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First Collection - ID, advice, and opinions please

Posted: December 16th, 2009, 11:05 am
by TheNumber13
Hi All,
For the next month I am staying at my parents farm in the Hunter Valley, and can collect any plant I want.

The first I have found is this grouping of an unknown type of tree. There are 20+, all apparantly stunted thanks to cows (none over 30cm, many around 15cm).
Grouping.JPG
A few at least caught my eye (plus many more maybes):
Plant1.JPG
Plant2.JPG
Plant3.JPG
I have had no luck getting an ID on this plant, I am really hoping it is a native. Here is a closeup of a branch:
Branch1.JPG
So, since this is to be my first collection, I was hoping to get some of your professional opinions on the suitability of the plants pictured in becomming bonsai.
-Can anybody ID this plant for me?
-Do you like the shapes of the pictured plants, can you see them as bonsai?
-Can you recommend a collection process? (I plan to water them a lot, and give them some seasol over the next month. Then just dig out as much around each as I can before bare-rooting them to be shipped home. I'll do more research on the actual digging over the next month).

Expect to hear more from me as I find more possible digs.

Thanks for your time

Re: First Collection - ID, advice, and opinions please

Posted: December 18th, 2009, 5:07 pm
by TheNumber13
All those pictured above are in areas where my Dad is going to slash them away, in order to maintain grazing land for cows.

Today I found tons of gum trees that should be saved, only photo'd one which may have acceptable low movement. Trunk about 4cm. Must look closer at the rest.
Plant8gum.JPG
I was trying to keep clear of wattles, but I quite liked this one. Sorry for the bad angle shot, but I needed a reference point so I can find him again.
Plant6wattle.JPG
I think this is a Casuarina. Funky trunk, though probably not the best shape for bonsai. Nice and chunky though. Will probably leave him be as he's in a safe spot.
Plant7Cas.JPG
Any opinions would be appreciated.
Cheers, Pat.