Pass Christian Pyracantha

[Brian Van Fleet]

Photos of this one have been around, but apparently, no development thread.

I dug it in Pass Christian, MS in May, '05, just a few months before Katrina wiped out the area. My MIL's house was 6 back from the beach, and the first 3 were destroyed. Hers made it, somehow, with no damage, but the yard was full of the contents from the first 3 houses. This tree wouldn't have made it.

This is from '06. It came out in 3 pieces, the smallest was gifted, the largest died, and this is the middle one; a year after collecting it. The "backdrop" is a standard card table, and this view is the front.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

2007

It was repotted into a mica pot in '07. The smallest of the 3 trunks was removed (scar is still there, 6 years later). Shots are from March and December '07

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

2008

Since I had to use a saw to separate the clump into 3 pieces, this one has a cut across the bottom left that was slow to grow roots:


I roughed up the scar tissue, propped it on a rock, and packed the area with sphagnum moss in an attempt to get these roots growing stronger:


It grew well, even had some berries:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

2010

2009 must have been uneventful for the Pyracantha...no photos. Strange.

2010 was more root work...the sphagnum trick was working, but slowly:


It continued to develop a nice canopy between May and August:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

2011

I received some guidance from Peter Warren to let the right grow a little taller, and tilt the tree a little to the left. Even though the left trunk is wider, it seemed to work for the design.
Spring:

Summer:

Fall:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

2012

Repotted again; I did tilt it over to the left a little, and noticed the bark was cracking a little on the front.


It did make it's debut appearance at the ABS show:

Since it was clearly dead behind the bark, it was hollowed out some to let the water drain out:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

2013

Repotted again...into a cream Yamafusa oval. I really like this pot, just not for this tree:


So the next day, I moved it into this smokin' Aiba Koyo/Fuyo-en pot:

Much better fit...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

2013

Then...nice crop of flowers, followed by a nice crop of berries, just turning orange.

 

[dkraft81]

Awesome progression Brian, thank you for sharing.

 

[cmeg1]

I think that tree has an outstanding silouette.Are you ever tempted to let branches grow out for a time to make them hefty?,or does that just happen in a bit of time with Pyracantha?Do you prefer them slightly thinner?
Truly outstanding work you have done with that tree.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I think that tree has an outstanding silouette.Are you ever tempted to let branches grow out for a time to make them hefty?,or does that just happen in a bit of time with Pyracantha?Do you prefer them slightly thinner?
Truly outstanding work you have done with that tree.

Thanks. The primary branches grew pretty stout, and were cut very short to start training. Many of the secondary branches are thin, but that's pretty much how they grow here.

 

[JudyB]

The berries and that pot are such a good color contrast. Good pick- although I really love the cream pot!

 

[fore]

Really nice progression Brian. Looks really nice in the new green pot.

So, it took 3 yrs after collection to make berries. Good to know and surprising it took that long.

 

[Ron Dennis]

Brian, this tree has been one of my favorites from the first time I saw the tree. The photos, while beautiful, really do not do justice to this tree. Congrats on a great job with the tree and a really neat progression thread.

I have been meaning to ask you if you knew approximately how long the tree was in the ground prior to your digging the tree?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Brian, this tree has been one of my favorites from the first time I saw the tree. The photos, while beautiful, really do not do justice to this tree. Congrats on a great job with the tree and a really neat progression thread.

I have been meaning to ask you if you knew approximately how long the tree was in the ground prior to your digging the tree?

Thanks Ron. The Dormie House in Pass Christian was built in 1950, and had been in Erin's family since 1974. As far as they remember, the pyracantha had always been there. A good guess is 40-65 years old.

It was enormous. Many of the older houses in our neighborhood have pyracanthas, this one was bigger than any around here. I only wish the biggest of the 3 chunks survived. The base was about the size of a volleyball, single trunk.

Somewhere I have a box of old photos...I'll have to look...

 

[october]

A stunning tree!

Rob

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Wow! Found it. This was a year before I collected it.

 

[ml_work]

Great Job Brian!
Were you working on that at the ABS in 2009?

 

[fredtruck]

Great tree, Brian. Pyracanthas are difficult to work.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Great Job Brian!
Were you working on that at the ABS in 2009?

Sounds right...