Mountain Hemlock-damaged bark and potential styling

[DirtyZ]

I found this mountain hemlock that I like, but upon digging I see that the bark near the base seems to have been knocked away pretty significantly. Seems to affect the visuals and taper. Wondering if this should be a big concern? I guess I could wait years and years tapping my feet or else use the other side as a front…it’s got a bit more bark.

Also included a potential trunk chop idea for a future style. Would wait a while for that…I think it was dug up last season.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

At least with eastern hemlock, they ar e prolific with their wound healing and bark rolling. Just give the tree some time to recover, and it should work itself into the design.

 

[DirtyZ]

Thank you @MrFancyPlants

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

From the images, not sure the inner layer of bark was removed.

In any case Mountain Hemlock is indeed a fast healer and, if treated correctly, a a fast grower.

Having two Mountain Hemlock yamadori would recommend putting in an Anderson flat and doing nothing but fertilizing and watering the tree this year, and possibly the next.

These trees do not like full sun and are on the cooler, wetter side.

You didn’t post your approximate location on your profile, so can’t say more than that. Would recommend you do post your approximate location and USDA Plant Cold Hardiness zone on your profile so we can give you the best recommendations possible.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[DirtyZ]

Thanks, for that! I’ll update my profile too.

 

[River's Edge]

I found this mountain hemlock that I like, but upon digging I see that the bark near the base seems to have been knocked away pretty significantly. Seems to affect the visuals and taper. Wondering if this should be a big concern? I guess I could wait years and years tapping my feet or else use the other side as a front…it’s got a bit more bark.

Also included a potential trunk chop idea for a future style. Would wait a while for that…I think it was dug up last season.

It appears that lower branches were removed upon collection and the base was buried deeper. If brought back above ground it may recover over time. The remaining question is how. you feel about the appearance of the base and styling the tree! It is not uncommon for Mountain Hemlock to have a base well below the surface when collected. One of the quirks that make collecting the species more of a challenge. Also very common with other species growing in areas affected by heavy snowpack, rock slides etc.
If the tree was dug up only a year ago the priority should be to stabilize the root ball and health of the tree over the next year or two. If possible get some clear information from the source before deciding. Wait for clear signs of healthy growth extensions before too much work is planned.

 

[jevanlewis]

I had to leave behind my Mountain Hemlock when I left Seattle for Utah two years ago. It was a bit bigger than yours and not a great bonsai candidate, and so I took it out of my massive grow box and put it in the ground as a landscape tree. Now that I'm in Utah, despite the dryer and hotter summer climate, I'm going to give Mountain Hemlocks another shot. I'm looking forward to following your progress on this thread.

 

[DirtyZ]

Thank you @River's Edge for that information. They’re a unique species so nice to hear of details. I’d read another post of yours discussing repotting and think I’ll follow those guidelines when the time comes.

As it stands I ended up not buying this tree but instead found another much cheaper option. Maybe I’ll still get the other one too…it seemed to have more bonsai potential with its bends and more aged bark. But again…this one was dirt cheap @ $36

Seems to be more leggy though…and would need some pruning eventually to give some shape…though there are some very young branches sprouted close in that could in time be better branches. Also a trunk chop seems in order eventually. Perhaps better as a lawn tree but I’d still like to try something with it.

I wanted to check the base and root ball…it’s in some thick compost soil that the root ball was just sitting atop. Not much root movement toward it…The mountain soil has rocks in it that look to me just like Akadama! According to the guy who’d collected it it was taken from a mountain toward eastern Oregon a year and a half ago, wrapped in burlap, placed with the others under a heavy shaded canopy of what I think were ponderosa pines. He probably just dumped the rootball into the soil pot this spring I’d imagine…

I’d like to repot and do your 1/3 root reduction. But there are no visible buds swelling yet. Might slip pot into pumice…might just wait it out another month or two

 

[DirtyZ]

Update: Ended up buying the original tree I’d posted. (The second one isn’t showing any bud swelling yet, I think I’m going to slip pot into pumice since it’s sitting on so much wet excess soil in its can)

I’d been keeping an eye on this one at the nursery and noticed some slight buds beginning to emerge last Friday. So I bought the tree and the same night I did a repot where I cut a couple old larger rotting roots, moved the mountain soil from a large portion of the original root ball, much of which didn’t have many fine roots, bare rooted another 1/3, and planted into a wood box. Now to keep it alive and think of what it could become.