anyasvet
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 11:46 am
Location: Bulgaria

Bonsai identification

Hello,
I just recieved a bonsai tree as a present for my 25 birthday.
Unfortunately in the small country I live in, it is very difficult to find someone who is knowledgeably about bonsai trees. So I still don't know what type is my bonsai tree. I think it is some kind of Boxwood.
Please help me.
Thanks in advance

constantstaticx3
Green Thumb
Posts: 391
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:24 pm
Location: Haddonfield, NJ

I have to agree that your tree may be a boxwood. There was a similiar post and the tree was eventualy determined to be a boxwood. Here's the link

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4021&sid=7c948600c6ba3a1d61c56bf1752a8302

This link may also help you to care for your tree, the topics discussed are very useful.

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Gnome
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Posts: 5122
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A

anyasvet,

Hi and welcome to the site. While the pictures you posted do bear a resemblance to Buxus, look closely at the young stems. My Box have a round stem and a more textured bark. I suspect that this plant is actually a Chinese Pepper, (Zanthoxylum). Use Google to search for both species and verify this identification.

Norm

[img]https://aquiya.skr.jp/zukan/Zanthoxylum_beecheyanum_var_alatum%20.jpg[/img]

ynot
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Posts: 1219
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:49 am
Location: USDA Z:5a Sunset Z. 41 IL

Gnome,

I quite agree with your ID, Note the compound leaves of anyasvets' tree:



Notice that in the picture below the leaves are arranged in alternating pairs [A horizontal pair then a vertical pair.]


This picture is of Japanese boxwood foliage from Bonsai4me* [Harry Harringtons site]

I hit up google without much success wrt Zanthoxylum. your mileage may vary. ;)

I know they are tropicals but not much more.

I honestly have never been all that interested in them due to the compound leaves [Kind of a pain to train IMO..:lol:]
People do make some pleasing bonsai with them though.

good luck,
ynot

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Gnome
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Posts: 5122
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A

Constantstaticx3,

Hi, thanks for the input. I checked out the link you posted to the picture (I posted) and I am afraid that I failed to note that that picture is of pressed foliage. This of course distorts the arrangement of the leaves.

Ynot,

Thanks for catching my oversight. My trees are outside under a half a foot of snow right now and I was working from memory.

Norm

ynot
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Posts: 1219
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:49 am
Location: USDA Z:5a Sunset Z. 41 IL

Gnome wrote: Ynot,

Thanks for catching my oversight. My trees are outside under a half a foot of snow right now and I was working from memory.
Norm
No worries at all Gnome, I am well aware that you pick up after me here and there. :razz:;):).

constantstaticx3,
Please keep contributing 8)

anyasvet,

I forgot to wish you a belated happy birthday!

ynot

anyasvet
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 11:46 am
Location: Bulgaria

Thank you all for answering my identification request so fast.
I was finally able to identify my tree as Zanthoxylum piperitum thanks to your hints. I found a couple of images of that species on the internet that look exactly like my tree. I guess it is not a very popular bonsai tree scince I hardly met it in any bonsai catalog. But anyway now I am ready to take proper care of my Chinese Pepper.
Thanks again and see you around the site

Bonsaimatt
Full Member
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 8:42 am
Location: Yorktown, Va

well if it's a Chinese Pepper then I've seen alot of those as bonsai. Mostly from the garden center near me. But anything* can be bonsai. It's all about you.

* as long as the leaves fit the size of tree your going for. Like, an oak tree thats 1 foot tall with 9 inch leaves just doesn't look right. Chinese Peppers look great to me.

Have bonsai fun! later!

P.S. don't listen to me, Gnome and Ynot are the ones to read. :lol:



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