wondering what this small tree growing beside the highway is. debating if I should pot it up. Thanks

better pic

Could be an Ash, Sorbus spp. At least, that is what I would guess in this part of the world.

I see no reason for putting it in a pot. Why are you considering doing this?

leatherback wrote: Could be an Ash, Sorbus spp. At least, that is what I would guess in this part of the world.

I see no reason for putting it in a pot. Why are you considering doing this?

I googled those and it doesn't look like it IMO.

I guess it will remain a mystery.

because i'm trying to grow bonsai from seedlings and cuttings and stuff. Why should i not do it? (move to big pot with better soil fertilizer etc and increase growth)

bonsainoobnoob wrote: I googled those and it doesn't look like it IMO.

I guess it will remain a mystery.

Does not have to be. But the world is a big place with a lot of tree species with compound leaves

bonsainoobnoob wrote: because i'm trying to grow bonsai from seedlings and cuttings and stuff. Why should i not do it? (move to big pot with better soil fertilizer etc and increase growth)

Because it is small, needs a fair trunk to become realistic and at the moment it does not seem to have any characteristics to make it a great bonsai. But.. Growing from seedling is certainly possible. From that perspective any seedling can be put in a pot.

If you specify where in the world this highway is, you might get better targeted answers. LBs guess is not that bad if you are in europe, but will be off the sharts if you are in asia.

Tropfrog wrote: If you specify where in the world this highway is, you might get better targeted answers. LBs guess is not that bad if you are in europe, but will be off the sharts if you are in asia.

Im in vancouver canada.

here's another pic of it from the side.

Do you have any tree already? If you don't, consider buying one, a simple, small leafed tree...
Maybe native species (adapted to your enviroment), or a chinese elm for example, something you can practice on...
Big leafed trees are not easy to make bonsai.
And "Yamadori" (tree collection from the ground), demands a bit of practice, so if you want to practice, go ahead, just make sure you are not doing it illegally, you can do it on your yard, or a friend's farm/field, etc.
Where I live, collection of native trees in public lands are illegal, and for a few species, even on private property...

the leaves are not particularly big. still no idea what it is?

It's a compound leaf tree (you can start your research from there)... Each of this "branches" is a single leaf... That looks like Mogno, but I doubt it actually is, since it's wrinkly...