Oregon collected Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis]

I'll edit this to add data in a few days ....

Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis] 34”h / 21”w / 4”trnk / Collected 1996 / Age: Old





Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis] 26”h / 15”w / 4”trnk / Collected 1995 / Age: Very Old

Really nice, Mike. Have you considered shortening either of the secondary trunks?

Thanks buddy! Yes I have. More details in a few.

Nice to meet you btw :)

Added some data. I'll get back in a few days with histories.

Wonderful old sailboat mast material!

I think, 3 trunks with differents sizes would be better (  dad mum and sun )

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abcd wrote:I think, 3 trunks with differents sizes would be better (  dad mum and sun )

Yeah. Wouldn't it be great if we could cut and paste real trees? You'll just have to wait and see what's in store but for one thing: there's not the foliage to make a crown where you suggest. Fooling around with old collected trees is like playing 3D chess. With roller skates on. In the dark. :)

Bruce Winter wrote:Wonderful old sailboat mast material!

Ah! Someone who knows their wood! Airplane propellers as well. Telling you man, this is some dense stuff. The bottom tree I just roughed-in the jin with knob cutters. Totally expected the handles to snap :D

well now i really cant wait to see how it goes from here...

Hey Kev. How’s your Summer goin’? I hope to find time to make a virtual of this tree later on in the year. I can briefly describe the future though:
Trunk: As much as I hate to disappoint the internet tree stylers who want to see ‘The Three Bears’, or ‘Jesus, Mary, & Joseph’, or whatever the hell, .... it’s the main trunk that’s getting shortened. The new apex will be made of the 2 sets of shoots below the present apex when there’s enough length to do so. The jin will be remade and continued a bit down the right side to give some taper to that straight section. Height is 33”. It should end up at 29”.
Apex’: To be formed in a more conical shape to get away from the German helmet look (again, when there's enough length to work with).
Branching: There will be adjustments vertically and laterally. I had to leave some longer for the sake of their health. Right now this tree is 18” wide X 14” deep. I see it at 15” X 12”. The challenge will be maintaining definition once the pads are loaded up with shoots.
The other challenge will be finding the right pot. Any ideas? It's look will be a bit more butch than presently :D

After that it will be refine, refine, refine.

To anyone starting to work with Sitka or Engelmann spruce: They do not really like to be wired. The cambium is easy to crack and sometimes whole branchlets will shed all the foliage except the current year’s. There's a need to be delicate and it helps to keep spraying them as you go. Sprinkle the needles 3x daily for a week or two after.

hey mikey... looking good and good advice re: working with these...

summer going well and summer going fast as they always do here... lottsa tree updates to come when i get time

Nice potential. Would you perhaps consider removing some of the lower branches when the tree is strong enough?

Mary & Joseph may end up shedding one or two ... but Jesus needs all he can get!

now that you have your tree styled to YOUR liking, what pot to you see in it's repotting?

@ Kevin: ahhh maaan brudder!

now that you have your tree styled to YOUR liking, what pot to you see in it's repotting?

I'm a novice at pot selecting. Is that something you can help me with Mr. Benbow? I'd appreciate it.
I think this one may be destined for a thin rock slab which I may never find. In the meantime I was thinking a shallow oval in yellowish clay.

good fpr you on the rock slab suggestion.! Your right on....and yes it sometimes takes awhile to find a good one. In the interim,

will you be attending the artesan's cup this september at the portland art museum. Lots of great trees and vendors....

Thanks Dick! I do posses one slab:




but find it too narrow for this, a deceptive large tree. I think this rock, with it's lip suggesting the beginnings of a waterfall, would be ideal for a two mound forest planting. I haven't figured out which species to use though.

I will be attending the Artisan's Cup! It should prove very interesting and I hope the first of many. I'll be the tall guy in the vendors court Saturday morning with the overheated checkbook. Say hi if you've the time!

Bruce Winter wrote:Wonderful old sailboat mast material!

Acoustic guitars are made from this wood also.