has anyone tryed to make a weeping willow bonsai

avonly_unicorn

i just wondered my aunt has weeping willows in her yard i thought that it might be cool if some one had a weeping willow bonsai

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Alasdair

There are a few out there, but they are notoriously difficult to achieve. The two main problems being that the branches weep naturally under their own length & weight (you can't get a decent bonsai if you let the branches grow that long) and tthat willow have a habbit of randomly loosing branches for no apparent reason.

Mind, i have seen a few good examples. I think the best way to achieve the weeping look is to permanently have weights on the ends of the branches, only removing them for shows as they will slowly spring back upwards. Eiher that, or grow the tree upside down.

Al

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rschlafer

I have some 1.5" cuttings that have rooted and am going to plant very soon. I love Weeping Willow Bonsai

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cbobgo

Check this thread

http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthread.php?t=8145

If you do a search here, you will find many other threads on weeping willows.

- bob

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avonly_unicorn

i think there oak in my front yard i wondered if a branch from one would make a great bonsai

Graydon

Perhaps - but not if you saw it off. Saw = deadsai. Oaks can be air layered but it may be too late in the season for that.

Big chain home supply stores often try to get rid of oaks this time of year and one can be had at a discount if you look hard enough. Take a saw with you and chop the top off right there if you want. It will send out all sorts of new shoots - but they need to harden off before winter of they will die back to trunk. Don't mess with the roots and leave it in the pot it was in.

Just a thought as it sounds like you are dying to get something going.

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Dale Cochoy

Aside from the Black willow ( which really doesn't weep) I did in the thread Cybogo listed above ...
I also recently styled and potted a dwarf weeping willow this very early spring in March for a demo at a garden center program. It is in an interesting modern 3-side cascade pot I made a few years ago and never found a tree for .
Here's a couple pics I took at home right after the demo.
I didn't get any leafed pics later, but, after leafing and some twigging, sold it to another vendor right off the bat while setting up at the Potomac show this '06 spring .
I think the biggest worry to willow bonsai is winter die-back. If you can keep them dormant WITHOUT FREEZING you will have pretty fair succeess. IMO
Dale

Attached Images

	willow front.jpg (69.2 KB, 30 views)
	willow back.jpg (66.0 KB, 44 views)

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Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
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Bruce Winter

Here's one that looked good for 16 years. No more.
http://tinyurl.com/g4doz
http://tinyurl.com/kerex

avonly_unicorn

i love bonsai and i do think i'll by a desert rose provided i don't kill it my climate zone is 6 i hope it does well