Cornus kousa Progression

[Jzack605]

I went ahead and did a cut back and root reduction on this tree after speaking with another fellow from my zone. Our winter has been mostly mild and I have a very good protected spot for it and a shed for the very cold days; if they return. The top is wrapped in a blanket and a bucket on top where the bottom is tucked between other plants and bags of soil and mulch in an already very protected area. Cambium layer looks good and lively and the roots were mostly fibrous already. Images are from the more interesting parts. One part of the nebari is quite bland.

 

[Jzack605]

So did I kill the tree?

 

[Tieball]

Just my thought. I would have chopped the tops unevenly.....however, you may have a plan I don’t know about yet and your chops are setting your plan in motion. And because it was just chopped..... I would have eliminated the smaller roots crossing over the larger roots. But......that’s just my thinking. Interesting tree really...not familiar to me. It will be interesting if you can update when the tree puts out buds, leaves and branches.

 

[Jzack605]

Yeah I actually thought about removing the potentially girdling roots but forgot too. Hopefully they they don’t do anything and I can get to it in the future.

The plan right now is for it to simply put out buds and new branches. But ultimately i want to develop it into a broom style.

 

[Tieball]

Yeah I actually thought about removing the potentially girdling roots but forgot too. Hopefully they they don’t do anything and I can get to it in the future.

The plan right now is for it to simply put out buds and new branches. But ultimately i want to develop it into a broom style.

This will be interesting to follow along......assuming you share progress (hint...hint).
I see the broom style working now that I know your intention.

Maybe you can get at those roots the next Spring. I have a Field Maple, Acer Campestre, that I pruned off crossing roots last year. The tree didn’t even blink....kept growing healthy...and I “think” the roots healed and are growing just fine. At that time I also cut off a root that looked like it met a stone underground and made a wild left turn....I suspect that cut is also doing well now.

Attached are photos of the circling root I cut. The smaller crossing over roots like you show in your tree photo were already removed before this photo.

 

[Tieball]

And on that photo above.....I meant to say: This “area” of an earlier trunk chop is now 60% closed.

 

[Jzack605]

Awesome tree. There is another Dogwood that has been posted here that is inspiration for how to shape the tree. My only concern is I have never known Kousa Dogwood to be cutback so drastically. Even the shrub varieties of dogwood aren't typically cutback shrubs. Time will tell. This tree had already been through a lot before I had gotten it and survived without much of a blink; was old nursery stock from an abandoned project and never sold, left to live out it's days in the back corner of the nursery I worked at.

 

[Jzack605]

Re: the girdling roots I was able to remove them without disturbing the tree. Alls looking good, she’s definitely still alive.

 

[Nanuk]

Re: the girdling roots I was able to remove them without disturbing the tree. Alls looking good, she’s definitely still alive.

Keep us posted. Me and a friend of mine have been talking about finding a suitable Dogwood for bonsai.
They grow wild around here, lots of trees to choose from.

Still looking for that perfect candidate.

Yours looks promising, good luck.

 

[Jzack605]

You should collect some for sure. I had a hard time finding examples; which to me is an added bonus for rarity as a bonsai. Such an awesome tree and C. kousa happens to be one of my favorite trees with bonus of edible fruit. I’m hoping it puts out buds soon. It’s warming up and thinking I might take it out of it’s protected spot. Weighs a ton!

 

[Nanuk]

@Jzack605 keep us updated on your progress please.
I want to see how yours responds.

 

[Jzack605]

Getting some budding. I would have loved to see more and the big stem isn’t getting any growth. The old sucker I left is what is furthest along. I still have hope a few more buds will pop.

 

[Jzack605]

Here’s some more recent shots. The big stem is vacant, but still green. Lots of shoots from the same point, or dense in one spot. Would it be recommended to thin that to one?

 

[Jzack605]

Photos don’t seem to be uploading

 

[Jzack605]

 

[Jzack605]

Anyone think thinning out spots where two, or more, shoots are coming from same spot is wise?

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Anyone think thinning out spots where two, or more, shoots are coming from same spot is wise?

Not wise, just let it grow. You can thin them out later, there’s no rush. The tree is trying to recover from a traumatic event, every leaf will help.

 

[Jzack605]

Not wise, just let it grow. You can thin them out later, there’s no rush. The tree is trying to recover from a traumatic event, every leaf will help.

Yep that’s what I figured would be best. Thanks

 

[Jzack605]

The leaves are definitely BIG on this thing. Excuse the rushed images. Still nothing on the thick middle stem. A bit of a hole right now from what right now is the most obvious back.

 

[Jzack605]

Some quick photos. Safe to say it reacted well to the cut back. The bigger chunky branch has no growth on it, so planning on carving that into some deadwood eventually. Lots of shoots right at the cuts so there was very little die back overall.