EUROPEAN BEECH (red cultivar)

[Vinnie Charity]

Beech today and one about a week ago with autumn leaves.

View attachment 410797

View attachment 410798

View attachment 410799

View attachment 410800

Really loving the progress of this tree! I’m a fan of slender trunked trees because they are so much more accessible and easier to develop. This is a prime example of what can be done with a slender trunk.

I’m gathering info on how to get more ramification on beech trees and I’m planning to try bud pinching this year. The plan was to try it last year, but beaches always take forever to open, and when they finally do open, they take off and I was unable to catch it until it was too late. In retrospect, I probably should’ve still pinched off that terminal shoot. I’ll try again this year and post my results…

 

[tangledtanuki]

Just planted some Beach, I really love that smooth white bark. Really love how this tree has progresses. Nothing drastic but you can see the attention to the details.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Just planted some Beach, I really love that smooth white bark. Really love how this tree has progresses. Nothing drastic but you can see the attention to the details.

Beech in Israel? you must have a good shade cloth and misting system xD

 

[MACH5]

I’m gathering info on how to get more ramification on beech trees and I’m planning to try bud pinching this year. The plan was to try it last year, but beaches always take forever to open, and when they finally do open, they take off and I was unable to catch it until it was too late. In retrospect, I probably should’ve still pinched off that terminal shoot. I’ll try again this year and post my results…

This is most important with beech. You must pinch terminal shoots even before they fully open. If not, little by little you'll get excessive elongation while the interior buds are held back from developing properly.

Ramification with European/American beech is a bit easier to accomplish. I do the leaf cutting method after leaves harden off in June. It works very effectively with these species. Not so bold with Japanese beech which I approach them differently.

 

[MACH5]

Just planted some Beach, I really love that smooth white bark. Really love how this tree has progresses. Nothing drastic but you can see the attention to the details.

Thank you! This tree came to me already with great character and structure. It made little sense to me to "re-invent" it!

 

[Vinnie Charity]

This is most important with beech. You must pinch terminal shoots even before they fully open. If not, little by little you'll get excessive elongation while the interior buds are held back from developing properly.

Ramification with European/American beech is a bit easier to accomplish. I do the leaf cutting method after leaves harden off in June. It works very effectively with these species. Not so bold with Japanese beech which I approach them differently.

I’ll keep a better eye on my beeches this year so I can do that. They are among the last trees to bud break so just as they start to swell, I’ll check them out each day to get my tweezers on that terminal bud.
I also have tried the leaf cutting method just to balance the visual sizes of the leaves, didn’t realize it may trigger the tree to backbud as well so I’ll do that again as well…

 

[MACH5]

I also have tried the leaf cutting method just to balance the visual sizes of the leaves, didn’t realize it may trigger the tree to backbud as well so I’ll do that again as well…

Yes, it does simply because you're taking away its ability to photosynthesize. So it reacts by producing more leaves. But... I treat the leaf cutting as a gas pedal. Meaning, if you don't cut enough, the tree will not respond in the same way as if you were to cut the leaves leaving just a tiny portion of them intact. If for example, you only cut a quarter of their surface off, the tree may still have enough photosynthetic surface to sustain itself and your back budding will be held to a minimum. The opposite happens if you go at it more aggressively. I always leave the weakest branches alone.

Needless to say this is only done to healthy trees and in their refinement phase.

 

[tangledtanuki]

Beech in Israel? you must have a good shade cloth and misting system xD

Not to hijack the thread but having planted these already, will they not survive hot humid summers here in Israel? I will be using shade clothe regardless for other tree's so hopefully this will help keep them out of the direct oven we call summer here.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Not to hijack the thread but having planted these already, will they not survive hot humid summers here in Israel? I will be using shade clothe regardless for other tree's so hopefully this will help keep them out of the direct oven we call summer here.

Most Fagus' Hardiness range ends around 8 (USDA)..

I think the HEAT will be an issue.. AND the sun.

T'will be an uphill battle, in my opinion.

Y'know? Jesus Christ was referred to, often, as the "Man from Galilee".. his words are divine...

I, personally, normally side with indigenous people, though.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Yes, it does simply because you're taking away its ability to photosynthesize. So it reacts by producing more leaves. But... I treat the leaf cutting as a gas pedal. Meaning, if you don't cut enough, the tree will not respond in the same way as if you were to cut the leaves leaving just a tiny portion of them intact. If for example, you only cut a quarter of their surface off, the tree may still have enough photosynthetic surface to sustain itself and your back budding will be held to a minimum. The opposite happens if you go at it more aggressively. I always leave the weakest branches alone.

Needless to say this is only done to healthy trees and in their refinement phase.

I've seen and utilized this same type of leaf-cutting redistribution as a "gas-pedal" when "squeezing" papavers(and other flowering species) for more blooms.

Very interesting, indeed!

 

[dbonsaiw]

will they not survive hot humid summers here in Israel?

I believe the Galilee is well into zone 10 and as HorseLover points this may be an uphill battle.

Ramification with European/American beech is a bit easier to accomplish.

Your tree inspired me to learn more about Beech and start developing one. Just received my beech from Mr. Valavanis and I'm really excited to repot and get started. In the interim, I started to put together a cheat sheet for the beech (similar to hornbeams) so I don't confuse things as I expand my bonsai horizon to include trees other than maples. It's basically an amalgamation of info I gathered from a number of reliable sources in preparation for spring's eventual arrival. In case anyone is interested, the cheat sheet is attached.

 

[dbonsaiw]

This is most important with beech. You must pinch terminal shoots even before they fully open.

Can you explain this further. How much are you removing from each branch on this pinch?

 

[leatherback]

Can you explain this further. How much are you removing from each branch on this pinch?

As the buds open, you tease the sprout open and pinch out all but two leaves.

 

[HorseloverFat]

As the buds open, you tease the sprout open and pinch out all but two leaves.

Morten Albek (sp?) discussed this recently as well. (Except Palmatum was the topic of discussion)



A VERY good piece of information.

 

[leatherback]

Morten Albek (sp?) discussed this recently as well. (Except Palmatum was the topic of discussion)

What did he recommend?

 

[HorseloverFat]

What did he recommend?

Same thing.. basically crippling the main chute and leaving the first two "opening leaves"... This, he said, slows down the advancement of that first, most aggressive, longest internode "push".



I like that guy.

 

[atlarsenal]

As the buds open, you tease the sprout open and pinch out all but two leaves.

You do realize we’re talking about beech here?

 

[badatusernames]

This is most important with beech. You must pinch terminal shoots even before they fully open. If not, little by little you'll get excessive elongation while the interior buds are held back from developing properly.

Ramification with European/American beech is a bit easier to accomplish. I do the leaf cutting method after leaves harden off in June. It works very effectively with these species. Not so bold with Japanese beech which I approach them differently.

Is hornbeam similar to this? I've been trying to find more info on creating ramification and this seems to ring a bell with something I read a bit ago...

 

[leatherback]

You do realize we’re talking about beech here?

Do YOU realize I am talking beech here?

 

[leatherback]

Is hornbeam similar to this? I've been trying to find more info on creating ramification and this seems to ring a bell with something I read a bit ago...

Hornbeam is easy to ramnify. Let them grow, and mid-spring, cut back and they will pop buds all over. Or, if you need extention, partial defoliation.