Aaron's Eastern Redbud Thread

[Aaron S.]

Greetings Earticans..
I just got this Eastern Redbud (Some call it an American Redbud) free from the city during their annual tree giveaway.



Standing at just over six feet tall, it is just a bit outside my definition of a bonsai, but don't be down folks, it does fall into my personal (and made up!) definition of a pre-bonsai. I pulled it out of the pot and there are just a few fine roots along the outside of the root ball so for now, I would not say that it is root-bound. A free tree so I had to check. My plan is to put it in a much larger pot that is about three times larger than the pot that it is in right now. It is starting to bud out with its purplish buds. I want to just let it grow for a year. I would like to give it a big tree chop. I like my outdoor trees a little bit big so I was thinking of it being around three feet tall. So if you bonsai would please help me out that would be great. I'm an expert at killing trees so I do not need help with that. I do need to know when would be the best time to do a trunk chop and what would be the best care to provide the tree with after the trunk chop. I want to do everything I can for success.
Thank you for your help.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Put it in a very big pot could be counterproductive since Cercis hate root pruning, if you let it grow a big root system with thick roots when you will have to cut them... bad thing. Keep it contained could be the way to go even with a slower growth.

 

[19Mateo83]

I’ve been wondering about eastern redbud for bonsai. They grow like weeds here. The buds are pretty and very easy to spot in the woods in spring. Does anyone know if these guys leaves reduce and if they ramify well?

 

[Srt8madness]

I’ve been wondering about eastern redbud for bonsai. They grow like weeds here. The buds are pretty and very easy to spot in the woods in spring. Does anyone know if these guys leaves reduce and if they ramify well?

Probably doesn't matter much abt leaf size, since the "pizzazz" of a redbud are the spring blooms, with no foliage on the tree. They're blooming and stunning all over Southeastern Texas right now.

 

[Firstflush]

I wish you all the best. They can be grouchy critters. I will give them a try from seedlings collected at my park at some point.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

I had a couple eastern redbuds for three years. I cut down the roots when I got them. They were great for a couple years. Last year I decided to work the roots on both. I gave them a decent root reduction and boarded them up. Sadly three weeks later we got a completely unexpected and non Seattle like severe Heat Dome event out here, 110 -114F for multiple days. Shorlty thereafter they both went downhill rapidly…along with a couple other trees.

This is a tree we haven’t mastered working on for the best of my knowledge. However I learned a couple valuable nuggets of information folks can springboard off of. (Incidently I ordered I three more that are in the greenhouse. If they make it, I’ll be working these. @Brian Van Fleet mentioned he was going to dig some also.)

• They can take a root cut and survive, but probably not a severe one, at least not when it is going to be hot.
• They can do well in bonsai soil (deciduous Boon with bark).
• After two years they will put out a lot of roots.
• Their roots are similar to Elms in that they are fleshy.

Hope this information helps you!
cheers
DSD sends

 

[Aaron S.]

Ok, thank you for all of the great information. When would be the best time to do a trunk chop?

 

[Underdog]

Mine today almost blooming. They are difficult.

 

[Firstflush]

So what’s the consensus….trim a little bit of taproot at at time to a side shoot higher up???
Our CA native, cercis occidentalis has small leaves already. So beautiful when you round the corner of a trail and head up some hidden v-notch canyon and you see one in full flower when everything else is drab browns and greens.

Also, not sure which, but another has small leaves as well …maybe the texas redbud. There are also glossy and flat green leafed varieties.

Very interested in redbuds. Killed a few occidentalis seedlings collected from a parking lot outside a world famous bontanical…..just weeds Would be nice to know at which stage they are the most flexible, I.e. from seed, collected saplings or established nursery container plants. The taproots on a 5 inch sapling were large compared to the canopy.

 

[Underdog]

Ok, thank you for all of the great information. When would be the best time to do a trunk chop?

I cut mine back in late summer allowing time for back budding before winter. I just pulled this out of the grow bed. I let it go for 2 yrs prior and as DSD stated they don't like root work. I'd let a thick root get away from me and when cut nearly killed the thing. Note the dead portion of trunk. I pulled it this spring after only one more year roots were running away fast. Put it in a plastic trainer to better contain the roots even if it slows it down. I'll have to let you know later how it reacts. Finicky for me for sure.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

@Aaron S.

Honestly, I never got around to thinking about a ‘trunk chop’. Our trees didn’t grow long and lanky like the own shown.

For this situation, you might wait until those lower branches push leaves and harden off before reducing the height, which is what @Underdog said.

Following this my goal would be to grow the tree out as robust as possible (hard to think of a sapling as robust, but give it a try!) to get it safely through at least one winter before the next steps.

@Firstflush I cut the taproots back on mine to a logical spot while the trees were still dormant and they pushed fine the next year.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Firstflush]

DSD, so will you have a curly tap circling the container for life or are you looking to get rid of it completely?
So dormant root work CHECK!

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

From the photo it appears your tree is still dormant…. ?

 

[Aaron S.]

From the photo it appears your tree is still dormant…. ?

No, it is coming out with a few flowers.


Down the trunk, it has several of these node-looking things. A few of them were branches that were cut off. Will these produce branches at some point? I would like to have something going on besides a bare stick when I eventually do a trunk chop.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Last messages before tomorrow’s surgery. After this I’m out for at least a couple days. Hopefully others will help advise you from here on out. Additionally you should research the horticultural characteristics of your tree.

1. Just a note buds push before the roots leave dormancy.

2. Possibly, yet these nodes look like sites of former branches. It is possible that around these sites epicormal buds may activate in time.

3. Personally I would wait to see what grows out. Once this growth hardens in May/June, then cutback to about 1” above the second lowest strong growth (the leaves are alternate). I see a couple branches possibly 1/3 rd of the way up from the base that might fit the bill. Then wait and see if lower growth activates.

Good luck.
DSD sends

 

[Firstflush]

DSD, wishing you wellness tomorow.

 

[Aaron S.]

Good luck with your surgery buddy

 

[Carol 83]

I hope your surgery goes well!

 

[BonsaiRae]

So what’s the consensus….trim a little bit of taproot at at time to a side shoot higher up???
Our CA native, cercis occidentalis has small leaves already. So beautiful when you round the corner of a trail and head up some hidden v-notch canyon and you see one in full flower when everything else is drab browns and greens.

Also, not sure which, but another has small leaves as well …maybe the texas redbud. There are also glossy and flat green leafed varieties.

Very interested in redbuds. Killed a few occidentalis seedlings collected from a parking lot outside a world famous bontanical…..just weeds Would be nice to know at which stage they are the most flexible, I.e. from seed, collected saplings or established nursery container plants. The taproots on a 5 inch sapling were large compared to the canopy.

Curious how the redbuds are doing after the trimming of roots. I have one I want to check on roots and may need to trim. Thinking this winter will be the time to take a chance. Any advice would be great.

 

[IndianaVX]

Hello, I am new here, and came across this older thread. Hopefully the redbuds are doing well and are getting ready to bloom! I was wondering about the person who bought the redbud and wanted to chop the trunk down. I have had luck at times similar to this, when I don't have any low branches, doing some branch threading! Drilling a hole in the trunk, threading a long branch from a sister tree, or from the tree itself thru that hole, and then using bonsai putty to seal up yhe hole. Not sure how the redbud would like this technique, but would be interested in your thoughts.... I have 2 Sycamores I do this with every spring