AusBonsai

I got this at the start of they year. I want to keep it a shohin. I do not have much experience with deciduous trees and wanted to know how much I need to cut it back? I would like to develop the branchs more Before I put it into a pot . Any advice would be great

Hey Anth, that has to be the best small liquidamber I have seen, I would just continue working on ramification.

MattA wrote:Hey Anth, that has to be the best small liquidamber I have seen, I would just continue working on ramification.

but not with those rusty secateurs.

Pup

I agree Nice tree
Let the new buds open and when the branches staret to extend, cut back to 2 leaves. This will promote back shooting and build rmification.

You can also pinch the growing tips just aftr they open to stop the branch extending and to force the branch to slit into several shoots

Ken

Nice little tree, Where did you get it?
Did it have a tag saying which species or cultivar it is? Or is it grafted?
Could be styraciflua "Gumball" with that tight growth.

Hi pup. I don't use them at all they were the closest thing to use for scale.

Hi hakitomo. I got it from yarra valley sale day. No it didn't have any info on it .
I'm am a huge fan of junipers put this little tree just caught my eye when I had an urge to spend the last of my cash and it sang out to me and is one of my favorite trees at the moment

Ken. Thanks for the advice

Hi Anth, interesting material
I have not used liquid amber before, but I like pic 3 the two lower right side branches for your tree...either keep both for a semi cascade? or keep the lowest as a sacrifice and make an informal upright from the higher branch?
If you go with either of these, the tree is in these branches, so rest would be removed (above 2nd right branch in pic 3).
Not sure if semi cascade is "natural" in terms of growth habit for this species (it isn't), but it may look good??
I think I have read that liquid amber are better suited to larger sizes due to leaf reduction, but I have no first hand experience etc...but that is not to say it is not possible.
Anyway, that is my worth from viewing the pics as a beginner.
Enjoy yourself and seek more advise before going ahead.
Best of luck, Dario.

Hi Dario , thanks for your advice I don't plan on making any major changes to the tree this year as I have little experience an don't want to destroy a potentially good tree.
I have read that leaf reduction is a challenge but here is a picture with it's leaves before I defoliated and managed to get them a tad smaller

G'day Anth

A good trick with the Liquidambars before Spring growth starts, is to remove just the fat terminal bud from the branches because that is where all the strong growth comes from, and the leaves will be bigger. This encourages the shoots behind that to open early, and with more shoots growing together, it keeps the growth more compact and the leaves smaller. Best way is just to break them off with your fingers. Works well.

Tony

Hi Anth, after looking at the angle/view of your last pic, I wouldn't take my previous advice. It looked lke what I suggested might have worked in pic 3, but definitely not from your last pic.
Keep on feeding it and then see what is possible at a later date.
Best of luck and please keep us in the loop when you decide which way to take it
Cheers, Dario.

Just an update on the little tree . I let it grow out for the first 4 weeks of spring then cut back to two leaves and have been pulling off the leaves as they grow to big I think soon I will completely defoliate it in the hope I can get all the leave down to the size of the smallest you can see in the picture.

Very nice little tree mate, looking great!

Hows the leaf reduction on these things? Guess I'll wait and see the results for myself haha.

Apparently they are a bit more difficult than maples and not really suitable for shohin size but I think this is coming along well . I will update it once I have defoliated and then again after summer.

I defoliated mine 2 weeks ago for the first time this year.

Ken