

[Forsoothe!]

Here's a sapling I want to enter. I know its not much but its a start right?

Sorry, this isn't a Pro-Am, this is an amateur event and you can judge, but you can't play. Next thing we know Bill Valvanis will find a "starter" Larch somewhere in his backyard, then Pedro Morales will collect a Fig and there is no place on Puerto Rico that is more than a hundred miles from him, and remember Andy Smith lives in the Badlands... I could go on.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

You cannot find any better starters?
Oh, I think someone has pruned this once to become a bonsai. The idea is to use raw material..

I swear it was only pruned once ...lol