What trees for beginner and where from

[jessepap]

Hi all

I am new to bonsai and the forums. I have always had an interest in plants and gardening from a young age.

So what are the 'best' bonsai to start with? I guess i am thinking about ease of growing, pace of growth, how forgiving a tree might be to beginner mistakes?! what else?

Next question - where are they mostly available? Do most good nursery's provide the best place to go to purchase stock?

From some research i have some names i keep seeing to name just a few.

- Ficus Retusa
- Ficus Benjamina
- Chinese Elm
- Junipers

I have a small Juniper and a JBP (Yatsambusa) which feels like a big mistake based on a previous post i have made in the forums.

Thanks guys.

[one_bonsai]

As a beginner I would go with a Chinese Elm and a Juniper Squamata. That gives you a deciduous and and an evergreen.

Chinese Elms grow fast and are almost un-killable. Junipers grow slower and are quite tough as well.

[Keels]

Gday Jessepap,

Thought i just share what i did as a beginner when i started with this obsession. These are my top tips for beginners but you can see if your interested in trying it out.

1. Elms (anything cheap & young) - Place in a plastic colander in the ground. Bend and twist with wire early to create movement down low. I've posted about my corky bark elm I've been growing in the ground. I brought a bunch of seedlings from the Canberra bonsai show years ago. SO your local bonsai club is a source for trees as well.

2. Maples (Tridents or Japanese) - I purchased a bunch of seedling off shibui and got some cut up stainless steel (or old road signs) to create round discs/plates to thread the seedlings into as it creates a flared base over time. Biggest tip would be to bend and wire early but watch carefully so the tree doesn't grow into the wire. Search the forum for a post about develop stock like japan. I cant remember the exact title. its a good read.

3. Australian Natives ( red river gums, melaleuca ericifolia (paperbark) and saw or coastal Banksias. - Get a bunch growing in colonders again, twisting and bend early. Allow to grow out then trim hard. With the Gums allow the top to grow freely. You can buy from any garden shop or Native nurseries. I've also got a few Casuarina trees as well. The natives are the best way to go as they grow so easily.

I've had a lot of success with these trees so far. I haven't really brought anything from bonsai nurseries til recently. I enjoy growing my trees myself

Since your in Adelaide you should look after tracking down some olives as well. I keep hearing they grow freely in your area. They are good trees to grow for bonsai as well.

good luck

[greg27]

Definitely grab yourself an olive stump or seven. There are plenty growing feral if you don't mind getting your hands dirty. Port Jackson figs are good as they're very forgiving, quick to grow and thicken up nicely.

[terryb]

Hey Jessepap,

I still consider myself a beginner, so here is a response from an "Adelaide" perspective. I routinely will call past traditional nurseries and see what they have but to be honest, I think you have to be lucky to stumble across a good specimen that will turn into a good tree. I have seen some rippers but they are few and far between. Remember these aren't grown with bonsai in mind. Nurseries that specialise in bonsai will have styled trees and some raw stock, so might be worth a look also.

I'll echo Keels' comments and say that Elms and Trident Maples grow well. Japanese maples are a little more difficult, since they are not fond of our hot dry winds. Definitely recommend the natives and you can pick up tube stock from the Belair National park nursery to play with or grow from seed/cutting/layers. I'll also throw desert ash into the mix. Grows quickly from seed and responds well to chopping and bending. There are a number of figs that are better than benjamina for our conditions.

The SA Bonsai society also organises digs for members, where you can collect your own stock, and also a couple of members sales nights, where you might find something of interest.

Happy to answer any other questions from my perspective..

[bki]

Hi Jessepap,
i have the same question when i started bonsai a few years ago. Lucky enough, i asked it as early just like you did before i started buying my bonsai.
i have done bonsai in 2 countries i lived before Australia so i consider myself as an old newbie again. My goto guy when i have a question is a bonsai expert from one of the many bonsai shop in Melbourne and he told me these as i remember "start buying a stablished tree and display it in your garden and study it's behaviour and your bonsai journey will start there. OR you buy starters where in the same amount you can buy at least 10 and start filing your garden with Styrofoam and plastic pots."

[jessepap]

Definitely grab yourself an olive stump or seven. There are plenty growing feral if you don't mind getting your hands dirty. Port Jackson figs are good as they're very forgiving, quick to grow and thicken up nicely.

I would love to grow an olive - i have a normal olive in a pot i am wondering if it can be turned into bonsai...

I wouldnt even know where to begin to think about where to go to find myself an olive stump though!!! where are you even allowed to go and try to find something like this?!?!?!

[jessepap]

Hey Jessepap,

I still consider myself a beginner, so here is a response from an "Adelaide" perspective. I routinely will call past traditional nurseries and see what they have but to be honest, I think you have to be lucky to stumble across a good specimen that will turn into a good tree. I have seen some rippers but they are few and far between. Remember these aren't grown with bonsai in mind. Nurseries that specialise in bonsai will have styled trees and some raw stock, so might be worth a look also.

