Japanese hornbeam trunk chop question...

[Staplebus]

There is a large japanese hornbeam nursary stock tree that I have admired for a while now. It's a landscape tree and wouldn't fit in my vehicle (maybe 11 ft tall), but today I got the idea of trunk chopping it in the parking lot, during bud swell(now/soon). The only problem is, other than hornbeam dieback, I don't know much about the process for them. What are the hornbeam trunk chop precautions? Do I have to have a low branch to cut back too? This tree doesn't have them. Is it a bust if not? Thanks!

 

[MMJNICE]

I wouldn't do it.. I have Japanese American and European hornbeam trees I'm working on and cutting back to bare wood is a bit of a gamble. I would look for better material, patience pays off especially when developing a tree for bonsai. It may take you a year to find better quality trees but it may take you three years minimum to have something that Resemblems a bonsai with the trunk chop.

 

[roberthu]

It really depends on how thick the trunk is and where you are going to chop. Can you chop in the filed and go back to dig the following year?

 

[TrevorLarsen]

There is a large japanese hornbeam nursary stock tree that I have admired for a while now. It's a landscape tree and wouldn't fit in my vehicle (maybe 11 ft tall), but today I got the idea of trunk chopping it in the parking lot, during bud swell(now/soon). The only problem is, other than hornbeam dieback, I don't know much about the process for them. What are the hornbeam trunk chop precautions? Do I have to have a low branch to cut back too? This tree doesn't have them. Is it a bust if not? Thanks!

You only live once so I say give it a shot if you are okay with it possibly failing.

 

[Wood]

If you make a chop that leaves buds still on the trunk, and be as conservative as possible, I bet you could get away with it. I think the problem is that the tree doesn't have any resources to active dormant buds currently, so cutting back to no buds at all will probably kill it. If it's your only/best chance to get the trunk, why not?