Our second BC collected trip for 2020 happened yesterday. As often happens, the weather did not cooperate. On the plus side, the rain was not Noah-worthy so we plowed through and got the job done. If you’re into big classically styled Bald cypress bonsai, this is the sort of specimen you’re after. Beautiful flaring, buttressed base, great trunk taper, chopped at just the right spot to grow out and finish up around 40″. This one is just about a perfect formal upright, which for the trees I collect is very unusual.
Here it is in the pot, shown from what should be the best front. The root base is buried, of course, to keep the roots from drying out.
Here’s another one the same size (5″ trunk), but more along the lines of what I usually find. This one will make a superb informal upright BC bonsai of the classic pyramidal style.
And in the pot. I love the fluting of the trunks of these trees, don’t you?
Here’s an unusual specimen. The trunk is the same size as the ones above, about 5″ across (that’s measured up the trunk about 5″ above the soil level once it’s potted), but I ended up chopping it lower because the trunk lost taper above what you see as the chop point. That means this tree will ending making a “stouter” bonsai when all is said and done. The two trees above are chopped at 26″; this one at 19″.
Here it is in its training home.
This is the most unusual specimen I brought home this trip. The trunk is not all that thick, but the flare at the base is just massive and in the final potting of the tree I plan to expose most of it. I’m confident it will make quite a statement!
All tucked in and waiting for the weather to warm up. If we get mild enough temperatures, I expect to see budding on these trees in early to mid-February. At that point or soon thereafter we should know who made it and who didn’t. Let me know what you think of our latest haul.
What a nice haul these are! Are you collecting from swamp area actually in the water? I notice that all your specimens have feeder roots close to the trunk base. The BC I have been tagging to collect don’t seem to have this characteristic? Most of them are currently just above the water line and not actually in the swamp waters. Should I go into the water to find those trunk base roots? There are plenty of the giant tap root like structures.
Great trees- looking forward to seeing how they progress.
Kyle, the ideal place to collect BC is a flooded area that never gets more than a foot or so under water (like at the edge of a swamp). It doesn’t matter if there are feeder roots or not near the trunk base – it’s actually easier to clean them up if there aren’t any.
Thanks for the info, that’s where I’ve been shopping I will continue to hunt!
Looks like you hit pay dirt
I do pretty good, Clem. Thanks for the comment.
Real nice haul Zach
Thank you, Bryant!
Very nice specimens!
Thank you, Todd!
Can we call dibs on any of these? 🙂
I have to work through my waiting list first. I’ll email you with more information.