I wonder if someone knows if I can buy the bush in this tutorial from another place then scenic express? It seems to be a scandinavian bush so it’s pretty interesting for me that lives in Sweden. Does anyone know what the bush is called?
http://www.fcsme.org/bcarl/how_to_make_scenic_express_supertrees.htm
I’m not sure, but it looks like it might be Sedum or Peppergrass. Flourists use it in flower arrangements, so that is one possible source for you to check.
The plant used in Super Trees is most definitely not a common item available from any U.S. florist or craft store. At one point, when I was using them on my own layout, I did know the correct name for the plant but can no longer recall it (probably wouldn’t be much help anyway). You need to bite the bullet and buy the product, it’s excellent.
CNJ831
What about this?
Description: A real novelty in every sense of the word. And a plant for your dedicated model maker as little chunks of this fascinating plant are sold for use as model shrubs and trees for miniature track-side and road decoration. ‘Sea Foam’ describes well the intricately shaped form in which the myriad tiny stems of this plant entangle themselves, more the framework of a loofah than your average plant. The insignificant flowers open green then, with the rest of the plant, turn reddish-maroon and finally to reddish-brown, the whole being outstanding as an everlasting. At first the plant is a very slow grower, then, as flowering time approaches, it leaps into action and grows, our supplier’s word, “explosively”. A plant of the Gobi Desert. 14 ins.
Yep, Electro, that’s it. Of course, if you are considering growing your own, it’s going to take quite a while before you have nearly as many full grown plants as you’ll probably need. I’m not sure just how many individual plants SuperTrees jams in per box but I’ve gotten around 450 “trees” out of mine so far (plus a lot of “shrubs”) and still have some left over. If you’ve got a green thumb, particularly with such odd plants, go for it.
CNJ831
I don’t have a green thumb at all, the only flowers that survives in my home is the plastic ones [:D]
The 450 tree package you are talking about, can you please point me to the right product at scenic express homepage?
Electro - I’m not sure who is selling this product in Europe. In the States, Scenic Express’ on-line catalog lists the item I purchased as EX0215 “SuperTree SuperValue Case”, makes 350-450 trees, $105.49 U.S. dollars.
However, remember that while this item makes excellent trees, they are simply tree “armatures”, not ready-made trees. You must purchase ground foam covering (“leaves”) and apply it to complete the trees. There is a very good tutorial on-line here somewhere that will guide you in making the trees.
I figure that my total cost for creating 450 trees was about $0.30 per tree. Not at all bad when one considers ready made HO trees go for several dollars a piece.
CNJ831
Thanks, I’m just downloading the catalog from their webpage.
Electro,
Consider the starter kit…Excellent deal and makes lots of trees for about $40.00
I got an e-mail from Scenic Express. They told me the plant grows in the desert southwest of the USA. It can only be harvested certain times of the year. They also have a product called super sage that I just saw at a show. It looks a lot better than the super trees stuff. $20 for a bag about half the size of a bed pillow.The guy told me that there where seeds in the bottom of the bags that you could grow your own from if you can duplicate the desert climate. After seeing both products, I’m sold. I think their the way to go.
PS- I just made some trees from a weed here called Goldenrod. (got a tip from the show) They turned out pretty good.
Tumbleweed? We have thousands upon thousands of them all over the area where I live, but that Scenic Express product does not look anything like tumbleweed. They are just a nuisance out here in the desert southwest.
Russian Thistle is another name for the tumbleweed that grows out here. It was supposedly deliberately imported into the US from South America as cattle feed because it grows almost one foot per day without rain, but cattle won’t touch it so it has turned into an environmental disaster. In the Autumn I have seen some blowing down a street that were taller than my pickup truck, and every time they bounce they release hundreds of seed.
Within a couple of weeks of sprouting, tumbleweed develops very painful spines with some type of toxin that burns for hours after being touched.
Those kinda look like a pain in the BUTT to make.
Tumble Weed? Two years ago after a wind storm they had to bring in front loaders to remove the tumbleweed that had packed itself into the entry way of the local highschool. They hauled away 6-8 dump trucks full (after mashing it down). As cacol says, it is a true weed and a nasty plant. It is all over the place out here in the Western US. It doesn’t have nearly the fine branches that the pictures in the original post have.