Kentucky Candidates

Yandrosxx

I live in Louisville, Kentucky. I've decided that I want to get serious about making a few collecting trips. I have an idea of various species to collect that I see frequently, but I wanted to know from the more learned people if you have thoughts on species I should be on the look out for in my area.

I am willing to cover the whole state as I often do anyway.

Especially pines. I actually see many around here, but I can't tell if they are short leaf, pitch, lodgpole, etc.

Any thoughts? Also, if anyone has specific information on sites to collect that would be helpful to.

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jfecme

I have family in Louisville, visit frequently, can't stay away from the nurseries when I go.

I haven't collected in your area, but let me suggest that Kentucky Coffee tree which grows wild up there is used for bonsai. I would certainly try my hand at one or more of these.

I see a lot of white pine along the roadside. If memory serves me right they are pretty persnickety about being bonsaied. Have trouble making it. don't needle reduce very well either. But, if you become addicted as most of us are you might try with a small one or two and just see.

I also see a lot of what looks like cedar, maybe a juniper along the road. Start with a small one and train it as it grows ever so slowly would be my recommendation.

The American Bonsai Society tries to specialize itself around native American species and may have some helpful information. Also, you might look at your state forestry department web site as I know they sell seedling of various Kentucky trees and that might give you some ideas.

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Over 25 years experience - good and bad, and still learning!

Asus101

your best bet for sound advice, contact your local club/s. Most clubs also will have collecting trips, so all the hard work of finding, getting permission ect ect is all done.

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"All your pinus is belong to us!"

Shrunken heads for all occasions. Collect them, swap them, give them to your witch doctor friend.

Yandrosxx

I actually belong to the local club, but they don't get out much to collect. Once a year and they tend to go to the same areas and collect the same species of mediocre quality. (In fairness, they get some nice stuff from time to time).

But, I'm looking to do a little more, look a few more places and most importantly look for a broader variety of species.

For example, the typical species looked for and collected locally are hornbeam, maple, landscape junipers and yews, beech, sometimes birch and not much else.

We have eastern red cedar everywhere (especially on the roadsides), but no one collects it. Which I'm not convinced is a good idea. Nevertheless, the red cedars I really want to collect are in a place I can't get permission to collect them.

Oh, and I have no intention of plundering the countryside, which is really the point of my question. I'm pretty picky to start with and don't want to waste my time on failed experiments with species I really don't know are suited to the purpose.

I have a few field guides for this area as well, including one specifically about "Kentucky Trees" but I find that many of species I try to ID , don't always match the descriptions well enough to be sure.

BunjinEnt

I was born and raised in Sothern Indiana. Sweet Gum. (Liquidambar), Wild Grape, Honey Suckle Vines that have grown along old Fence Lines. Poison Ivy Vines (be careful), American Beech, Carolina Hornbeam (Iron Wood), Birch, American Elm (if you can still find them), Chinese Elm, Junipers, Red Maple, Mulberry, Blue Berry, Bald Cypress grows as far north as Illinois on the Mississippi, maybe some have come up the Ohio as well? Look to see what's growing on the sides of the highway where they ripped through the Limestone hills. Sumac.

I know some are repeats now that I look back at thread, but thought I'd try to help.
Good luck

-Wm

ovation22

Yandrosxx,

Here are a few links pulled off of a quick google search:

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Horticulture/...es/treelist.htm
http://www.naturepreserves.ky.gov/N...eesbrochure.pdf

In the club newsletter recently Randy Davis has been writing quite a bit about elms. I have a few winged elms (very young still) growing wild behind my house. The other trees you mention are ones that several club members recommend, which is why they continue to be the focus on our collecting trips.

On the Juniperus virginiana Eastern red-cedar, it's very touchy. It reverts to juvenile foliage if you look at it funny. Roots are often very long and embedded in rocks, with feeders few and far between. I have thought about collecting one and trying to graft shimpaku on though.

Pinus virginiana Virginia pine is a far better choice than Eastern White, in my opinion. The foliage is shorter and more compact. The bark tends to have more character as well.

We'll be hosting Julian Adams later in the year. He should also be able to provide information on native species suitable for bonsai. He's farther east, but with much the same conditions and species.

It's tough to plan events through the year that draw people out. The club always accepts ideas, and quite frequently begs for them. The same active members suggest the same types of things. If we could get more active members involved we could plan more and diverse meetings.

In the mean time, if you're looking for a collecting buddy give me a shout. I may be planning a trip to Black Mountain, NC sometime in the future.

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John Callaway
Matsu Bonsai blog

Bonsai Questions - Well, it depends

BunjinEnt

Was thinking about this thread yesterday and remembered Persimmon and Tupelo.

-Wm