The FeatherPine- Taxodium distichum

Bald Cypress Seedlings
Taxodium distichum

It has been six months since the sprouting 

Bald Cypress seed were planted in the wet-muck seedbed.

 

Bald Cypress Seedlings in water 

Taxodium distichum

Bald Cypress
Feather Pine
Care

Taxodium distichum  seedlings

Bald Cypress is a "deciduous conifer"- it has cones and sheds its feather-like foliage in the Autumn. These seed were collected in November 2011, stored through the winter in a bucket of water then planted in a wet-muck seedbed in February 2012. 

planted in a wet-muck seedbed in February 2012
The seedlings in 2021

The seedlings dug in 2021

 Germination takes place on a wet-muck seedbed
Bald Cypress seed sprout

Seeds are produced annually and good seed production occurs about every 3 years. Seeds are dispersed more frequently by flood waters. Under swamp conditions, the best seed germination generally takes place on a sphagnum moss or a wet-muck seedbed. On better drained soils, Bald Cypress seed usually fail to germinate due to lack of surface water. Soil saturated for 1 to 3 months after seed-fall is required for germination. Seedlings require light for good growth, thus control of competing vegetation is necessary.

Broken Bald Cypress cones expose the seed
 Feather-like foliage 

Taxodium distichum  seedlings

Old-growth bald cypress
 form a flattened crown.




Altamaha River

Bald Cypress tree is an excellent choice for someone who is just getting started with bonsai. Seeds and small trees are easily collected in this area, now is the time to find trees with cones and watch for them to turn brown so that the seed can be collected just before the cones open. The best digging time for cypress is from mid-­December to late February. Bald cypress bud back easily and will produce vigorous sprouts from the stumps. Taxodium distichum are frequently planted in groups in a single container, forming a Bonsai forest. Japanese term for growing a bonsai from seed is Misho.

Taxodium distichum cones

Ron Martin bonsai forest Workshop

Green Bald Cypress cones

Bald Cypress 
bonsai prefer to
 live outdoors.

Other deciduous conifers are: 

• Larch- Larix
• Golden Larch- Pseudolarix amabilis
• Chinese Swamp Cypress- Glyptostrobus pensilis
• Dawn Redwood- Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

Taxodium distichum along the Altamaha River

Bald cypress and pond cypress are in the Taxodiaceae family. Bald cypress can be easily confused with pond cypress (Taxodium distichum var. nutans). Pond cypress has smaller, scale-like leaves pressed on the twigs. A twig of pressed pond cypress leaves resembles a pine needle pointing up or out from the stem. Bald cypress leaves are linear and feather-like  and the twigs hang down looking more pendulous than pond cypress twigs and leaves. Also, pond cypress tends to occur in still-water wetlands rather than flowing-water wetlands. Bald Cypress are not true cypress. True cypress are in the Cupressus family and are not native to the southeastern United States.

Bald cypress are found in  wetland habitats

Bald cypress is a wetland species that grows along rivers, streams, and creeks as well as in swamps with slow moving water. It is a legendary tree of the Deep South known for its "knees," moss-draped crown, and buttressed trunk. Taxodium distichum can live up to 600 years old. Taxodium distichum is native to the coastal plains along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean and north up through the Mississippi River Valley. The heartwood of old growth bald cypress is very resistant to rot. This is not true with younger second growth trees.

Bonsai in Autumn
Bald cypress with knees 

Cypress knees are woody projections sent above the normal water level function is unknown Lowland or swamp-grown cypresses found in flooded or flood-prone areas tend to be buttressed and "kneed," as opposed to cypresses grown on higher ground which may grow with very little taper.

Bald cypress
with roots submerged in water
and branches draped in
Spanish moss
Tillandsia usneoides

Pond Cypress
Taxodium distichum var. nutans
in still-water wetlands
SE Georgia

Time to start looking for ripening Japanese Maple seed!

Japanese Maple seeds! 

When the seed mature, the wings begin to dry and turn brown

 Japanese Maple 

Momiji 

Acer palmatum

 Japanese maple seed in midsummer

It All Begins With a Seed 

Japanese maple seed tips of the
 wings turn brown in late summer

Japanese maple seed wings drying

Bonsai grown from seeds are called Misho bonsai.

Many poke fun at the idea of starting a bonsai from a seed. “Look how old I am I don't have time", but the creation of a bonsai from a seed is very rewarding. 

From Japanese maple seedlings  
Tsukamiyose

There is no such thing as a "bonsai seed". The packs of seed marked as such, are just ordinary tree seeds that can be grown into a bonsai. They are a good source of tree seeds when none are locally available. Bonsai grown from seeds are called Misho bonsai.

