best tree in nature

I have always loved this tree and for the longest time wanted to find someway to get it into my collection. cant say that I know how seeing as there are never any pine cones and not sure if air layering would work on such a sappy tree. But as for the tree itself its 1 out of the millions that surround it, when passing by you could almost swear that some bonsai master in the sky wired it for all to see. Not sure if the pic shows clearly but nothing is straight, some limbs make full circles while others make an S. Anyways just thought that I would share a little bit of natures insperation for me.

That's a loblolly pine. They don't make the best bonsai, but you should find lots of small ones around it.

Is your desire for this particular tree or Loblolly Pines in general?

Even if its not the best for bonsai I really love to start working it into a pot. I would love to have the opportunity to work with pines as bonsai but unfortunately we don't have much pines here in our area
I just adore the mugo pines, japanese white and black pines (maybe I would just dream of it )

I cant say that I would honestly try to get a long leaf (loblolly) as a bonsai maybe a sandy pine but to see one natural like this in nature is a full insperation in its own. Just goes to show that no style is to or design is to abstract for natures real beauty. Also I do agree that most any if not all japanese pines make some of the best bonsai.

lugnutz30 wrote:I cant say that I would honestly try to get a long leaf (loblolly) as a bonsai maybe a sandy pine but to see one natural like this in nature is a full insperation in its own. Just goes to show that no style is to or design is to abstract for natures real beauty. Also I do agree that most any if not all japanese pines make some of the best bonsai.

I'm not sure where Windy City is but you can certainly grow Japanese Black Pine in all parts of Florida.
I have two native Florida pines as bonsai. A Slash Pine which makes great bark but will never mimic a JBP. So you go with what you have. I had it on display as the BSF convention this past March.
It's on the left.



I also have a Sand Pine - while it has shorter needles, the needles themselves are sort of wimpy and do not make the nice foliage pads like a JBP. I have not tried Loblolly as they don't grow in my area. Too hot in the winter I suppose. The tree in your photo is very juvenile, maybe 10 years old if that. A really old Lobolly is true inspiration.

I am up here around Panama City. I agree with you on the older ones but then this one is more around 20 years old. Still remeember riding my bike down the dirt road that use to go by it when it was nothing more than a young sappling lol. Who knows maybe one day I will get back around those Theme parks down your way.

waway wrote:Even if it's not the best for bonsai I'd really love to start working it into a pot. I would love to have the opportunity to work with pines as bonsai but unfortunately we don't have many pines here in our area
I just adore the mugo pines, Japanese white and black pines (maybe I would just dream of it )

Have you tried a Casuarina, also known as she-oak and Australian pine? That is usually used by pine "zone envy" victims in the tropics.
Iris

lugnutz30 wrote:I am up here around Panama City. I agree with you on the older ones but then this one is more around 20 years old. Still remeember riding my bike down the dirt road that use to go by it when it was nothing more than a young sappling lol. Who knows maybe one day I will get back around those Theme parks down your way.

20 years old - shoot I have cuttings older than that. A really old tree is in the hundreds and perhaps 1000s of years. Those are the models when trying to make antiquity your goal. I will admit though the Florida native pines make old looking bark rather quickly.

Rob Kempinski wrote: I have not tried Loblolly as they don't grow in my area. Too hot in the winter I suppose. The tree in your photo is very juvenile, maybe 10 years old if that. A really old Lobolly is true inspiration.

20 years old - shoot I have cuttings older than that. A really old tree is in the hundreds and perhaps 1000s of years. Those are the models when trying to make antiquity your goal. I will admit though the Florida native pines make old looking bark rather quickly.



Well if i said that the tree was old then I would be refering to myself as old and I am not quite to the point of wanting to do that lol. Anyways I know that 20 isnt old but then it is older than 10. I guess with a cutting that old you have either been a fortunate one that has had things given to you or maybe bought for you . Not saying that anything is wrong with that but hey if you consider yourself to be old then I guess anything in nature is old as well. In your words if you were to shave your head, put on glasses, pull your teeth, and walk stuped over, and sitting in a washtub then you would have acquired makeing youself an antiquity (the human bonsai) . Its all abstract and in the eyes of those forming it, make it to impress yourself NOT others. If you make it to please or impress someone else then we would all be creating the same exact thing!!! Also one last thing for you, Loblolly pines do grow in southern Florida, Hince the name Southern pine, aka yellow heart pine and also long leaf pine. The name all depends on how far out in the woods you were raised.

