Some Fall 2024 Images

[coh]

Finally getting around to sorting through and editing some of the fall tree photos so figured I'd post a few.

1. Cork Bark Elm, originally from Bill V. Gradually working it into a structure that I like. There is a branch/subtrunk growing out of the base on the lower left that I edited out. Might eventually layer it.



2. Kiyo Hime Maple, originally acquired as a rooted cutting from Brent Walston. Fall color varies on this one, this year it was pretty decent.



3. Trident Maple, just a seedling that I've been pot-growing for a while. Can't really see the structure but the color was nice this year. Think it has some potential under there but going to take a while.



4. Larch (not sure of the variety) originally from Bill V. I need to edit out some more of the branching but like the structure with a bit of a flat-top format. Probably going to have to re-cut the callus this year as it keeps growing over the deadwood on the trunk.



5. The new project, the only tree I purchased this year after selling off about 20. Ginkgo clump. I think those are 3 (maybe 4) separate plants but I will find out when I repot this spring. If they are separate, I'm going to try to re-arrange them into a more interesting pattern but we'll see. BTW, I'm interested in finding a larger single-trunked ginkgo so if anyone knows of any, let me know!

 

[coh]

Some more.

1. Cascade Juniper, got this in like 2011 (?) in a beginner class with Bill Valavanis. Coming along. I had some problems with this one last spring/summer, some die back on the top. Might have been fungal, not sure, but that area is still discolored and somewhat weak. I need to reduce the mass of the apex anyway so probably not an issue.





2. Tiger bark ficus clump, working toward a sort of banyan style. Thinking I need a wider pot. Also thinking about trying to encourage some aerial roots from the horizontal branching.



3. Coral Bark maple (sangu kaku) that I've been messing around with for a while. The red branches and twigging are spectacular in winter especially when wet.



4. European beech, been working with this for a few years. Thinking about ground layering as the base isn't very good. Have to thin out branching/sub trunks in the upper part of the canopy.



5. Boxwood acquired from Judy. Gradually working on opening up the foliage masses to reveal some of the branching and lighten the overall appearance. These are slooooowwwww...

 

[Colorado]

Wow, really great looking trees! The color on that sangu kaku is incredible.

I especially love that larch. Can’t believe how tiny the pot is!

 

[fredman]

Wow beautiful trees mate. Love the colour on the trident and sangu kaku.
I layered my beech and later screwed it to a plank....I did put it in the ground for a few years after. It formed a very nice nebari (which i'm chuffed with) in time....even though european beech are notorious for not having a good nebari.

 

[coh]

Wow, really great looking trees! The color on that sangu kaku is incredible.

I especially love that larch. Can’t believe how tiny the pot is!

I think Bill had it in an even smaller pot if you can believe it!

 

[coh]

Wow beautiful trees mate. Love the colour on the trident and sangu kaku.
I layered my beech and later screwed it to a plank....I did put it in the ground for a few years after. It formed a very nice nebari (which i'm chuffed with) in time....even though european beech are notorious for not having a good nebari.

I have heard that beech will layer pretty well so I might give it a try.

 

[Colorado]

I think Bill had it in an even smaller pot if you can believe it!

Man I just love that tree. Do you have any additional information on it? How long did Bill have it before you? Was it collected or nursery stock?

 

[JudyB]

I have heard that beech will layer pretty well so I might give it a try.

Good luck, I've never had any luck with beech layering.... All your trees are looking great, that SK Maple is a stunner. So is that KH maple, and that elm is getting ready for a nice pot I think.

 

[coh]

Some koren hornbeam groups. Lots of branch editing needed on the first two but I've been trying to balance keeping the smaller trees small while letting the larger trees run to increase trunk sizes and create variety.

1. These came from seedlings from Bill V - these get yellow coloring in autumn.



2. These came from seedlings from Matt Ouwinga and get reddish colors in fall.



3. I had extras from the Matt O seedlings that sat around in pots for a number of years. Decided to stick them together this spring to produce a more literati-ish and maybe windswept-type group that could be fun. Need to order another group of seedlings to grow and fill in space and might also need to repot and adjust those 2 right trees. These tend to develop interesting trunk lines on their own.

 

[baldone]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing.