Once the new leaves come out
 in the spring,  flower 
and seed begin to appear 
on Bloodgood Seedling 

Tsukamiyose A natural planting can be created by scattering several to several dozen seeds in a tray. The seedlings are planted very close to each other and develop into multiple trunks with each tree naturally competing for its own light and space.

"I started it from seeds myself."

Getting tree seeds to sprout:

Most tropical trees will germinate as soon as they ripen, but seeds from most temperate trees need to be sown after stratification. Stratification is a period of artificial winter that trees that are not tropical need to set off the internal clock that spring triggers and makes seed sprout as temperatures rise. Depending on the seed species, they will need 21 to 90 days of cold storage to begin to sprout. This can be done in the home refrigerator.  Use zip-lock sandwich bags with damp peat moss. A fungicide can be used in the media to keep soil borne diseases from killing the seedlings. If any of the seed germinate in the refrigerator, plant them.

When the artificial winter is over, the seeds are ready to be planted.  It is suggested that they be soaked overnight in room temperature water to improve germination percentages. Seeds that float after soaking won't germinate so toss them out.

Japanese maple seed

Sow the seed in a light and friable soil mixture is so that it drains well to prevent fungus and sprinkle peat moss over them. Air should move to prevent damp-off. The air movement he says simulates natural outdoor conditions. Light friable soil dries quickly and seedling with their minimal root system can be killed in a few hours from dryness, or direct sun!

How to prevent seedling damping off

Alternatives:

Chamomile tea - 2 tsp of chamomile flowers to 1 cup of boiling water allow to steep overnight or at least until cooled. Strain and then use as is to moisten growing medium before planting seeds then use in a mister to spray soil. Sage or garlic teas also have been used. Soak the seeds in a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water (1 teaspoon to 1/2 cup of water) to remove any lingering bacteria on the seeds. Some lightly sprinkle a bit of cinnamon or baking soda over planting mix used as a fungicide on plants for mildew.Two cap-fulls of household bleach in the water used to dampen your peat moss or vermiculite could act as a fungicide.

Always make sure horticultural tools are disinfected even if they are new, and that your planting pots are disinfected....

Disinfection of Horticultural Tools and Pots

Protect that
"Empty pot of soil"

Plant tree seed in the Fall and let Mother Nature take care of your stratification. Just remember to protect them from rodents (squirrels and mice) and label that “empty pot of soil”. Once I was talking with a fellow enthusiast in the nursery and he started raking his fingers through a tray filled with soil and began talking about soil mixes. I should have labeled that flat as I had seeded the tray with  Jacaranda for a Tsukamiyose the day before!

Second summer

Growing 'misho' bonsai is economical and rewarding.

the embryonic root emerges from the seed  

Seed germination begins!
Time to move them out of the cooler and into some good soil. 

The cotyledons are the embryonic
 "first leaves" of a seedling

True Leaves emerge

Airlayer Removed today

Acer palmatum Japanese Maple

Koto Hime 

Air-layering as a way of propagating bonsai material. Layering will often create a ring of fine surface roots that yield an excellent nebari in a short period of time.

The leaves on Kotohime are among the smallest of the Japanese maples. The growth habit is upright with heavy branching. Trees may eventually reach 5 to 6 foot tall, but only after many years. The very small leaves are palmate, resemble a human hand. New leaves are bright red at the leaf edges, with green at the centers, then become bright green. 'Hime' means literally 'Princess' but here indicates a dwarf.

Root development at separation
of the layer from the parent tree

Koto Hime Japanese maple

has a strong vertical growth habit

Root development at separation

of the layer from the parent tree

Acer palmatum Japanese Maple

Koto Hime 

Keep Outdoors in a sunny location.
Deciduous tree and fully frost hardy.
Check the soil daily but only water when necessary.
Never allow soil to dry out, keep the soil evenly moist.
Koto Hime Japanese maple has a strong vertical growth habit
responds well to drastic pruning- allow shoots to extend 3 or 4 nodes

then prune back to 1 or 2 leaves, to maintain shape
Horizontal branches must be wired into place
Repot In Spring before buds extend
Koto Hime Japanese maple has a strong vertical growth habit
Fertilize at one-third strength during the growing season.
A great plant for beginners.

Tropical Mimosa: Calliandra surinamensis

Bright pink powder-puff flowers

Calliandra surinamensis

Surinam Powder Puff

Pink Powder Puff

Surinamese Stickpea

Tropical Mimosa

 Pink tassel flower

• Keep in a sunny location.
• Leaves fold up at dark. Protect from cold!
• Check soil moisture level daily But only water when necessary. 
• Keep the soil evenly moist. Never allow soil to dry out.
• Allow shoots to extend 3 or 4 nodes, then prune back to 1 or 2 leaves to maintain shape 
• Re-potting should only be done when the nights are warm. 
• Leaves fold up at night or in dim light.
• Use a well draining bonsai soil
• Replenish the soils supply of nutrients periodically during warm weather.
• A great plant for beginners.

