Hello Empire,

I use a lot of time in the winter period looking for bonsai material that I can dig up in spring

Today I went to the field to look for raw material. I was more specific looking for a deciduous tree species called Elder or Sambucus Nigra. I also came across a couple of hundreds Acer Platanoides trees from 50cm. and up.

I like this tree because the trunk and bark looks very old, even on relatively young trees.They often got lots of deadwood which make the trunk look interesting. The tree respond well on hard pruning and chopping the trunk. Elder tree gets beautiful white flowers and beautiful red berries in the summer. (The flowers you can actually make Elder-flower juice from and you can deep fry them, which both are very popular.)

I found a couple of trees that might have potential. Perhaps not future show trees, but less will do. I will take a look at them again in spring and decide if they can be used as bonsai material at all.

Just wanted to show you what I found on today's trip in the field. Would love to hear what the Empire think of the trees.

Looks like you had fun. HOwever, elder are not really suitable for bonsai because of their very soft wood, hollow stems and large leaves. THere are better species and I would pass up on these already for the species.

I have seen many other people make great bonsai from Elder.
Off cause there are many other species that are better for bonsai. But I already got them. Now i think its fun to find different species that possibly can become bonsai.
You can make bonsai from every species. Look at Nigel Saunders. None said bonsai should be easy.

Hansen wrote: You can make bonsai from every species. Look at Nigel Saunders. None said bonsai should be easy.

I'd love to see a pícture of your Coccoloba then. Or your Catalpa bignonioides .

I'm not a fan of the statement that you can make bonsai from every species, or of Nigel's video's demonstrating that. It propagates the idea that anyone can make a bonsai out of anything, which isn't true.

Theoretically, you can make bonsai out of many species, but not all species are equally good for good bonsai. Some are better than others. I do not find it a great idea to waste time on trees that are not that suitable.

Where do you see me say that everyone can make bonsai out of everything?
Dont put words in my mouth that i havent said.

I said that you can make bonsai from everything. I didnt say that everyone can do it. Exaggeration promotes understanding. And you know what i mean when i said it. But instead you try to be smart with you coccolobo.

I have many better suitable bonsai and trees than Elder. But it is possible to make bonsai from Elder. Will you see pictures?

I think the two "bonsai masters" auk and leatherback only make bonsai from the easy species. I make bonsai from the easy and the "difficult" species.

Hansen wrote: Where do you see me say that everyone can make bonsai out of everything?
Dont put words in my mouth that i havent said.

I didn't. I said it is an idea that is being propagated, not that it is what you said.

Hansen wrote: I said that you can make bonsai from everything

.

And I disagree.

Exaggeration promotes understanding

Exactly why I gave exaggerated examples.

I think the two "bonsai masters" auk and leatherback only make bonsai from the easy species. I make bonsai from the easy and the "difficult" species.

I don't think black pines - or better, a white pines - are easy species. They are however very suitable. Using difficult species that are not so suitable, in my opinion is a waste of time. Time that you can spend on species that are suitable.

Also, I repeat so much I write, and I will repeat this once again as well, I am NOT a bonsai master.

I dont want to spend more time on you. You do not get the point at all and your criticism is totally irrelevant.

"Theoretically, you can make bonsai out of many species, but not all species are equally good for good bonsai. Some are better than others. I do not find it a great idea to waste time on trees that are not that suitable."
-What can i use it for? Didn't you see what i just wrote? Let me repeat it for the last time: I like spending time on species that are suitable- and not suitable. And i know that this species can become very beautiful bonsai. Then your criticism is irrelevant.

Rather spend my time on not suitable bonsai trees than this.
I keep you updated with my new future bonsai's.

I for one would love to see pictures of bonsai created using sambuca, because I have never seen them. I do know their growth pattern, and for the pith alone I would not use them.

Thank you for considering me a bonsai master. I only wish. Just pottering in my backyard. And on here to help people find their way. Which for me includes sharing what I see as more or less suitable species for bonsai. I for one prefer to work on something that has a chance to become a bonsai, rather than a frustration in the long run. Considering the posts we get on this forum, working with suitable species is hard enough for most that post.

But yeah, please share the bonsai made out of sambuca. And, I would love to see some of your previous work on species hard to grow into bonsai.

Hansen wrote: You can make bonsai from every species. Look at Nigel Saunders. None said bonsai should be easy.

I guess I need to write a second response. Your words dug deep and I do not udnerstand where they come from. What did I do to you to get this negativity?

Do you really think you can make bonsai out of every species? And you really think Nigel Saunders is a good example of it?

Hansen wrote: I think the two "bonsai masters" auk and leatherback only make bonsai from the easy species. I make bonsai from the easy and the "difficult" species.

Why the sneer? If you have spent any time looking at my threads you should have realized I am all about trying different things. Just because I post that Elder are not suitable for bonsai, you think you know me well enough to start making snide comments about what I do?

Hansen wrote: I dont want to spend more time on you

But there you are, still spending time on me.

Didn't you see what i just wrote? Let me repeat it for the last time: I like spending time on species that are suitable- and not suitable. And i know that this species can become very beautiful bonsai. Then your criticism is irrelevant.

Ah.. the long toes of beginners in bonsai. I'm never offended when someone criticizes my trees, I try to learn from it. I never referred to your trees though, but to the idea in general that anyone can make a bonsai out of anything (like making aloe vera bonsai...). I just don't get it. On a Koi forum, I do not see goldfish. On a Motorcycle forum, I don't see cars. On an art forum, I do not see Ikea posters. Yet, on bonsai fora, 99% of the new posts is about houseplants, seedlings, succulents and people killing their plants as they didn't even know the basics. I dare say that quite a few new posts are essentially off-topic.

I'm not agitating against you or your choice of trees, but against the wide spread and totally wrong image of growing bonsai that the majority of people seem to have.

Looking forward to your pictures.