 

[coh]

This is an old korean hornbeam I purchased from a club member maybe 10 years ago. I think this view has the most interesting trunk line but there are issues with the branching. Annoying to me is the bar branch structure in the upper middle trunk area. I feel like one of those might need to go if this remains the main viewing angle. I've also had trouble with this tree losing twigs and not being particularly vigorous (this can be seen in the disparity of budding in the upper region vs lower branches - those are mostly flower buds which this tree produces in profusion). It has gotten leggy because there hasn't been much interior growth to cut back to. I've repotted and cleaned out old soil and dead roots but still have the same problem. Any suggestions on dealing with the health of an older k.h. as well as any thoughts on styling would be appreciated!



Along the same lines, this is a bald cypress that I had in the ground for maybe 10 years. I trunk chopped it twice along the way which did add some trunk movement, but I lost control of the taper. I think maybe it can still be made into an interesting larger flat-top tree but the lack of taper in the main trunk is always going to be an issue (maybe it just becomes a yard tree or yard bonsai). I'm leaving some large branches on the lower trunk for now to try to help. There is some base flare hidden by the container but not a huge amount.



Crude virt of a possible path forward. Any thoughts would be appreciated.



This is what the base looked like this past spring, though the viewing angle in the above photos is rotated about 20 deg clockwise.

 

[JudyB]

I'd sure like to see other angles of that hornbeam. I see 4 problematic branches from this angle. As far as vigor, old ones just slow down on old branching. You might think about doing a hard cutback on the top branches that seem stronger, as they seem too heavy for the top of the tree in any event and see if that gives you something.

 

[coh]

I'd sure like to see other angles of that hornbeam. I see 4 problematic branches from this angle. As far as vigor, old ones just slow down on old branching. You might think about doing a hard cutback on the top branches that seem stronger, as they seem too heavy for the top of the tree in any event and see if that gives you something.

Thanks for your reponse Judy. Tree is in winter storage so I don't have access for photos right now. There are some problematic branches no matter where you look, and other views have less interesting trunk structure. But I will look once spring arrives (if it ever does, I think it's snowed pretty much every day in January and February).

Any experience with doing hard cutbacks on these regarding timing? Best done in fall (too late), early spring (now), after first flush? I've thought about putting it into a larger container to add some vigor before doing such a cut back...

 

[JudyB]

Thanks for your reponse Judy. Tree is in winter storage so I don't have access for photos right now. There are some problematic branches no matter where you look, and other views have less interesting trunk structure. But I will look once spring arrives (if it ever does, I think it's snowed pretty much every day in January and February).

Any experience with doing hard cutbacks on these regarding timing? Best done in fall (too late), early spring (now), after first flush? I've thought about putting it into a larger container to add some vigor before doing such a cut back...

I do tip pruning before the buds start to swell. I might do a larger cutback also at that point if I need it, but could also do it after first flush has hardened, along with partial defoliation to encourage backbudding. Are you keeping this in full sun until the weather gets hot? They do better in more light during the spring. I also don't really fertilize heavily, but do feed consistently.

 

[coh]

I do tip pruning before the buds start to swell. I might do a larger cutback also at that point if I need it, but could also do it after first flush has hardened, along with partial defoliation to encourage backbudding. Are you keeping this in full sun until the weather gets hot? They do better in more light during the spring. I also don't really fertilize heavily, but do feed consistently.

Which buds though - the large buds visible on mine are (male) flower buds that set in the fall. The actual leaf/shoot buds don't really start to swell until later (though you can see them if you look closely), maybe even after the flowers open. Can't recall the exact timing. Would you prune before the male flowers open?

 

[JudyB]

Which buds though - the large buds visible on mine are (male) flower buds that set in the fall. The actual leaf/shoot buds don't really start to swell until later (though you can see them if you look closely), maybe even after the flowers open. Can't recall the exact timing. Would you prune before the male flowers open?

I have never had flowering on any of my Korean hornbeams. It's not possible that this is hop hornbeam is it? I'm sure you know what tree you have lol, but I've never seen flower buds.

 

[coh]

I have never had flowering on any of my Korean hornbeams. It's not possible that this is hop hornbeam is it? I'm sure you know what tree you have lol, but I've never seen flower buds.

That's an interesting thought. I was told it was K. hornbeam but maybe the original owner was mistaken. That said, the fruits do look more like photos I've seen of K. hornbeam than hop hornbeam.

 

[Gabler]

Don't give the bald cypress a poodle cut. You should be able to keep most of those branches. Just chop them back to build ramification and taper.