Propagation is easiest from seed

Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds direct sow immediately. Flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. Surinam powder puff has dense foliage and is a fast grower. A flat pod, first green later brown, contains 5 - 6 seeds; it curls open to release the brown seeds.

collect seeds direct sow immediately

The puffball blooms attract honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

This plant is cultivated for its ornamental purposes; it can also be used for bonsai. Much energy is spent  in the production of flowers and fruit; after flowering don't let the seeds mature if trained as a bonsai. Calliandra is a cold sensitive plant and must be protected from frost and freezing.

Mini forest: Calliandra surinamensis

 Calliandra surinamensis is a low branching evergreen tropical shrub that is named after Surinam, a country in Northeastern South America. The plant usually has branched or multiple trunks and grows to a height of about 15 feet. Left unpruned it grows long thin branches that eventually droop down onto the ground, the bees love it. The flowers appear on and off all year - more during warm weather. This tree is an excellent container plant for the cooler climates where it must be protected from frost and freeze. The puffball blooms attract honey bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The leaves close overnight. Exposure to the sun encourages flowering. From spring to autumn growth is intense and it uses a lot of water. In winter water consumption is moderate. Calliandra does not like soggy soils.

Bud opens....

Fertilize with nitrogen - phosphorus - potassium and micro-nutrients for plant health. Fertilizers rich in phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) encourage flowers and fruiting while nitrogen (N) encourages leaf growth.

long thin branches that eventually droop down onto the ground

 

Ginkgo biloba

The Ginkgo Tree is also called the "Maidenhair tree" and nicknamed "The Stink Bomb Tree." An erratic vertical branching structure is the trees natural form. As a bonsai the strong upright branching creates the 'candle flame' style. Basal and aerial "chi-chi" form on older trees.

Washington ginkgo

432 Telfair St.

Augusta, Georgia

• Height: 67 feet
• DBH: 54 inches
• Crown: 65 feet

Legend has it that the residents of Augusta, Ga planted this ginkgo tree during President George Washington’s visit in 1791. The tree is on the grounds of the Old Government House on Telfair Street.

Height: 67 feet

 The Ginkgo Tree is also called the "Maidenhair tree" and nicknamed "The Stink Bomb Tree."  An erratic vertical branching structure is the trees natural form. As a bonsai the strong upright branching creates the 'candle flame' style. Basal and aerial "chi-chi" form on older trees

 In the fall the leaves
turn a brilliant yellow!

Ginkgo trees are a "living fossil" and the earliest leaf fossils date from 270 million years ago. It was rediscovered in 1691 in China. The Ginkgo is a good urban tree because of its ability to tolerate drought, heat, and poor soils. Ginkgo is dioecious. There are male and female trees. Some complain of the mess and odor created by the fleshy seed covering and recommend planting only the male of the species. It is sad if only male ginkgoes are planted without female counterparts. 

erratic vertical branching

DBH: 54 inches

fruit is a nut with a fleshy covering

Gather the seeds as they fall from the tree (wear good latex gloves). Remove the fleshy coating (wear good gloves!) crush the coat and squeeze the seed out with ones fingers. Then rinse the seeds a few times until they are very clean!) and let them dry well. Store them in a closed container filled with slightly moistened sphagnum moss in the fridge or in a cool, dry place until they are planted in spring. When they are sown, carefully pop the seed shell open.

 

Ginkgo in Forsyth Park

Savannah, Ga

Some people are sensitive to the chemicals in the fleshy outer layer. These people should handle the seeds with care when preparing the seeds, wear disposable gloves. When I cleaned the seed of these trees, I had several 5 gallon buckets full. The cheap rubber gloves developed holes and my entire arm was coated with the juice. fortunately I had no allergic reaction, but the next morning my arms had turned black. Two weeks later the skin pealed a way........

   A 1980 Seedling in 2011

Ginkgo seeds and leaves are used as a medicine throughout the world. In South Carolina at the "medicine tree farm" Ginkgo leaves are harvested and shipped to Europe to be made into a prescription drug.

 In the fall the leaves
turn a brilliant yellow!

The oldest living ginkgo tree in the United States was planted in 1785 by William Bartram at Bartram’s Garden near Philadelphia. Bartram traveled the American South from 1773 to 1776 and in 1791 he published an account of his adventure- Travels.