Er - I confess I don't know shadblow (sounds like a sinus infection) and I
did mention that there were some good fruiting species here. The crataegus
in the US, however, do not provide the same contorted, flakey barked, dense
twigged material as c. monogyna does in northern Europe. If it does - I
wish someone would show me where!

I think you have to let American species have their own special
characteristics, not think of them as European analogs. Shadblow
(Amelanchier alnifolia) has smooth muscle-y bark, and a literati
growth form- I wouldn't make it do anything else. Aronia is a
similar rosaeous shrub with wonderful fall color. Crataegus
apiifolia (parsley hawthorn) is very twiggy with small leaves and
makes a great mame.

Other nice American bonsai material: highbush blueberries. Great red
flaking bark, nice flowers, nice branching, great root system.
Various woody potentillas; shrubby St. John's wort (Hypericum);
porcelainberry (Ampelopsis), all kinds of native azaleas and
rhododendrons, sheep's laurel (Kalmia).


Europe? Bah- an overgrazed park. We've got wild stuff here. Put on
your tick-repellent and go hike around with a Gleason and Cronquist.
--
Nina Shishkoff

Riverhead, NY

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