Yaupon Holly / Ilex Vomitoria - Tips needed

This is a Craigslist find (free). There were seven but only one was left when I arrived. The owner dug this yesterday and left bare root overnight on freezing temperature. Soil was still wet when I picked it up but most of the exposed roots are dry. I am not sure if it will survive but I am hoping. I kept as much foliage as I can but this will eventually be reduced once established. I also plan on eliminating 1 (or 2) of the 3 main trunks later.

This is supposed to be at least 20 years old hedge shrub.

Anyone have experience and can share DO's and DON'Ts with this?

Thank you.

EDIT: I just spoke to the owner...he has 2 more I can take next weekend ...I just need to dig it.

They backbud readily, but are a little bit touchy about root work, so those dry roots don't sound good.

Good luck.

Dario
I cannot tell by the photos, but I am not sold on the dwarf yaupon holly, maybe a japaneses holly. Most dwarfs I have seen seldom grow that tall, they tend to only grow about 24" or so.
We are in just about the same zone so I feel safe in my recommendations and experience with them. They will back bud like crazy so you will be safe in cutting it where ever you wish. Me personally, I think you have a good start on a shohin size bonsai.
I have heard some say roots are tempermental but I have several that were literally ripped out of the ground with a chain and truck. One I have was left curbside for three days in the middle of summer and it has lived and done well.
I have also talked to some that say they unexplained limb die off. I have not had any problem with this. I do think it is because I have used 100% Napadomma mix ( thrifty sorb ) to be exact. They really like the clay based medium.
If it were mine I would trim it back all the way to a tapered stump an Shohin it. If you like I can post a example tomorrow. I cant post pictures from my I phone.

Mitch Thomas

Mitch Thomas

Mitch,

Yes, please post pics of yours. I might get some inspiration.

It might as well be a Japanese Holly...just going with what I was told and he have some that are smaller in his yard. I got same advise to chop it hard now...even the root in another forum.

These make great bonsai. They are all over the landscapes in Florida. I just collected two from my backyard today and replaced then with nursery plants. They were in the ground for 12 years and quite chunky.

In the past, I had a similar experience as Mitch - a neighbor yanked a bunch out of the ground in August in Florida, left them out 24 hours in the heat and sun. The next day I noticed them and asked if I could take a few and they all lived.

This time of year is a good time to collect. I like to leave a bit of green on the branches. Cut them hard, but leave a bit of green and when new buds appear lower on the trunk, let the new buds harden off and then cut to the newer buds. I use my regular bonsai soil and give them lots of water. Try to get rid of the native soil, pockets of native soil interfacing with bonsai mix causes a mini wet zone that can lead to fungus and loss of branches. I have found when removing large branches - some heal over readily and others do not. The remnants of the holes can make a cool old looking trunk though.
Leaf miners can make ugly marks on leaves but systemic pesticide takes care of them, or spray when the bugs are active in the spring.
They are very brittle and tough to wire. If you need to wire you need to do it when the branches are every young and somewhat pliable.

Here a shohin version

Rob,

Since I have no foliage near the base...can I just chop one or 2 branches and leave one with the leaves for now?

I am not sure yet how many and which ones to keep but fairly certain the center (B) one in the first pic will remain, the one on the back left (A) 2nd and the one in the back right (C) the first to go....which ones should I chop first in this scenario?

(ALL) Feel free to tell me if you have recommendations on which to keep and where to chop.




Thank you.

Dario
This is a post I posted on my home clubs web fourm a few monts ago.

This project was started about 3yrs ago. The origional stock came from discarded landscape, that was ripped out of the ground with a chain and a truck. Then it was left on the curb side where I found it three days later in the late summer heat. I took it home and flat cut the bottom and cut every thing down to a stump.
Now fast forward 1 year later the stump has recouperated and grown out.

Here is three after I pruned the roots and was repotted into a training pot

Here it is after defoliation and the first styling about two months later.

This is it six months later with a second styling styling and repotted into a training bonsai pot

I know the tree has a long way to go but is not a bad start. It is hard to tell but the base is over 8" in dia. and is in a 22" pot. The only other thing I can add is that you really have to build your branch structure on new growth, beacause after about 2 years the wood gets to brittle to bend like Rob stated. I love them and pick them up when ever I can I love how the bark on the trunk slumps dowm. Some people call it elephant skin or foot. I typically hollow out where the old large branches were to give it a even more aged look.

Hope this helps

Mitch Thomas

Dario,
I'd bet money it's a dwarf yaupon, probably a "stokes" which are cloned males, so it'll never have berries. They're all over our area as landscape plants (Japanese Holly is much much more rare here, and harder to grow). I think it's one of the best local urban species for Bonsai.

Looks like you've left yourself with some good options as far as future trunks. I wouldn't be too quick to cut back to a single line just yet, but to see what grows out and what is weak. Since it was dug by someone else, one part of the root-zone may be damaged and it may not be evident in the top section until later on in the year. It wouldn't be nice to remove the strong trunk(s) only to lose the only remaining one. Also if the rootball didn't dry out, it's fine if it set a while before you got to it. These are really strong plants

I would shorten the height further though. You don't need to have leaves on the branches like Boxwood, it'll bud back just fine and stronger if you cut it back and give it sun once it buds. Here is probably where I would cut it:

Joey, Jim, Mitch, and Rob,

Done. I took it out and cleaned it with water jet before repotting again. I also trimmed it as Joey suggested but left a few leaves on 2 small whips.

Thanks for the suggestions!