Different hackberry species are found throughout the world. This one is an American variety, native to the eastern U.S. and Canada. It was purchased May, 2013 from Kuma Bonsai, San Diego. The fruits of this tree are edible and nutritious. They were an important food item for native Americans.
I first posted this tree on this blog February 6, 2019. In the year and a half since then, I have been working on widening the trunk and root base and increasing the branch ramification.
The tree today. As in most years, it lost most of its leaves in mid-summer and now is in a second flush before I expect it will loose all leaves later this winter.
The tree when first posted to this website.
The tree shortly after purchase.
I believe the base of the tree had root-grafts when I bought it. Unfortunately, I did not pay enough attention to maintaining these and they all eventually died back.
Good start on nebari during first repotting.
Originally this was the front side.
Originally this was the back side because of the exposed trunk chops, but as they healed I decided the nebari had developed better on this side.
Another option for a front would be to take advantage of the movement due to the trunk chop and new leader.
The tree after two years. The first several years the tree lost leaves in early summer and had a second flush in mid-summer. I think this was because I didn’t water enough in spring.
The second flush of leaves.
The tree at the end of the year.
Roots.
Repotted tree in spring.
Summer wiring.
Spring growth.
July 7, 2017:
Leaf die-back in July. Its sudden occurrence indicated it was probably under-watered.
Pruned and rewired, new growth.
Good growth over the summer.
Branch-pruned.
Partially wired.
Tree in winter.
Large root mass.
Reduction of root mass.
Tree in a new pot.
Spring-summer leaf growth after repotting.
The tree in spring a year and a half ago with sacrifice branches to thicken the trunk and nebari.
The tree the following spring.
Two months later.
I removed the leaves from the main tree, which were already yellowing and dropping during mid-summer. I left the leaves on the sacrifice branches.
Sacrifice branches removed as the tree began leafing out for fall.
Second flush of new growth for the year.
The tree today from the opposite side.
beginBonsai 
Reblogged this on Wolf's Birding and Bonsai Blog.
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