Sir Speedy

Hey guys and gals,

Hopefully I someone can help me...
I am new to Bonsai, very new actually. I decided to get into it a couple weeks ago. I found some seedlings scattered around the yard today but I have no idea what they are. I can get some pictures if need be, but was wondering if there is any other way of figuring it out? I have Oaks, Tulip Poplars, Dogwoods, Sweetgums, Crape Myrtles, and Azaleas (I can find Latin names if needed) in and around the yard but these seedlings look nothing like anything else. They have some leaves, the bigger ones have some buds, but the only trees in the yard that have leaves so far are the Azaleas.

On a separate note I have an Azalea (my motivation for getting into Bonsai) that is going to one day make a really nice specimen but from what I have read they are really slow growing so I am looking to get something faster growing. These seedlings are hopefully going to be one of these. I am also planning on getting an apple or cherry tree as well. can you tell I jump in with both feet?

Looking forward to seeing what you can tell me.

JLDoggett

I would suggest either posting a picture of the leaves here, buying a good field guide to tree identification or a web-search to find a "tree identification" site you like. or you can wait for the seedling to put out true leaves and then match them to the trees in your yard.

Once you have decided ones you want to keep and grow as bonsai; I would suggest finding a place in your yard where you can move the seedlings to, so they can grow, be fertilized and tended until they are large enough to move into a pot.

As for azelias, they are indeed slow growers. I have a couple of dozen ground planted, they seem happy but after several years they have gained very little thickness to their trunks...

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Sir Speedy

Thanks for the help JL,
I have narrowed it down to three candidates. Eastern Hophornbeam (Ostrya Virginian, American Elm (Ulmus American, and Sourwood (Oxydendrum Arboreum). I will have to wait and see what happens with them before being able to say for sure.

Seems to me that any of them would be suitable for Bonsai?

Sir Speedy

After many frustrating hours scouring the web I have narrowed it down to two possiblities. American Hophornbeam (Ostrya Virginiana ), and Common Chokecherry (Prunus Virginiana ). I am pretty sure that it is Chokecherry, but to be sure I will take some to a garden center over the weekend and see if they can tell me. I spent a couple hours fighting the back yard (I use a wheelchair) and found what could either be the parent or an older sibling of my now growing collection of seedlings, and took some pictures but couldn't upload them from the Blackberry.

For those interested I will keep you posted on what I find out.

Phil

Looking forward to those pictures and welcome to Bonsaichat and the world of bonsai! I must say I envy you as to your Azalea's! They can make beautiful specimens but I've not had much luck with them.

~Phil~

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treebeard55

American hophornbeam seems to me to have definite potential as a bonsai: even when young, its bark assumes a mature look. I've heard of them being used, occasionally. Don't know much about them, except that they self-sow around here and are fairly fast-growing; nice fall color, too.

I've got my eye on one, to collect and learn with. Maybe in a few years I'll have gleaned more information and have some pointers worth sharing.

Best wishes as you learn this art! Be advised, tho, that's once you're well in, you won't want to get out!

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Treebeard 55
Steve Moore
http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com

The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

Sir Speedy

Turns out all the plants I previously thought it might be were wrong. Turns out it is Black (Wild) Cherry, Prunus Serotina (I believe). They are all over the place around my house. I collected 5 of them and have them training as we speak, well 4 are training. I got ahead of myself and tried to grow one over a rock and killed it.

Andrax

Welcome to the art of bonsai Seedy! I like to harvest seedlings/trees from the ''wild'' also, but you can get great bonsai stock froma plant nursery. IMO there are many bonus' to that, i find you can style and pot nursery stock much faster than harvested tree's and most often you'll have a very nice tree very earlyon good luck with the chery tree's

treebeard55

Best of luck with that Prunus serotina, Speedy. I've tried it myself, since the young bark is so handsome and it grows wild here too. In my experience, pruning wounds tended to keep "bleeding" sap for days, so I quit working with the species.

That was many, many moons ago. I now suspect that the excessive bleeding may have had to with the timing of my pruning. I'll be interested in following the progress of your tree.

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Treebeard 55
Steve Moore
http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com

The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

boger

In my experience with wild and cultivated cherries it is always best to do any pruning in the winter time. This gives the wounds time to heal enough before the sap rises in springtime for them not to bleed. If you cover the wound with wound paint it will stop entry of harmful organisms.