Yamadori American Hornbeam

[Piedmont Bonsai]

My American hornbeam Yamadori that was originally collected in NC by Gary Clark and was acquired by me in a workshop with Sergio Cuan in summer of 2022. Here is the picture of the raw material when I acquired it.

Sergio and I just performed some pruning and branch selection as well as light wiring during the workshop.

In March of this year I took the tree to Eisei-en for repotting.

Here is the tree as of December 2023. It is developing nicely and quickly becoming a favorite in my collection.

 

[bonsailevel:master]

Beautiful tree. Do you know when it was originally collected?

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

Beautiful tree. Do you know when it was originally collected?

Thank you, I don’t know for sure but I’m guessing 2020 or 2021

 

[Dabbler]

I like the way you took it

 

[Colorado]

Very nice! This is headed in a great direction under your care - well done!

 

[BobbyLane]

Its a nice tree! Did you ever come across this one, has a similar form, very natural looking.
Think you could probably get more movement into the first right branch though and taper.

Some good discussion in this video

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

Its a nice tree! Did you ever come across this one, has a similar form, very natural looking.
Think you could probably get more movement into the first right branch though and taper.

Some good discussion in this video

I have not seen that one, but I do like the tree.

For the branch, I do agree. I will eventually cut back once I build more internal ramification, I have even considered the possibility of removing that branch all together. But still thinking on it

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

Very nice! This is headed in a great direction under your care - well done!

Thank you for the kind words

 

[19Mateo83]

Its a nice tree! Did you ever come across this one, has a similar form, very natural looking.
Think you could probably get more movement into the first right branch though and taper.

Some good discussion in this video

This video is such a great inspiration for anyone wanting a natural looking hornbeam. @Piedmont Bonsai ‘s tree is well on its way. It has been set up for success and I look forward to seeing more of it in the future.

 

[ForrestW]

Here is a more recent photo of that tree (shameless plug...) and in one of my pots . I am wanting advice on another American Hornbeam and really enjoy all the different ways those trees can be styled. (I am getting ready to start another hornbeam thread...)

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

Figured this thread needs an update. Not too much has changed aside from a repot earlier this spring. This tree had its first potting in the cream Reiho oval back in March 2023 and now its second potting in this blue Yamafusa oval.

Last year during the growing season I focused on cutting back some of the heavier branches to rework the ramification to finer branching. I will continue to work towards that goal.


One thing I would like to fix is the stretched neck appearance of the apex. Im hoping i can get a bud to pop to cut back to eventually. If not I will probably cut the apex back at the point indicated below. The heavy branch on the left also needs to be chased back over time.


In spring 2024 I approach grafted 3 seedlings as root grafts. All the grafts took but unfortunately one died over winter. I removed the dead grafts and will plan to regraft either next spring or spring 2027 when I repot next.

 

[JudyB]

Nice work, I like the elegance this tree has, and I like how the tall apex works with the stretch of the sinuous movement.

 

[Wood]

Very interested to see how the approach grafts heal over. Any experience with that?

I've skipped over several American hornbeams that would need root grafts because I guessed it wouldn't heal smoothly.

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

Very interested to see how the approach grafts heal over. Any experience with that?

I've skipped over several American hornbeams that would need root grafts because I guessed it wouldn't heal smoothly.

This is my first time with it so im not sure. I did this at Bjorns place last march and he was confident they will heal. Ive healed small wounds on this tree so i think it should blend in over time but i might need to score the outer portion of the graft at some point.

You should get a hornbean even if its just for experimenting. Its one of my favorites species

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

Nice work, I like the elegance this tree has, and I like how the tall apex works with the stretch of the sinuous movement.

Thank you. I like the sinuous movement as well but i feel its a little too elongated right now

 

[Wood]

You should get a hornbean even if its just for experimenting. Its one of my favorites species

One of my favorites too, and one of the species I'm trying to specialize in. I just haven't tried approach grafts on it yet. I've got 6 American hornbeams and 4 or so Korean hornbeams

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

One of my favorites too, and one of the species I'm trying to specialize in. I just haven't tried approach grafts on it yet. I've got 6 American hornbeams and 4 or so Korean hornbeams

Just curious, what techniques do you do to handle the spring growth on american hornbeams and do you use the same techniques for Korean hornbeam?

 

[Jrmcmich]

Nice tree!

 

[Wood]

This is my first spring with Korean hornbeams (I kinda went overboard on purchasing them last year -- narrowing the collection is a big goal), so I don't have a great comparison yet there.

Most of mine are pretty young stock so I let the extend to 5-6 leaves then cut back to two. I have a buddy that partially defoliates them in late spring and says that he gets a much reduced leaf and internode size on the next flush -- not sure if he does leaf cutting a la Japanese maple or Bjorn's partial outer canopy defoliation like a trident. I'll have to ask

On these two trees (the triple trunk is an American hornbeam, the single trunk is a Korean), I'm planning on pinching both apexes, and mostly letting the other growth blow out until late May/early June

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

This is my first spring with Korean hornbeams (I kinda went overboard on purchasing them last year -- narrowing the collection is a big goal), so I don't have a great comparison yet there.

Most of mine are pretty young stock so I let the extend to 5-6 leaves then cut back to two. I have a buddy that partially defoliates them in late spring and says that he gets a much reduced leaf and internode size on the next flush -- not sure if he does leaf cutting a la Japanese maple or Bjorn's partial outer canopy defoliation like a trident. I'll have to ask

On these two trees (the triple trunk is an American hornbeam, the single trunk is a Korean), I'm planning on pinching both apexes, and mostly letting the other growth blow out until late May/early June

That 3 trunk is awesome. I have been letting mine extend in spring and then cut back but i feel the growth is still too coarse. I started pinching it like a japanese maple on subsequent flushes last year and I liked the result so I’m gonna do that this spring. I also do the leaf cutting where you cut the large leaves in half on a backwards angle.
I may eventually try to do a partial outer canopy defoliation and see how it responds.