I'll echo Keels' comments and say that Elms and Trident Maples grow well. Japanese maples are a little more difficult, since they are not fond of our hot dry winds. Definitely recommend the natives and you can pick up tube stock from the Belair National park nursery to play with or grow from seed/cutting/layers. I'll also throw desert ash into the mix. Grows quickly from seed and responds well to chopping and bending. There are a number of figs that are better than benjamina for our conditions.

The SA Bonsai society also organises digs for members, where you can collect your own stock, and also a couple of members sales nights, where you might find something of interest.

Happy to answer any other questions from my perspective..

I have wasted a few trips already and have visited 5x nurseries around Adelaide (much to the dismay of my wife) and not seen or found one thing i thought i could take away - and then i wondered do i just not know what species to buy but there just doesn't seem to be much on offer... Like i havent seen a fig other than those crappy small little ones in pots sold as 'bonsai'.

So for example an elm - where would you go in Adelaide to buy a simple elm in a pot?

[jessepap]

As a beginner I would go with a Chinese Elm and a Juniper Squamata. That gives you a deciduous and and an evergreen.

Chinese Elms grow fast and are almost un-killable. Junipers grow slower and are quite tough as well.

I like the sounds of both. The Elm looks like its a go - just now need to find where to purchase!

[Matt S]

Hi Jessepap,

I think most species suitable for beginners have already been covered, but here is my list:

Juniper, especially squamata and shimpaku (a form of chinensis). My first bonsai was a squamata bought 30 years ago and it's still going.
Chinese Elm. Great deciduous tree that loves our climate. Small leaves means it looks good quickly.
Trident Maple. Fast and easy to grow, better for beginners than a Japanese Maple.
Small leaved Jade. Not everyone likes a Jade but they are indestructible and you can even forget to water them for a week and they'll bounce back. Easily shaped to any style.
Olive. As stated they grow like weeds here and we regularly did up big stumps.
Port Jackson Fig. Best fig in my opinion although the Strangler Fig Ficus thonningii is becoming my favourite. Both are robust in containers and respond well to pruning.

Probably the best place to but these are Bonsai Mujo on Main North Rd. The big stuff is expensive but you can pick up starter material for a better price. I usually tell beginners that once they have confidence they can keep a tree alive, save your pennies and buy one good, mature tree to look after while your starter trees are growing.

Good luck!

Matt.

[Matt S]

Hi Again,

Olive stumps are easy to find but I'd wait until Winter when the ground is easy to dig and the success rate is higher. The SA Bonsai Society does digs every year in parks where we have permission but there are a few other places you can try if you're discreet. Ask again in June!

Matt.

[TimS]

Personally I’m a big fan of Trident Maple and Chinese Elm as good beginner trees. Both tough and forgiving, grow quickly even with less than perfect care, and can be developed over time into really excellent trees.

Very common at bonsai nurseries and evening sometimes at normal garden centres

[Rory]

Hi jessepap,

Grow Australian natives. They have evolved to our climate and are best suited.

Best advice is usually to go to your local council nursery and see what they are growing.
They can usually recommend something hardy that will do well in your area.

For a very general rule, traditional genus that grow fairly well in most areas are:

Melaleuca
Banksia
Casuarina
Figs (might need protection if nights fall below zero temps.)

I don't know SA, but this looks promising. If its open and sells to the public, this is where I'd be going, in Belair :


https://www.stateflora.sa.gov.au/contact-us


From their website:

South Australian trees and shrubs come in all shapes and sizes. They are colourful, hardy and provide a haven for birds and nectar-loving native insects. There are native trees and shrubs that flower at every time of the year – so you can have colour in your garden all year round. Others bear fruit and seeds and are increasingly popular as interest in edible Australian plants grows.

Homeowners often ask our staff which native tree would best suit their garden. Common requirements are for shade, a windbreak, to suit small spaces, or screening trees for privacy.

Some of our most popular plants are flowering shrubs that grow up to 1.5 metres tall, including bottlebrush, grevillias and emu bush. We also grow one of the biggest selections of Eucalypts in South Australia.

We have a huge range of seedlings readily available – from small flowering shrubs to mighty red gums. And if we don’t have it we’ll grow it for you.

State Flora also grows native plants for large projects such as revegetation, landscaping and parks. We regularly advise planners and horticultural professionals on these large-scale projects.

[greg27]

https://www.stateflora.sa.gov.au/contact-us

+1 for the Belair nursery; they are open to the public. If you're after something specific give them a call first, because they don't have everything in their catalogue in stock at all times of the year. I've stocked up on plenty of tubestock from them.

[bki]

I vote for Casuarina.