California Sierra Native Trees for Bonsai

From Google [AI] search:

Some trees native to the California Sierras that are good for bonsai include: 

California juniper:

A popular choice for bonsai, this tree grows slowly and has interesting deadwood.

Ponderosa pine: pinus ponderosa

A good choice for bonsai because of its textured bark, durable deadwood, and flexible branches. It's best suited to larger tree designs because of its long needles. 

Sierra juniper:

Foxtail pine:  Pinus balfouriana

Mountain hemlock:  

Giant sequoia:  

Western white pine:  

Lodgepole pine:  

In collaboration with Caleb Stewart.

The following is Caleb’s list in collecting and yet to collect.

Trees Collected:

Pine family:

  • Ponderosa pine: 2 older trees collected, 2 unsuccessful. First collected in summer, not enough roots, second collected in December, not sure why died.

  • Sugar pine: 1 older tree collected in December, successful. Showed vigor in first year after collection. Has not been styled yet.

  • Western white pine: 1 older tree collected in summer, successful. Did not produce growth the first year. Has not been styled yet.

  • Lodgepole pine: 1 older tree collected in summer, not successful. Not enough roots.

  • Red fir: 1 younger tree collected in winter, successful. Good backbudding.

  • Pinyon pine: 1 older tree collected, successful. Vigorous growth and good backbudding. 

  • Western hemlock: 1 older tree collected, successful. Shown in 2024 bonsai show. 

Cypress family:

  • Incense Cedar: 1 older tree collected in summer with good root bundle, successful, does not backbud (yet) after 2 years of pruning.

  • Sierra juniper: 1 older tree collected, unsuccessful. Not enough roots.

Oak family:

  • Black oak: 2 young trees collected in winter, 1 survived. Difficult collection with few roots since tap root goes deep.

  • Blue oak: 1 old tree collected in winter, surviving but with lots of die back.

  • Canyon live oak: 1 old tree collected in summer with lots of roots, successful, vigorous growth.

Willow family:

  • Scouler willow: 1 younger tree collected in summer, successful, vigorous growth.

  • Narrow-leaved willow: 1 younger tree collected in winter, successful, vigorous growth.

Yew family:

  • Pacific yew: Three younger trees collected in winter, 1 survived. Vigorous growth once established.

Dogwood family:

  • Pacific dogwood: 1 younger tree collected in summer, survived. Good backbudding and vigor.

Olive family:

  • Oregon ash: 1 young tree collected, survived. Vigorous growth.

Birch family:

  • White alder: 1 young tree collected, survived. Vigorous growth.

Maple family:

  • Bigleaf maple: 1 young tree collected, survived.

Trees grown from seedling / seed:

Pine family:

  • Great basin bristlecone pine: purchased seeds online, tried two years, good germination rate, poor survival rate of seedling. None successful. 

  • Limber pine: Purchased seedling from online supplier.

  • Western white pine: purchased  seedling from online supplier.

Cypress family:

  • McNab Cypress: seeds collected and germinated, only 1 germination successful out of a couple hundred seeds. Seedling still.

  • Giant sequoia: purchased seedling from online supplier, vigorous growth.

Heath family:

  • Pacific Madrone: 1 collected, failed. Not enough roots / finicky. 1 grown from seedling, vigorous, still young.

Trees remaining to collect / grow:

Pine family:

  • Great basin bristlecone pine

  • Jeffrey Pine

  • Ponderosa Pine

  • Knobcone pine

  • Grey Pine

  • Douglas fir

  • White fir

  • Lodgepole pine

  • Foxtail pine

Willows:

  • Red willow

  • Arroyo willow

  • Quaking aspen

  • Black Cottonwood

  • Poplar

Beech family:

  • California walnut

Yew family:

  • Nutmeg

  • Soapberry family:

  • California buckeye

Pea family:

  • Western redbud

Oak family:

  • Interior live oak

  • Scrub Oak

  • Valley oak

  • Leather oak

  • Oregon white oak

Cypress family:

  • Sierra Juniper

  • California Juniper

Rose family:

  • Mountain mahogany

Laurel family:

  • California laurel

Michael Wei