AusBonsai

These plants have been popping up like a weed around my backyard and I'm gonna try and bonsai them, but I have no idea what they are. Can anyone help me?

Solved
By kidsandall - Pittosporum

Hi Jilted, They look like Pittosporum seedlings to me. I've got a few popping up in the garden from our hedge. I have a large one I'm trying to bonsai but wondering if it's worht the effort. The growth habit seems to be straight up so every time the shoots grow a little a have to wire them down. The new shoots are very brittle as well and break away from the trunk easily. Depends on what varity yours is of course.

Josh

Thanks Josh I'll give wiring them a go and see how they turn out. At least now that I have the species and can look it up and care for them properly, cheers mate

After doing a bit of googling I think that you are right, they are Pittosporum Tenuifolium (commonly "Silver Sheen"). The adult plant looks like a nice plant for bonsai

If you need any more let me know. I have a couple of starters on the go Below is the tree I've started shaping I am using very fine wire and wirering straight away as it shoots, otherwise the shoots don't come out of the trunk at the right angle. The shoots are really tenders so I tend to loop the wire around the shoot rather than actually wire the branch. This gives the shoots room to grow without damage.

Josh

You're very lucky to have them in your yard as weeds, people spend time and money at the nurseries buying them up here!
The small leaves will definitely help your cause for bonsai, I have tried working with one rescued specimen of Pittosporum undulatum and found it to be very uncooperative, at the best of times!
Good stuff, keep us posted.

Great info Josh, I have four of them so i might just work on one and see how it goes (I already killed one about 4 weeks ago so I'm uncertain how I'm going to approach the remaining four). Might let them grow a couple more weeks before I attack them. I'll keep you posted if there is any news. Thanks for the photo's too, they're very encouraging