Hornbeam collected from NC

[WavyGaby]

Hello,
This is a follow up from #Scrogdor's Hornbeam thread that I partially hijacked.
I dug these two American Hornbeans in January 2022 (a bit early in the season) and they are now pushing buds and leaves are even opening on the larger double truck.
I know I'm not in the clear yet but this is the first good sign of life.
I severely chopped the roots on both trees. The larger double truck only had one fine feeder root and the rest was hacked off.
I kept both trees in the garage until we've had warmer temperatures. I misted or watered every couple of days.

Larger one with leaves openingsmaer

 

[rockm]

Good sign. Don't mess with them AT ALL for the next year or so. Bury the nebari with two or even three inches of soil to keep it moist in the coming months. If it's not kept moist, the nebari can die back as weather heats up and evaporation increases. Don't be tempted to look at how the roots are developing. Don't mess around moving the trunk, etc. Just let them be.

 

[19Mateo83]

nice trunks! I got to collect 4 this year and they are starting to bud out, one with less roots than yours, they are pretty tough little trees and can take a surprisingly hard root chop. Nice to see another nut from the Queen City in here

 

[WavyGaby]

nice trunks! I got to collect 4 this year and they are starting to bud out, one with less roots than yours, they are pretty tough little trees and can take a surprisingly hard root chop. Nice to see another nut from the Queen City in here

Hi guys, thanks for the comments.
Any buds or leaves popping on yours yet?
I went to my friends house recently - he has no stake in bonsai but he does have 30 plus hornbeams in the drainage area behind his house which have started to leaf out. Once I get past some of my current projects and find room, Ill be back with shovels and buckets!

Glad to see another local Nut, too! I'm actually just west of town now but still 20-25 minutes from uptown. Keep in touch

 

[19Mateo83]

Hi guys, thanks for the comments.
Any buds or leaves popping on yours yet?
I went to my friends house recently - he has no stake in bonsai but he does have 30 plus hornbeams in the drainage area behind his house which have started to leaf out. Once I get past some of my current projects and find room, Ill be back with shovels and buckets!

Glad to see another local Nut, too! I'm actually just west of town now but still 20-25 minutes from uptown. Keep in touch

The ones that had suckers have leafed out nicely, the ones that are just bare trunk is developing buds as we speak.

 

[19Mateo83]

Here’s how mine are doing

 

[WavyGaby]

Here’s how mine are doing

Nice bases, man! Some decent movement in the first one, too. I am interested to see what happens with the short fat guy. I wonder if/how much the trunk will die back.
When did you dig?

 

[19Mateo83]

I dug late February early March. The huge one I’m kinda doubtful of but it will have his chance none the less. I’m ok with short fat trees

 

[19Mateo83]

Nice bases, man! Some decent movement in the first one, too. I am interested to see what happens with the short fat guy. I wonder if/how much the trunk will die back.
When did you dig?

This is what I have in mind for the short fat one. Something along these lines. It’s already growing buds in the right places. The root reduction will be a process though, I was only comfortable taking off so much and even then I had my doubts at first with this guy.

 

[WavyGaby]

End of May 2022
Lots of leaves pushing out of the base of the single trunk. The leader is pushing growth too. This ine is probably a good candidate for air layer next year


The double trunk is also doing well with lots of new growth low and some good potential higher up.

 

[WavyGaby]

The clump style is growing well, so well that I had to wire before the branches I want to use get too large. However, upper trunk is partially dead. Ideally, I would wait until just before bud break before digging again.
The split trunk was not as vigorous but it has some decent growth. The upper portion of the large trunk is dead (no pic at the moment). I won't touch the branches on that one. Hopefully it makes it. It stil has leaves which is odd considering the clump lost its leaves a week or two ago.

 

[Shogun610]

Typically a clump style you want trunks coming out from the base.. I would reanalyze the trajectory and keep the main and lower right branch and develop into a mother daughter style imo

 

[WavyGaby]

Here’s how mine are doing

How are yours looking?

 

[WavyGaby]

Typically a clump style you want trunks coming out from the base.. I would reanalyze the trajectory and keep the main and lower right branch and develop into a mother daughter style imo

I plan on chopping the main trunk just not sure how low yet. My friend has a similar looking composition and I'll see if I can get photos to show what I'm going for. Its not exactly clump but that is the closest description I could think of.

 

[BobbyLane]

I would keep the two low branches for interest, it wont be a clump no, just a tree with two low hanging branches, heres a bit of inspiration if you decide to chop lower, not getting tied down by 'one trunk line one leader' will give you more options


actually tho if id have kept this elm I might have at some point, taken off the two left leaders and kept the right central one.

 

[WavyGaby]

I would keep the two low branches for interest, it wont be a clump no, just a tree with two low hanging branches, heres a bit of inspiration if you decide to chop lower, not getting tied down by 'one trunk line one leader' will give you more options
View attachment 462769

actually tho if id have kept this elm I might have at some point, taken off the two left leaders and kept the right central one.

Nice one! Good example of some possibilities

 

[19Mateo83]

How are yours looking?

Out of the 5 big ones I collected, one died, one died back to base suckers and the other 3 are kicking right along.

 

[WavyGaby]

More Hornbeams collected. I waited until March because i think inwill have less trunk die back. I also kept a lot more roots.
The calipers are the size of my wrist except for the skinny one in the first picture which is the size of a fat sharpie.
Some have leaved out and I am curious to see if the leaves stay or drop. 3 days after collection and the leaves still look great.

 

[Darth Masiah]

More Hornbeams collected.
the skinny one in the first picture which is the size of a fat sharpie

love that little guy. great find.

 

[WavyGaby]

love that little guy. great find.

Heck yea! My next move is to get a bunch of smaller ones for a forest. I'm excited to see how these grow.