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Good tree for a starting Hoosier

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4-Feb-2006	#1
Singletonjr bonsaiTALK Neophyte Join Date: Feb-2006 Location: South Bend Country: United States Posts: 2	Good tree for a starting Hoosier Hi for starters, I am an infant to the art of Bonsai. I have tried once to start to start a tree from a seed and failed miserably (I didnt even get a sprout). I have purchased seeds again, after doing alot of research about Bonsai. I know it will take a long time, so I have also decided to puchase one that is already started. I live in northern Indiana, does anyone have suggestion as to what kind I should for the climate up here. I plan on it being an indoor/outdoor tree, but in the winter it will be indoor mostly. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

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4-Feb-2006	#2
Aaron_K bonsaiTALK Master Chief Join Date: Mar-2004 Country: England USDA Zone: 8 AHS Heat Zone: 2-3 Posts: 1,477	Hi Singleton and welcome to the forum. I think you made the right decision on beginning your path into bonsai by choosing a "pre-made" bonsai as opposed to starting a tree from seed. As far as ideal species for a beginner, my top three would have to be Chinese privet (ligustrum), Chinese elm (Ulmus Parvifolia), or Ficus Retusa. All three are easy to maintain, and can take a bit of abuse too. Have a look on the forum and the internet for those species and read up on them. See which one you like the look of the most, then pays your money and makes your choice. A good book on the subject wouldn't go amiss either . All the best, Aaron __________________ Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Muriel Strode Vulpes pilum mutat, non mores! "A fox may change its skin but never its character" Last edited by Aaron_K : 4-Feb-2006 at 10:58 AM.

4-Feb-2006	#3
badlad52 bonsaiTALK Adept Join Date: Jan-2006 Location: SEATTLE Country: USA USDA Zone: 8 AHS Heat Zone: 3 Posts: 225	If you want it to be an indoor tree for any length of time at all (other than short visits), you will have to go with a tropical tree. Fiscus are great for beginners, and easy to get (go to Walmart!), but the list goes on and on! You can also find lots of great sites that sale tropical seeds. Or, what I like to do is sprout seeds from fruit that I buy. Tamarindo grow easily from seed (I have some that are 5 years old now, and have produced flowers, but no fruit yet), as do pomegranate and most citrus. Right now I have some lime trees going that I dug out of a bottle of Corona at the bar! Last edited by badlad52 : 4-Feb-2006 at 12:24 PM.

4-Feb-2006	#4
Neild bonsaiTALK Artisan Join Date: Oct-2005 Location: Westfield, Indiana Country: United States Posts: 130	Singleton, I am also a hoosier just north of INDY. You may want to 1st decide if you'd like to try tropicals or other. Chinese Elms are nice becasue they're tough and can be cared for indoors as a tropial would or wintered outside as a deciduous would. I would also find a club to join. How far are you from INDY? A maple (or other deciduous native) might also be a nice choice for starter material for someone in the midwest. It would allow you to learn to care for something seasonally. Junipers are nice and cheap and good practice for pruning and wiring. Just some thoughts.....Good luck.

4-Feb-2006	#5
zen w/ Hippyistic Tendencies Join Date: Jan-2005 Location: Commerce GA (Near Athens) Country: U.S. USDA Zone: 7b AHS Heat Zone: 7 Posts: 1,786	Much like the chinese elm,...ligustrums also go dormant outside in cold winters but do just fine if kept indoors and treated as a tropical, mine stay green all year wether indoors or out here in GA. Though some trees can do this some can not and will die if they aren't allowed to go dormant,...even evergreens go dormant, my ligustrums are outside with green leaves, but are not growing ,top side, at this time. In your pursuit of wether to tropical or deciduous,...you should consider a few other things ,such as what size trees you want to compose most of your collection, as to my understanding, quite a few trops do not ramify as well as many deciduous trees do,...while you will find that other decids do not ramify well either. Google is a big help,and there are many articles here to use as refferance material as well. __________________ "Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity, and that wherever it is so applied it lends an unmistakable quality to the work." ~ Alan Watts (1915-1973)

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