Bargain smoke tree! Ideas?

[Tulsabonsigh]

I see some basal flare there, nice!

yeah it has a nice basal flare and a nice tapered trunk.
I just have no idea how to shape it. That’s ok though I’m not going to do anything else for a year

 

[Potawatomi13]

Quite SOME bargain!

 

[rockm]

View attachment 287005
anyone think I’m crazy?

yeah, you're crazy. you're missing what the tree already has going for it.

I'd keep all three trunks. It would be a great skeleton to hang a nice tree on. If you remove the center trunk, the whole thing loses balance and looks odd. I'd cut the outside trunks lower than the middle and use all three to create secondary branches from here. Nice start.

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

yeah, you're crazy. you're missing what the tree already has going for it.

I'd keep all three trunks. It would be a great skeleton to hang a nice tree on. If you remove the center trunk, the whole thing loses balance and looks odd. I'd cut the outside trunks lower than the middle and use all three to create secondary branches from here. Nice start.

thanks so much for your open honest share! You’ve saved this tree!!

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

better???? And can I do it today or do I need to wait till next year???

 

[rockm]

View attachment 287074
better???? And can I do it today or do I need to wait till next year???

I'd wait a year before making those drastic reductions-but generally that's the direction I'd take. Waiting will allow new shoots to develop that you can use to guide you where the major cuts should be made. Making a such a drastic decision now could eliminate a lot of possibilities.

I would also keep a close eye on the far right hand trunk. Looks to be some significant die back on it--close to the trunk. That crease and wrinkle in the bark just where it meets the main trunk is a sign the tissue underneath may be dead at least on the facing side. Another reason not to chop at this point. Let the entire thing stabilize and get a head of growth going.

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

I'd wait a year before making those drastic reductions-but generally that's the direction I'd take. Waiting will allow new shoots to develop that you can use to guide you where the major cuts should be made. Making a such a drastic decision now could eliminate a lot of possibilities.

I would also keep a close eye on the far right hand trunk. Looks to be some significant die back on it--close to the trunk. That crease and wrinkle in the bark just where it meets the main trunk is a sign the tissue underneath may be dead at least on the facing side. Another reason not to chop at this point. Let the entire thing stabilize and get a head of growth going.

Thanks so much!

 

[defra]

Looks like a similar project i have going on!
Same species the purple one about same size also !
Let it grow this year to build up some steam and then chop it next spring

 

[defra]

Oh i forgot to post the URL on my tree in my last message...
Maybe theres some usefull info in the thread you can use!

cotinus

Hi there! i have this big cotinus crateagus "royale purple" since june i think didnt do anything to it yet since it wasnt to healthy when i got it from a gardencentre tree graveyard along With the big yew i posted some time ago. it did double in foliage since i took care of it now waiting...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nice find

Take RockM's advice to heart, he is giving good advice.

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

It was doing fantastic until my son decided to dig part of it up. It’s replanted now. Hopefully it’ll be ok.

 

[defra]

Oops... Its in a different pot now too?
Did you tie it down into the pot?

 

[defra]

Based on @rockm his advice I made you this quick sketch
I see something else myself il sketch that out later

 

[Tulsabonsigh]

This is fantastic thanks so much!!!!