Sweetgum / Liquidambar Thread
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Cmd5235
Chumono
April/May
Firstflush
Chumono
Plucked sapling. My lady give away…..All natural movement. Light trim and some defol.
ChristianDGreat
Shohin
Can we bareroot sweetgum?
Did we already have a consensus if we repot when budswell or when bud pops?
Thanks
Chris
Did we already have a consensus if we repot when budswell or when bud pops?
Thanks
Chris
Corrado
Mame
Ive been doing my American Sweetgum now for 40 years here in NY. I repot and root prune mine in early March. At that time buds are just greening up or starting to swell. I dont think I would do it once they break bud and leaf out . I think you could bareroot just about anything if you want to do that.
Cmd5235
Chumono
I also collect and root prune in March- probably going to repot a few this year. The only thing I’m really cautious about with Liquidambar is early pruning of branches/terminal bud removal
DeepSouthBonsai
Seedling
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DeepSouthBonsai
Seedling
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 6
Sorry double posted
Joe Dupre'
Omono
Killer bases! If you are indeed in the Deep South, you're probably ok with the collection. Sweet gums get the reputation as a "trash tree" for a good reason..........they are survivors.
DeepSouthBonsai
Seedling
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Thanks! I am in Mississippi so as Deep South as ya can get! One didn’t have many roots but I’ve read that sweet gum can survive like that?
I don’t believe in trash trees. I love collecting unwanted species. It helps clear trees ppl don’t want or invasive trees and gives them a new lease on life where they can be considered beautiful
I love collecting privet. Everyone hates then so much. To me it’s like a local tropical almost…. Looks kind of like a ficus but carves like an olive.
I don’t believe in trash trees. I love collecting unwanted species. It helps clear trees ppl don’t want or invasive trees and gives them a new lease on life where they can be considered beautiful
I love collecting privet. Everyone hates then so much. To me it’s like a local tropical almost…. Looks kind of like a ficus but carves like an olive.
Maiden69
Masterpiece
You should look at Graham Potter from https://www.kaizenbonsai.com/ . He has quite a few videos of privets on his YT channel and a few articles on his website.Thanks! I am in Mississippi so as Deep South as ya can get! One didn’t have many roots but I’ve read that sweet gum can survive like that?
I don’t believe in trash trees. I love collecting unwanted species. It helps clear trees ppl don’t want or invasive trees and gives them a new lease on life where they can be considered beautiful
I love collecting privet. Everyone hates then so much. To me it’s like a local tropical almost…. Looks kind of like a ficus but carves like an olive.
DeepSouthBonsai
Seedling
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 6
Thanks for the tip. I will check it out!
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Collected half a dozen last year. This is only 1 of 2 that survived. Looking good though.
Cmd5235
Chumono
It do be like that. Remind me again- when did you collect? I only lost one collected trunk, the rest have been doing okay
Wulfskaar
Omono
Can someone explain in a bit more detail about pruning?
I've read several websites stating that you should prune back to 2 leaves, unless you want a branch there. It's almost like it's been copy/pasted to all these websites and they go into no further detail.
*What if you do want a branch there?
*How do you prune to get more ramification?
*These sites also explain that you should prune the upper areas to encourage stronger growth in the lower branches. To do this, do you need to also prune back to 2 leaves near the top of the tree?
I've read several websites stating that you should prune back to 2 leaves, unless you want a branch there. It's almost like it's been copy/pasted to all these websites and they go into no further detail.
*What if you do want a branch there?
*How do you prune to get more ramification?
*These sites also explain that you should prune the upper areas to encourage stronger growth in the lower branches. To do this, do you need to also prune back to 2 leaves near the top of the tree?
ChristianDGreat
Shohin
Maiden69
Masterpiece
Here is a pic I took today of my L.Orientalis. I bought it from Brent in July 2020 in a 4" pot. Barely grew anything in 2020 - 2021 and in 2022 I moved it into a Rootpouch. I was going to do some rootwork now but decided to move it to the grow bed so I can take some air layers this year. I will be making its own thread next spring.
Gabler
Masterpiece
Last year this one was black. I collected it and put it in the shade, so this year it's purple with a little bit of orange on the lower branches that got almost no light at all. I'm eager to see how the fall color will develop in years to come.
mikeybeanzz
Seedling
I have just started some cuttings from sweet gum. Not very experienced. I read articles published by universities. They usually have a lot of details on everything about their experiment. If you plan to grow from cutting its very difficult read up on it. Leave the foliage. Root suckers grow best from cuttings. Lower branches have more success. Overall hart to rootI see some threads about liquidambar but none about the species as a whole.
For folks who have them, how do you care for them and when do you work on them? I got the one pictured at an end of year sale at a nursery on a whim thinking it was a maple of some sort.
It's been put away for winter, but I just went and checked on it and buds are breaking and a leaf is growing here on Jan 2 in New England.
I assume doing work like repotting it or giving it a hard prune over the winter is a bad idea, even if it is sprouting leaves outside, but correct me if I'm wrong. I have the cabin fever and would love a project.
Here it is last autumn:
