AusBonsai

Hi Bodhi,
I just picked up one of these trees yesterday (inspired by yours). It's a lot smaller than yours, they had big ones too, bases about 15-20 cm, about 1 mtr high with 5-6 trunks from the base. They looked amazing. I would have bought the big but the minister for finance said no so had to settle for a small one.
Interested in any info you can provide such as:
How hard can you root prune?
Do they back bud easy?
Do they back bud on old wood?
Can you take cuttings?

Any help would be great. I really love this tree and it's natural twisted shape. Thinking I may go back and get some more to pop in the ground for a while to grow on.

Thanks
Josh

Josh wrote:Interested in any info you can provide such as:
How hard can you root prune?
Do they back bud easy?
Do they back bud on old wood?
Can you take cuttings?

Hi Josh,
back budding is no problem on young healthy ones and will back bud on old wood. This one refuses to but a younger one i had did all the right things. It will sucker like mad and you should leave them on to thicken the trunk. I have never tried cuttings but give it a go. I always root prune this while it is dormant (late July) and go very gently as this is an old tree. You can go quite hard on younger ones.

bodhidharma wrote:

Josh wrote:Interested in any info you can provide such as:
How hard can you root prune?
Do they back bud easy?
Do they back bud on old wood?
Can you take cuttings?

Hi Josh,
back budding is no problem on young healthy ones and will back bud on old wood. This one refuses to but a younger one i had did all the right things. It will sucker like mad and you should leave them on to thicken the trunk. I have never tried cuttings but give it a go. I always root prune this while it is dormant (late July) and go very gently as this is an old tree. You can go quite hard on younger ones.

Thanks Bodhi,
They had some there that were around 12 plus yrs old. Muti trunks 5-6 trunks and a fat base. Would have looked great in a bonsai pot. Thanks for the info, I might chuck mine in the ground for a year or 2 to fatten.
How well do old scares heal over on these??

Thanks
Josh

Thanks Bodhi,
They had some there that were around 12 plus yrs old. Muti trunks 5-6 trunks and a fat base. Would have looked great in a bonsai pot. Thanks for the info, I might chuck mine in the ground for a year or 2 to fatten.
How well do old scares heal over on these??

Thanks
Josh[/quote]

I thought it was time to answer this for you Josh
The tree has done amazing things and it was pleasing to see the leaf size reduce markedly. I have carved the trunk now and enhanced its age as it was completely hollow anyway, i just enhanced the look. Scarring on this one heals sloooowly but young trees heal quickly. I forgot how tall this tree is (850mm) and cannot fit it into the framing.

This is the first time I've stumbled across this thread. Beautiful piece of stock you have going there Bodhi. Very nice! I like it a lot.

I have no thoughts either way on the literati discussion, but I really like what you are doing with it.

bodhidharma wrote:
I thought it was time to answer this for you Josh
The tree has done amazing things and it was pleasing to see the leaf size reduce markedly. I have carved the trunk now and enhanced its age as it was completely hollow anyway, i just enhanced the look. Scarring on this one heals sloooowly but young trees heal quickly. I forgot how tall this tree is (850mm) and cannot fit it into the framing.

Better late than never as they say thanks for the follow up. I nowbhave about 10 of these growing. I bou by t several larger ones and cut the suckers of and potted up. All grew except 1 but the dog continually ripping it out of the pot may have something to do with that. Really just planning on letting them grow and thicken, getting tapper and learning more. The first one I mentioned is going well. I love where you are going with this tree. I've seen so many just flat cut and a bushy top regrown. Nice to something with character. I assume leaf reduction was from defoliation. When do you do this and do you do total or partial defoliation.
Looking good, please keep us updated.
Josh

Josh wrote: I assume leaf reduction was from defoliation. When do you do this and do you do total or partial defoliation.
Looking good, please keep us updated.

Hi Josh, no you cannot defoliate corylus as they won't leaf out again.It has been my experience that when you defoliate, the bud underneath does not mature and leaf out. The tree goes into a kind of dormancy (which does not seem to hurt them) and the bud just sits there, which does not look to bad. Minimum feeding and skipping a repot for a couple of years has done it. Remember though, mine is an old tree and would be a lot slower than younger tree's.

bodhidharma wrote:

Josh wrote: I assume leaf reduction was from defoliation. When do you do this and do you do total or partial defoliation.
Looking good, please keep us updated.

Hi Josh, no you cannot defoliate corylus as they won't leaf out again.It has been my experience that when you defoliate, the bud underneath does not mature and leaf out. The tree goes into a kind of dormancy (which does not seem to hurt them) and the bud just sits there, which does not look to bad. Minimum feeding and skipping a repot for a couple of years has done it. Remember though, mine is an old tree and would be a lot slower than younger tree's.

Hi Bodhi,
When the new buds start to burst, could you defoliate then

Regards Ray

Good question and let me try to understand it. Do you mean that when the FIRST bud swells ready to burst into leaf in Spring, immediately cut it off ad see what happens If so i would have to first see if the bud underneath is there or does it need the leaf to be out before the bud forms. My head hurts.

bodhidharma wrote: Good question and let me try to understand it. Do you mean that when the FIRST bud swells ready to burst into leaf in Spring, immediately cut it off ad see what happens If so i would have to first see if the bud underneath is there or does it need the leaf to be out before the bud forms. My head hurts.

Hi Bodhi,
First let me say mate, I don't have any experience with this species. I guess this is a real learning curve for both of us. My initial thoughts were to remove the old leaf just as the new buds burst. What I don't know, is whether the new leaf is already carrying the same DNA as the previous leaves and would result in the same size leaf. Hope this makes sense.

Regards Ray

bodhidharma wrote:

Josh wrote: I assume leaf reduction was from defoliation. When do you do this and do you do total or partial defoliation.
Looking good, please keep us updated.

Hi Josh, no you cannot defoliate corylus as they won't leaf out again.It has been my experience that when you defoliate, the bud underneath does not mature and leaf out. The tree goes into a kind of dormancy (which does not seem to hurt them) and the bud just sits there, which does not look to bad. Minimum feeding and skipping a repot for a couple of years has done it. Remember though, mine is an old tree and would be a lot slower than younger tree's.

Cheers mate, good to know. After Rays comments might put one aside to play with.
Josh

Beautiful tree with beautiful story. The texture on that trunk is awesome. I would love to have something with so much character. It seems the edge of life brings out something special. Hope it enjoys the new life you have given

Fantastic love it no comment on lit or not ..