Random Thought of the Day

Quote: odiousgambit

The love of trees can be said to a carry-over from an early people of Britain, Ireland, and France who worshiped trees, the Druids. It would explain a lot - it is kind of weird how much plenty of us, myself included, really dig trees. I feel outrage over cutting them down. Where does that come from really?

Count me in. I'm not adverse to logging or general harvest, but I lose my s#$% when neighborhood trees are felled. It f#$%s up the whole street. My across-the-street neighbor cut hers down must be going on 15yrs now, an epic, all encompassing willow. Shaded her whole GD property, it did. My place looks odd to this day. Ditto for an old birch I lost out back.

Anyway, not to cut your post off, but I came here for a reason and it just so happens it ties almost directly into it.

Bonzai.

I'm looking to bonzai a tree so I thought I'd come here in case some advice is ripe. I'm brainstorming a highlight for a DIY obsession I've fallen into, and I need a very small tree with a number of traits that I'm not sure exist in one species. Figured if I brought it up, someone might know something.

In essence, it needs to be small and woody, much like the stereotypical bonzai'd pines you see at the local dojo. By small I mean small, no more than 2' max height and about the same in circumference. It also need do with little rain while being able to tolerate submerged/soaked roots, and of course the ability to withstand sub zero temps with 4-6 months of the year completely dark (snow / cover).

Anything pop to mind?

Quote: Face

Anything pop to mind?

I went to a seminar about 2 years ago by a guy who had been doing them for 30 years. He said he killed a fair number of trees making mistakes while learning.

Maybe the availability of information is better now.

To be clear, I wasn't looking for one "to banzai". Rather the opposite, in fact.

Fact is, I want something that's stunted and hands off. I don't want to have to mold something to the size I want, I just want it to Be. A slow grower I only have to fuss with once every year or two.

Now you're making me wonder what a tree would look if you built a barrier 3 feet over the top of it. Like a fixed pane of glass. (still needs sun)

Would it grow around all sides forming a cup like shape. Would it die?

Anyway, don't know the answer to your question. Could you just keep cutting the top off? "Tree-bush"

Bonzai usually involves taking nail clippers to the roots, not the top of the tree. The underground gardens at Fresno, CA have "trees" that have seven different fruits and that grow several feet high before having branches due to being in a hole in the ground with sunlight several feet above them. Often fruit is placed in a square receptacle and one gets a square tomato as a gag.

Heh.

Quote: Fleastiff

Bonzai usually involves taking nail clippers to the roots, not the top of the tree. The underground gardens at Fresno, CA have "trees" that have seven different fruits and that grow several feet high before having branches due to being in a hole in the ground with sunlight several feet above them. Often fruit is placed in a square receptacle and one gets a square tomato as a gag.

Ah. Maybe a plant, then. Cup o' sawgrass, perhaps.

First, it isn't "bonzai", it's "bonsai" (BONE-sai). I think it is often confused with "Banzai!" the group cheer/battlecry.

Second, I think a Black Pine might be what you are looking for.



A juniper might also work:

That first work in that picture is awesome.

BTW, is Face ever going to finish his two ton aquarium!!?