I.D potential future bonsai for collection.

[beanwagon]

Does anybody know what type of tree this is and its suitablility for bonsai?

It was hard to get good photos but it had some nice trunk movement and seems like a suitable candidate for collection.

[Ryceman3]

Where is it ???
If coastal, I'm gonna have a dip at Coastal Beard Heath... Leucopogon Parviflorus.
If so, I really don't like your chances of collection, super sensitive to being moved from all accounts. As a species I love these as potential bonsai, but I have only basic experience with growing, not collecting. I take it this is a tree on your land yeah???
Good luck.

[Reece]

Could be this....

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotoca_elliptica

I live them.

Never collected one though.

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[Reece]

Love them*

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[beanwagon]

Where is it ???
If coastal, I'm gonna have a dip at Coastal Beard Heath... Leucopogon Parviflorus.
If so, I really don't like your chances of collection, super sensitive to being moved from all accounts. As a species I love these as potential bonsai, but I have only basic experience with growing, not collecting. I take it this is a tree on your land yeah???
Good luck.

Yes coastal on a friends property. If this is a coastal beard heath and knowing that they are sensitive to being moved does anybody know what would be an optimal time for collection?

[beanwagon]

Could be this....

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotoca_elliptica

I love them.

Never collected one though.

I think you guys are on the money. I see them a lot and constantly think they would instantly look good in a bonsai pot.

[AirControl]

Possibly Myoporum?

[shibui]

You need to think very carefully about this.
1. These have been VERY difficult to transplant. Chances of success are negligible.
2. It may have movement in the trunk but I can't see any taper. Will this make a good bonsai in the unlikely event it survives?

In my experience many trees look to have great potential in the field but after you get them home you'll wonder why you bothered. natural natives should be left where they are to provide inspiration, habitat and many unseen environmental benefits.
You can grow your own from tubestock with very little cost and much greater certainty and probably in less time that it would take to convert this into a real bonsai.

[Andreas]

Hi Beanwagon, I would start very slow, dig a wide channel around the tree from about 50-70cm away from the trunk anywhere from 40cm to 60 ccm depth. Remove unwanted branches and deadwood that is not of use to future styling. You can get closer to the trunk, if you don't encounter any roots. Large roots cut one at a time, never more than 25-30%. Patient is the rule of the game, don't go to fast.

Then when the channel is done, you can see how the roots are spreading, leave the tree for a month, if you see no damage, then take a spate and cut underneath in a 45 degree angle a quarter a time, each time you do this wait for a couple of weeks to see the reaction of the tree. Continue this steps till you can lift it out. Prepare a large box to place it. Since the distance from the trunks root system is not yet known, wait building the box. Later you can remove all soil (step by step) that is not rooted while it is still in place. This will then show how big your box will be. I did that with some lager trees a long time ago, never had a loss. You may wanna take some care of watering and if necessary put a liner around, the dirt towards the trunk, so it is not washed out. Good luck, keep us posted.

[beanwagon]

You need to think very carefully about this.
1. These have been VERY difficult to transplant. Chances of success are negligible.
2. It may have movement in the trunk but I can't see any taper. Will this make a good bonsai in the unlikely event it survives?

In my experience many trees look to have great potential in the field but after you get them home you'll wonder why you bothered. natural natives should be left where they are to provide inspiration, habitat and many unseen environmental benefits.
You can grow your own from tubestock with very little cost and much greater certainty and probably in less time that it would take to convert this into a real bonsai.

Cheers for the advice, i still think its worth a shot.

[beanwagon]

Hi Beanwagon, I would start very slow, dig a wide channel around the tree from about 50-70cm away from the trunk anywhere from 40cm to 60 ccm depth. Remove unwanted branches and deadwood that is not of use to future styling. You can get closer to the trunk, if you don't encounter any roots. Large roots cut one at a time, never more than 25-30%. Patient is the rule of the game, don't go to fast.

Then when the channel is done, you can see how the roots are spreading, leave the tree for a month, if you see no damage, then take a spate and cut underneath in a 45 degree angle a quarter a time, each time you do this wait for a couple of weeks to see the reaction of the tree. Continue this steps till you can lift it out. Prepare a large box to place it. Since the distance from the trunks root system is not yet known, wait building the box. Later you can remove all soil (step by step) that is not rooted while it is still in place. This will then show how big your box will be. I did that with some lager trees a long time ago, never had a loss. You may wanna take some care of watering and if necessary put a liner around, the dirt towards the trunk, so it is not washed out. Good luck, keep us posted.

Awesome cheers for the information. So im assuming just before spring is the best time to collect and once collected keep the humidity up?

[Andreas]

You probably start in late fall, that gives enough time for the plant and its roots, the to be cut! It may go faster, but as previous comments that it don't like to be moved.