Leatherback growing Hazel

[leatherback]

Anybody ever grown hazel as bonsai?

You know, this weed, with large leaves, crude branching and shrubby growth habit?

Giving it a try, as I have to pull a shrub from my veggie-patch, a.k.a. bonsai growing field, in winter

 

[leatherback]

First summer image, done a little bit of carving on the wounds, and wired the young branches.

 

[BobbyLane]

this was originally Smithys hazel, you might remember him from europeanbonsaiforum. its a good example, hollow trunk n all

hazels do pop up on the UK scene. Bonsaieejit had a progression on one too

 

[just.wing.it]

Very cool! I dig it.

 

[SevenOaks]

The photos just reminded me of Hainbuche, Carpinus betulus (common hornbeam) - but that's really another story. I like the hazel (as in hazelnuts) and yours looks like it could be shaped into something nice, @leatherback.

 

[leatherback]

Smithys hazel, you might remember him from europeanbonsaiforum

Nooo I remember him from meeting him at TT's BURRS. I think that was him in any case. How is he? Still in Bonsai ?

 

[leatherback]

hazelnuts

Indeed. Although I have never seen this one bear fruit. That would actually be cool.

 

[BobbyLane]

Nooo I remember him from meeting him at TT's BURRS. I think that was him in any case. How is he? Still in Bonsai ?

on his facebook he said he was selling his trees to pursue other hobbies and will only keep about 8 trees.
in my first two years in bonsai i used to PM him quite a lot, i was inspired by his work. your hazel is on a good path

 

[ConorDash]

Indeed. Although I have never seen this one bear fruit. That would actually be cool.

They do every year on mine. I’ve a windswept in training at the moment, and 2 material. One is a large trunk, other smaller. I’ve been looking forward to working them. The big one has been in a large tub for some years now, it originally died back most of its trunks and now regrown, so it’s got a load of wood on it. I’m hoping for a good base too. Mind have hazelnuts on at the moment.

Interesting tree you have, where’d you find it? I never see large trees, only small. Your trunks look nothing like hazel contorta.. like others said, looks like carpinus, how odd. I take it this is all 1 tree, connected by wood?

 

[BobbyLane]

its not contorta its the normal hazel. but the one i posted is contorta. both leaves are the same. normal hazel can be found in nurseries as hedging plants.

 

[ConorDash]

Oh. You’ve confused me lol this makes more sense now!

its not contorta its the normal hazel. but the one i posted is contorta. both leaves are the same.

 

[ConorDash]

its not contorta its the normal hazel. but the one i posted is contorta. both leaves are the same.

I can show you a side by side tomorrow, got a long whip from the root stock growing out of my contorta. Original hazelnut next to contorted, same tree.

 

[leatherback]

They do every year on mine. I’ve a windswept in training at the moment, and 2 material. One is a large trunk, other smaller. I’ve been looking forward to working them. The big one has been in a large tub for some years now, it originally died back most of its trunks and now regrown, so it’s got a load of wood on it. I’m hoping for a good base too. Mind have hazelnuts on at the moment.

Interesting tree you have, where’d you find it? I never see large trees, only small. Your trunks look nothing like hazel contorta.. like others said, looks like carpinus, how odd. I take it this is all 1 tree, connected by wood?

Indeed, regular hazel. This is the small plant that was growing in my allotment (Guess thats what you call it). Maybe 8inch base? Indeed, all connected. I have a second one, which should also go. But I do not want to dig it. The base is about 2ft across.

I wired it with lots of litte twists and curves to give the branches some character as they thicken up. There will be a lot of growing out and cutting back on this one. I really hope I do not have to carve a hollow in this