Bonsai. Nevertheless, I've found myself with the audacity to
draw up a
short list of common Pacific Nortwest trees/shrubs I'd like
to try, some
of which are not "typical" material for Bonsai, to my
extremely limited
knowledge.

Dude, you call that audacity? Apple? Cherry? Get a copy of
"Forest Farm" nursery catalog- the nursery is in Williams, OR-
and check out real native plants of the Pacific Northwest. There
are wonderful things out there crying to be bonsai.

I greatly welcome any thoughts on using or trying these, in
general and/or for the beginner:

1. Madrona (the bark seems to naturally have a great "bonsai
effect")

Reportedly difficult to transplant

2. Apple

You can find wild crabapples and bonsai them, no problem.

3. Cherry

Depends on the species. Many of the "sand" cherries make good
bonsai, only they lose limbs unpredictably.

4. Camellia (sinensis)

They are very nice; it's a shame I'm doing a project where I
infect camellias with diseases and kill them.


and finally

5. Rose ?????

Wild roses have been used for bonsai- I'd steer clear of inbred
hybrids.

Camellia, of course, is NOT a native plant. It just seems that
way in some places because folks have overplanted them.

Check out your local library. They probably have a picture book
or two on bonsai and you may find one with enough variety to give
you an idea of the wide range of plants that can be made into
bonsai. They also will have western (USA) Tree ID books you can
use to find local species that will do well as bonsai.

As for bonsai books, the Colin Lewis/Southerland book is OK as
bonsai books go (and as you say, the horticultural info is pretty
good -- unlike a few other bonsai books -- but Colin at least has
done better.

Sunset's new edition of "Bonsai" -- a must-read for beginners! --
has lists of species, including many natives, that do well as
bonsai.

Rhus, Amelianchier, Celtis, Quercus, Cerocarpus (BETTER than rose
but same family!) are all "local" (read native) trees that grow
in the west that should work.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - It is better
to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open your
mouth and remove all doubt.

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