Your Hardest Kill

[ShadyStump]

Sometimes we forget that bonsai is life long exercise in growth and loss. (Wax philosophical as much as you wish here ) Post the best tree you ever killed. The one you want to cry over.


Can't find a better pic of the gorgeous trunk line this yamadori pinion pine had, but I collected it fall of 2019, and it died last spring when I tried to report it too soon. It was fantastic by any standard, just in need of refinement. Still kicking myself.
Took up widdling after and made this.

 

[Arlithrien]

 

[Potawatomi13]

First tree ever. Wild pear pulled up by Father died of dehydration 20 plus years later.

 

[leatherback]

One of my first collected trees, an oak. Did not wake up..

 

[leatherback]

After that oak I decided to no more killing of trees.

I failed when I lugged a bunch of large yews home. Every.Single.One died..

 

[Maros]

Cornus mas. Took hours to dig it and bring home. Survived first year and winter. Died in spring next year.

 

[leatherback]

that sucks.

Cornus mas. Took hours to dig it and bring home. Survived first year and winter. Died in spring next year.

The dying.
The trunk was great.

 

[Shibui]

Callistemon. Grown from a tiny 1 year old seedling over 30 odd years. Went to sleep last winter even though it is evergreen.

 

[Sno]

Callistemon. Grown from a tiny 1 year old seedling over 30 odd years. Went to sleep last winter even though it is evergreen.

This is sad news . I have admired this tree for a long time . I have trees that I have started just because of this tree . This tree when you saw it in real life captured an Aussie essence.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Imported Japanese White pine. $2000 from Brussels in 2010.

Collected Rocky mountain Juniper I found and dug in South Dakota.

Imported yamadori tosho.

 

[Dav4]

Sooooooooooooo many that have died while under my care............

Collected Ponderosa


Imported Satsuki


Collected Lodgepole


Japanese Red Pine


Imported Satsuki

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Bummer @Dav4 didn't realize you lost the JRP. Was that a casualty of the tree falling In your yard?

 

[Underdog]

Brian and Dave make me feel a little better about mine... Thx
I collected and killed a very old and cool looking E Hemlock in my rookie year. I did everything wrong and still feel remorse. I deleted the folder of pics I had so I didn't have to keep being reminded of it. I passed this thread by a couple times already this morning as it still hurts me to think about it. LOL
But as is in the world of internet, things never really go away.
Please don't comment on this thread so it too dies a slow death...

Collected Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga, family Pinaceae)

This guys was hanging out of a shale cliff above/along a section of the old Ohio Erie Canal. Quite a climb up and especially down. It has been so warm here I fear missing the window. Some of my trees are starting to wake up already. It has a nice curve as it hung off the cliff over the canal...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Dav4]

Bummer @Dav4 didn't realize you lost the JRP. Was that a casualty of the tree falling In your yard?

Yeah... at least it was quick and the tree didn't suffer
.

The others took years to die after the move here.

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Virginia pine I styled a/ Bjorn. Had this killer live vein that snaked around the trunk. I repotted last spring and it didn’t survive. I feel like it wasn’t secured in the pot well enough. It was an awkward tree, to say the least. When I had to do the spring two step a dozen times, the tree kept moving in the pot, which is never good. Live and learn!

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

A Pitch Pine I collected. It grew well the season after I collected it, so I fully wired and styled it the fall after collecting. Big mistake!!! It died over the winter.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Verticillium wilt...nasty stuff.

 

[LanceMac10]

 

[LanceMac10]

 

[LanceMac10]