Finally Figured it out

... what that big crazy one with the cool trunk's was. That is, what the species of the tree is:

Highbush Blueberry (Caccinium Corymbosum)

(many thanks to Leslie!!)

Woot! SO know I know why its dying and what to do to save it! Here are some fun facts:

Choose a planting site with full sunlight and protection from strong winds. Avoid low areas that drain poorly or are prone to early frosts. Blueberries prefer a well-drained, sandy loam soil, rich in organic matter. Heavy, clay soils should be avoided, but may be made more suitable for blueberries with the addition of organic matter, such as peatmoss, sawdust and composted manure. All perennial weeds should be eliminated from the site before planting. If necessary, grow cover crops such as buckwheat, rye or oats on the site and plow them under for one to two seasons before planting blueberries to eliminate the weeds. Planting cover crops will also add valuable organic matter to the soil.

Have your soil tested to determine its pH and fertility status. Unlike many other garden crops, blueberries require a relatively acid soil for good growth. The soil pH should be within the range of 4.5 to 5.2.

I had put it in grow box with clay and pine needles - the pine needles were probably a good thing, but not the clay. Not enough acid (as Leslie pointed out, by the veins on the trees) and not enough drainage - when I pulled it out of the box, the box was pretty much mud. 

So today I made up a new soil, and used the hose to clean off all the crappy soil, which exposed the feeder roots of the old plant.  The soil was 1 part stone dust, 1 part potting soil ( which was mostly peat moss based) and 1/2 part compost.  On initial watering, I noticed a super-awesome amount of draining by comparison to whatever i had in it before. Eventually I'm gonna get some acid-y fertilizer which I'll hit it with as soon as I can.  I'm hoping that i'll see some new growth in the next month, as its a really cool stump, and definitely has potential.

As a side note I've been looking around my property and found a couple more highbush blueberry plants with a similar, awesome base.  I'm gonna look around the area even further before I go back to Baltimore. This Cultivar shows much potential for bonsai - Produces flowers, fruits, and turns bright orange/red in fall, not to mention having a beautiful trunk when collected from the wild.

Some more Highbush Blueberry notes (for myself)

Management 

Ideal soil for cultivation is moist, high in organic 

matter, highly acidic (4.5-5.5), and well-drained.  The 

plants grow in full sun to partial shade, but those in 

open sites produce more flowers and have brighter 

fall foliage color.  

Adaptation and Distribution 

Widespread in eastern North America, the highbush 

blueberry has been introduced outside of its natural 

range for commercial berry production.  The most 

common native habitat is in moist or wet peat of 

moderate to high acidity – in and around marshes, 

swamps, lakes and flood-prone areas.  V. 

corymbosum also occurs in drier areas such as dunes 

and barrier beaches, rocky hillsides, oak woods, and 

pinewoods.