I was recently out west in Las Vegas teaching a class and had a chance to do a little exploring. Anyway, I saw a number of trees that looked as if they would make fantastic Bonsai. Of course, one of the them was a small gnarled and twisted Mesquite - which I've been told absolutely do not like having their roots messed with. So, I was wondering if the same holds true for the others: Twisted Acacia, Texas Ranger, and Desert Willow.

Jeff Isom
Cleveland, OH / Sunset Zone 39

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I was wondering if the same holds true for the others: Twisted Acacia,
Texas Ranger, and Desert Willow.

You need to get the scientific names to communicate adequately.
Most acacias can be used for bonsai with varying degrees of success. Try it.
"Texas Ranger," also known as Texas sage, Leucophyllum frutescens, is used for
bonsai in the Southwest. However, it is said to be intolerant of high humidity,
so it might be doubtful for Cleveland.
I tried Desert willow, Chilopsis linearis. It can be used for bonsai, but the
problem with growing it in the North is that it is one of those in-betweens
which need a dormant period, but are only half-hardy. You will have to find the
right winter location for it.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

I was wondering if the same holds true for the others: Twisted Acacia,
Texas Ranger, and Desert Willow.

You need to get the scientific names to communicate adequately.
Most acacias can be used for bonsai with varying degrees of success. Try it.
"Texas Ranger," also known as Texas sage, Leucophyllum frutescens, is used for
bonsai in the Southwest. However, it is said to be intolerant of high humidity,
so it might be doubtful for Cleveland.
I tried Desert willow, Chilopsis linearis. It can be used for bonsai, but the
problem with growing it in the North is that it is one of those in-betweens
which need a dormant period, but are only half-hardy. You will have to find the
right winter location for it.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

On 22 Sep 2004 at 7:36, Isom, Jeff (EM, PTL) wrote:


Mesquite - which I've been told absolutely do not like having
their roots messed with. So, I was wondering if the same
holds true for the others: Twisted Acacia, Texas Ranger, and
Desert Willow.


Mesquite _can_ be bonsaied, but only with great care. The
question here, though (as with these other species) is whether
they'd survive the transition to your climate -- which, if I
recall, is midwestern. I'd doubt it.

The acacia would bonsai easily, but your fingers and hands would
suffer every time you wired or pruned.

I have tried the "Texas Ranger" with absolutely no luck. Others
have worked successfully with them. I don't find a "desert
willow" in any of my western tree books, but there are 20
gazillion willows and all of them cross pollinate, so that's no
surprise.

If it is a true willow (Salix sp.) it should be the easiest of
all to grow. Training it into a decent-looking bonsai may be
tough. I just haven't ever seen anything "willowish" that _I_
would call a successful bonsai. However, common names being
what they are, it may not be Salix.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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On 22 Sep 2004 at 7:36, Isom, Jeff (EM, PTL) wrote:


Mesquite - which I've been told absolutely do not like having
their roots messed with. So, I was wondering if the same
holds true for the others: Twisted Acacia, Texas Ranger, and
Desert Willow.


Mesquite _can_ be bonsaied, but only with great care. The
question here, though (as with these other species) is whether
they'd survive the transition to your climate -- which, if I
recall, is midwestern. I'd doubt it.

The acacia would bonsai easily, but your fingers and hands would
suffer every time you wired or pruned.

I have tried the "Texas Ranger" with absolutely no luck. Others
have worked successfully with them. I don't find a "desert
willow" in any of my western tree books, but there are 20
gazillion willows and all of them cross pollinate, so that's no
surprise.

If it is a true willow (Salix sp.) it should be the easiest of
all to grow. Training it into a decent-looking bonsai may be
tough. I just haven't ever seen anything "willowish" that _I_
would call a successful bonsai. However, common names being
what they are, it may not be Salix.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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I don't find a "desert willow" in any of my western tree books, but there
are 20 gazillion willows and all of them cross pollinate,

That is why botanical names are so important. Desert willow, Chilopsis
linearis, has nothing whatever to do with willows. It belongs to the
Bignoniaceae. It is an attractive & interesting tree, and as I suggested
earlier, it can be used for bonsai. The main difficulty lies in finding a
suitable place to keep it during the winter.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

Jim & Iris,

Thanks for the responses. I would also be concerned about the transition from a hot, dry climate to Cleveland. We aren't quite as humid as FL and I have an inside grow area that would house them for the winter. Mostly, though, it was a matter of curiosity. I was not prepared to do any collecting - just saw them while hiking. Asked around for the names (hence the common vs. botanical name) and figured, since they appeared to have some good potential, I'd check on the list. Now, if I ever get back out that way and actually have an opportunity to collect - I'll be a little better prepared.

Thanks,

Jeff Isom
Cleveland, OH / Sunset Zone 39

I don't find a "desert willow" in any of my western tree books, but there
are 20 gazillion willows and all of them cross pollinate,

That is why botanical names are so important. Desert willow, Chilopsis
linearis, has nothing whatever to do with willows. It belongs to the
Bignoniaceae. It is an attractive & interesting tree, and as I suggested
earlier, it can be used for bonsai. The main difficulty lies in finding a
suitable place to keep it during the winter.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

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Jim & Iris,

Thanks for the responses. I would also be concerned about the transition from a hot, dry climate to Cleveland. We aren't quite as humid as FL and I have an inside grow area that would house them for the winter. Mostly, though, it was a matter of curiosity. I was not prepared to do any collecting - just saw them while hiking. Asked around for the names (hence the common vs. botanical name) and figured, since they appeared to have some good potential, I'd check on the list. Now, if I ever get back out that way and actually have an opportunity to collect - I'll be a little better prepared.

Thanks,

Jeff Isom
Cleveland, OH / Sunset Zone 39

I don't find a "desert willow" in any of my western tree books, but there
are 20 gazillion willows and all of them cross pollinate,

That is why botanical names are so important. Desert willow, Chilopsis
linearis, has nothing whatever to do with willows. It belongs to the
Bignoniaceae. It is an attractive & interesting tree, and as I suggested
earlier, it can be used for bonsai. The main difficulty lies in finding a
suitable place to keep it during the winter.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

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I have an inside grow area that would house them for the winter.

You must have missed part of my earlier reply, or perhaps I didn't send it as I
thought. Desert willow is a temperate tree and requires a dormant period, but
it is not very hardy, only to about Zone 8. So you will have to find an area
where it will be kept cold for 2 or 3 months, but not much below freezing.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

I have an inside grow area that would house them for the winter.

You must have missed part of my earlier reply, or perhaps I didn't send it as I
thought. Desert willow is a temperate tree and requires a dormant period, but
it is not very hardy, only to about Zone 8. So you will have to find an area
where it will be kept cold for 2 or 3 months, but not much below freezing.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

Hi
I thought the willow Oak was considered the desert willow. oop I guess i was wrong.
Stevew
LI NY

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Hi
I thought the willow Oak was considered the desert willow. oop I guess i was wrong.
Stevew
LI NY

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