CLERO Short back and sides

[MelaQuin]

Did a demo in September on loaned trees and bought 2 of them from the owner. The clerendendron was about 40cm when I started but had been allowed to 'do its own thing' for a couple of years and it had 3 major branches but no real apex... but a nice trunk. I cut it back considerably at the demo and after having it home for a week took the sidecutters to it and stumped it. In retaliation it sat on the bench and would have thumbed a nose at me if it had one. 3 months later nature took the upper hand and it shot first one than a second shoot.... right where I wanted. How good is that!! Within several weeks the apical shoot is 20 cm tall and thickening rapidly and the side shoot is about 12 cm long and thickening even faster.

IMG_0806.jpg

IMG_0819.jpg

I know this species is nicknamed Indian Privet but it is still amazing how fast it grows. I am planning on doing more assiduous wiring on this tree than my past cleros and get it to resemble those beautiful ones at the AABC Gold Coast convention. And I well know how fast they grow and how much pruning they need. Once the branches are more solid I will trim the cut back and naturalise it.

[MelaQuin]

3 months after the stumping and it has had its first cutback with the branching hardening off well. Still early days but with a great deal of guidance it is going to be a nice tree in a couple of years.

IMG_0945.jpg