Chainsaw Kwanzan Cherry

[ABCarve]

This is the story of a tree that I created a mislabeled thread for back in 2016. There, it was referred to as Yashino Cherry, misidentified and misspelled. So for search purposes and some brevity, I'm re-posting.
This cherry fell victim to two nasty winters in a row...2014 & 2015, the infamous poplar vortex. The top was completely dead, but a few suckers had formed around the base. I just wanted to remove the tree and make way for some ornamental grasses. In 2016, after cutting it down, to loosen it up I went around the roots with the saws-all, then proceeded to yank it out with a chain and tractor.

 

[ABCarve]

I noticed that the stump had some roots where the suckers had emerged. Hmmmm......maybe I'll dare this tree to live!!! So in order to put it in a pot the lower portion of the root ball was reduced with a chainsaw.

 

[ABCarve]

April 19, 2016........ May 24, 2016

 

[ABCarve]

May 10, 2018 after carving some of the stump. Flowers starting to form again!!

 

[ABCarve]

May 3, 2019 . Each year the top has been loped off down to the lowest branch to create a new apex. It is coarse foliage but very vigorous. Branching has been cut back up to two times depending on the vigor. Nothing is pruned after the end of July so that flower buds can form. At least this is what I've been told. I have chosen the side without carving for a front as the bark is quite nice.

 

[ABCarve]

So now it March 21, 2020. It has had 4 growing seasons to put some roots on and ready for a better pot. I'm very curious as to what has grown under there.

 

[ABCarve]

Roots have formed completely around the chainsaw cut. The heart wood is still totally sound with no rot, at least as far as I can slide my finger under the roots.

 

[ABCarve]

But what is this thing that was growing against the side of the pot?? It seems very similar to the tissue that forms when a tree is trying to bridge an air-layer. After yanking at it a bit it loosen up. I found it was the terminal of a rather large root. Never saw that before @Osoyoung

 

[just.wing.it]

You did it! Amazing!

That is the tree they call Sakura!
Nice work, great pics!

 

[ABCarve]

New pot and ready for flowers. Pondering cutting the top down to the second branch on the right and make it the new apex. Only after it flowers.

 

[just.wing.it]

The color of that pot should play nicely with the blooms.
I like it!

 

[ABCarve]

The color of that pot should play nicely with the blooms.
I like it!

I'm hoping....

 

[roberthu]

My research online says Kwanzan only has 15 years of life on average. I certainly hope that's not the case looking at that trunk size...

You did a great job bringing it back to life!

 

[JoeR]

But what is this thing that was growing against the side of the pot?? It seems very similar to the tissue that forms when a tree is trying to bridge an air-layer. After yanking at it a bit it loosen up. I found it was the terminal of a rather large root. Never saw that before @Osoyoung

View attachment 290202View attachment 290203

Just proliferate callus growth, had the same thing happen to a trident maple I groundlayered. Made the base much wider, and it can form roots. No idea what caused it on the trident, could be a number of things.

Could be an infection

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

Wow, this looks great! Good job with the carving. I have an Italian plum that was cut down by the previous owner or tenant, that I pulled and stuck in a pot, and I'm going to use this tree for inspiration.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Great job and surprising survival. Really nice flowering. Show stopper. Considering how fast Cherry wood rots curious about carving opening up more decay surface and how you will deal with it?

 

[ABCarve]

@Potawatomi13 It is one of those trees you keep around for a two week show in the spring. The rest of the year it is less than remarkable.

A few more days and I’ll take a photo. The flowers haven’t yet hit their peak with all of our cold weather. I’m not aware of cherry wood rotting quickly. Black cherry is fairly rot resistant. You may be correct with this species, but I haven’t noticed yet. This spring I used acrylics to color the deadwood. All deadwood is not white. If I run into a rot problem I treat it with marine epoxy which works quite well.

 

[ABCarve]

My research online says Kwanzan only has 15 years of life on average. I certainly hope that's not the case looking at that trunk size...

You did a great job bringing it back to life!

Thanks. You may be right but it is close to 30 years old now.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

That root knot is really interesting. I would pot that up separately and see if it sprouts growth.

@roberthu - the published "life spans" for trees are irrelevant in a bonsai context. Trees have open ended life spans, cell lines will continue to grow for hundreds of years, even for the trees listed as short lived. All the life span tables are based on utility, for use for timber, use as an orchard crop, or for use in a landscape planting, the "life span" tables do not mean the trees die of senescence, in the way humans die of old age. There is no reason that if disease control is good, and accidents are avoided, this tree easily could still be with ABCarve for another 100 years. Trees simply do not die of old age.

 

[roberthu]

That root knot is really interesting. I would pot that up separately and see if it sprouts growth.

@roberthu - the published "life spans" for trees are irrelevant in a bonsai context. Trees have open ended life spans, cell lines will continue to grow for hundreds of years, even for the trees listed as short lived. All the life span tables are based on utility, for use for timber, use as an orchard crop, or for use in a landscape planting, the "life span" tables do not mean the trees die of senescence, in the way humans die of old age. There is no reason that if disease control is good, and accidents are avoided, this tree easily could still be with ABCarve for another 100 years. Trees simply do not die of old age.

Good to know. Thank you for sharing this knowledge!