Rob Kempinski I am curious, how old are you? Your profile says 19 but then judging by your post you are older. Kinda confusing to understand. I noticed that one of your posts said that you have been working with wood for over 30 years, ( Im lost)

lugnutz30 wrote:Rob Kempinski I am curious, how old are you? Your profile says 19 but then judging by your post you are older. Kinda confusing to understand. I noticed that one of your posts said that you have been working with wood for over 30 years, ( Im lost)

Don't believe everything you see on the web. I'm old enough to know that!

Don't believe everything you see on the web. I'm old enough to know that!


That can be taught to a 3 year old these days. Anyways I am not here to argue and/or catch criticism. Thought this was a place to share and gain knowledge. Who knows maybe Im wrong?????

You will indeed learn lots here, but also perhaps a sense of humour helps. Rob is well known as an "old stager" of the IBC and we all take his stated age with a pinch of salt. Many of us have been on this forum long enough to know that Rob has worked on the space program and (if I remember correctly) that his avatar is something mechanical and perhaps space related that he constructed - not the work of a 19 year old.

You should also pay little attention to my avatar which was taken in 1987! It's not the age stated that is important, it is the quality of knowledge imparted. You won't go far wrong if you listen carefully to Rob.

I preddy much figured out about the age and have also read his blog. I will admit that he is very knowledgable of bonsai among other things. One of his comments struck me as a bit of being a spoiled young kid (as I am myself) but then after I replied back I started to read some of his other posts and came to the conclusion that he was much older than stated. I of course know now that its not that he is a smart butt, but rather full of sarcasim. With me and my raising I take all words from those older than me as a knowledge taught, something for free. After reading more from him I half to admit that he has got my respect.

being a spoiled young kid (as I am myself)----------------Not spoiled but full of sarcasim

You can learn a lot from this site. Just keep an open mind.
Look to champion trees for inspiration.
According to the National Register of Big Trees, the Champion Loblolly Pine is in South Carolina. Location: Congaree Swamp National Monument, SC*
Circumference: 176 inches
Height: 167 feet
Spread: 71 feet
Points: 361

An old Loblolly is at least 24 inches diameter. The best bonsai inspiration come from those that have experienced some tramua and have some character. Keep looking in the woods, you'll find some.
Chris Guies (aka Treebeard) posted a link not too long ago of old trees in the UK. They are good inspiration.


As for Loblolly distribution, according to the USGS which has surveyed the range and distribution of Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) Pinus taeda do not extend to south Florida. The green portion on the map depicts where loblolly grow. Many other scientific sources corroborate this fact (For example I have copy of The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, which also limits their range to central Florida.) I can personally vouch for this as I have spent lots of time in the woods looking for pine trees all over central and southern Florida. The coastal area of Florida (where I live) have higher zones than the interior of Florida due to the influence of the gulf stream. Hence no Loblolly Pines where I live. You might fin a couple in north Orlando but not many. The lack of serious frost makes them susceptible to the Pine Beetle and hence they don't grow where there is no frost.

Here's the web site if you care to check it out.

http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/data/atlas/little/

Kev Bailey wrote:You will indeed learn lots here, but also perhaps a sense of humour helps. Rob is well known as an "old stager" of the IBC and we all take his stated age with a pinch of salt.

A pinch of salt goes good with a margarita. For my taking advice I recommend a shot of Bourbon.

Kev Bailey wrote:Many of us have been on this forum long enough to know that Rob has worked on the space program and (if I remember correctly) that his avatar is something mechanical and perhaps space related that he constructed - not the work of a 19 year old.

My rocket scientist days are over. I sold out and took a promotion to corporate level.

I didn't build my avatar - just try to emulate it.

I figured Rob was lying about his age so he could again enter the New Talent Competition! ;-) (Which he previously won by the way...was it 2002?)

Yeah seems like all the older people want to be young again Guess I will learn alot from all you "old stagers". Thanks for all the input though