Boxwood/live oak

Hey Russell
Not meaning to invite myself but let me know, I can help dig them if you want.

Mitch

I should probably try to get permission first.

Here's the big one from the trash pile repotted into a great old pot. Next time I'll lower it some more. Yes, the background is terrible but this is as good as it's going to get for now. The scar from being pulled out of the ground with a chain isn't as obvious when it's dry. Plenty of carving, trimming and wiring coming up, but I'll worry with that in the summer (which at the rate we're going will beweek after next).

Hello Russel,
That is an impressive tree, can we see the back side?
Sunip

JIM,,The little one is looking good !! MITCH,,Your tree is also comming along nicely... RUSSELL,, I really like the last one you posted.going to be a good tree.. boxwood look so great as bonsai.. all take care john

Jim
Nice mame, I am trying to root a cutting from mine. I hope it takes but I don't have much luck there.

John
Thanks I have a way to go with it. Maybe the best collected tree I have so I have been going slow with it.

Russell
I knew you were saving the best for last. I think in your hands these trees will become a show stopper as are all of your trees. I am looking forward to studying with you at the DOB.

Mitch

Thanks Mitch. Actually the first, smaller one will be the better bonsai in the end. It has great natural movement and long flowing branches that really do look like an old live oak. Looking forward to seeing you later this month!

Is that a camellia blooming in the background?

This tree has great potential but is very different from the other (which really does give the feeling of a live oak). Can't wait to see what it looks like after the summer work!

If I might, I can add to Dale's comment about growing conditions for what I've discovered with my Kingsvilles in Maryland.
One of our longtime club members had to move to avoid a road going thru his property. He had numerous 30 year old Kingsvilles in the ground at the time and gave us an opportunity to dig some. Notice the color of the foliage after being in the sun for years.
This was in 2005.



I took the larger of the ones I dug and put it in my yard for 3 years and the color didnt change much. 2008







For 2 years I tried various remedies such as examining for insects, fertilizers, but nothing seemed to really change the color. I decided to begin thinning and styling, and put it on a bench in the shade. 2010 after 2 years in a pot.



I planted it in a grow bed with dappled sun after the last pic in 2010, and lifted it last weekend. The root growth was tremendous, and the back budding was fairly successful. I have not gotten pics of it yet this year.

Russell Coker wrote:
I should probably try to get permission first.

Here's the big one from the trash pile repotted into a great old pot. Next time I'll lower it some more. Yes, the background is terrible but this is as good as it's going to get for now. The scar from being pulled out of the ground with a chain isn't as obvious when it's dry. Plenty of carving, trimming and wiring coming up, but I'll worry with that in the summer (which at the rate we're going will beweek after next).

Russell,
This is awesome! Great save! I would love to see it trimmed.

Great jobs on those fantastic old trees Russel and lordy!

Poink88 wrote: I would love to see it trimmed.

Me too. And wired, both of them. Good summer work.

Russell Coker wrote:

Poink88 wrote: I would love to see it trimmed.

Me too. And wired, both of them. Good summer work.

Me three. If you end up doing this work, please repost some pictures. Wonderful boxwoods on this thread. I wish I had one like these guys.

Have a great week!!!
~Sam

Sam, you can have one. Of all the material we use in the south, decent old boxwoods are about the easiest things to find. Aquiring them them may be a little more difficult, but finding them shouldn't be!

Sam Ogranaja wrote:Wonderful boxwoods on this thread. I wish I had one like these guys.

Sam,
Sometimes complacency sets in, thanks for the reminder to be more grateful/thankful of these blessings.

Here is a shot of my large Kingsville Boxwood.
I bought this as a large collected stock from the late Dan Chipliss after he left his job as Asst. Curator at the National Arboretum. He tore it out of an OLD hedge row in the DC area. He was told by the home owner that it had been there about 40 years. That was roughly about 15 years ago I think? ( I should have written down the date I bought it?) He was unloading some trees to sell at the Potomac Spring show to get rid of some of his stock and I saw it coming off the truck in a box. Suddenly, there was this 'Swisshhh" sound of my wallet coming out of my pocket!!!
I removed one of the heavy third branches/trunks right where the other two seperate and a few other heavy branches. After sitting in the sun for about 5 years it never looked good. Finally after moving to the shade it began to grow nice and has a brilliant green color. No more yellow or orange leaves.
The tree stands 33 inches above the pot and is 32 inches wide. The tree and tokoname pot combo is 40 inches high.

Dale

Dale...so glad you shared this one....it is great to see it up close. It is one of the nicest I have seen, imo...

Hope all is well.

Best regards,
Tom

Dale
Nice find and great addition to your collection. Hard to believe these trees were just a hedge at one time, but that's how they get thier character. I can remember about 15 yrs ago they were looked down on as suitable bonsai material, because the leaf size doesn't reduce well. Then we started to make larger trees to suit the scale of the leafs and people now love them. Funny on how acceptable material changes in bonsai material. Another thing they actually make a better live / red oak design than using live oak.

Mitch

Dale, Dan would be proud of your work. Great job. Now I know to get to the PBA show a day before it opens to see what other treasures come off the trucks that the public never sees!
As an aside, I've found that Kingsvilles seem to like good rich garden soil. I stuck 3 or 4 cuttings from mine in some to root 2 years ago and they are even healthier looking than what I have in bonsai soil. They too have been sheltered from the harsh direct sun and they seem to love it.

I hope so Lordy, Dan was just the nicest guy! I did not know him well but he was friendly and outgoing to everyone. I hated to see him lave the Nat. Arb. and he passed way too young. He told me that he always thought the collection really should have a nice Kingsville in the American trees as it was truly an American tree.

D.

I think you should show it to Jack Sustic. You never know. I hear Kingsvilles like to revisit their homeland. Why dont you let it come with you this spring? I'm sure it would be a hit.

Wonderful boxwoods on this thread. I wish I had one like these guys.

Here's how: Visit the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department. Ask to see the head of the landscaping division/section/office/bureau. Volunteer to help when the have landscaping projects. If they don't need help, at least leave your name. And check back with them periodically.

Many park/recreation departments are removing old boxwood (or other landscape plants) in favor of trendy new exotics (Loropetalum (UGH!) is a current fav in N. Fla). They'll just deliver the removed plants to the landfill or the mulch machine, so you can easily take some home.

I did this in N. Fla.

JimLewis wrote:

Wonderful boxwoods on this thread. I wish I had one like these guys.

Here's how: Visit the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department. Ask to see the head of the landscaping division/section/office/bureau. Volunteer to help when the have landscaping projects. If they don't need help, at least leave your name. And check back with them periodically.

Many park/recreation departments are removing old boxwood (or other landscape plants) in favor of trendy new exotics (Loropetalum (UGH!) is a current fav in N. Fla). They'll just deliver the removed plants to the landfill or the mulch machine, so you can easily take some home.

I did this in N. Fla.

Jim, that's a great idea. I'm going to look into that.
Have a great week!!!
~Sam