Hawthorn

I re-potted this hawthorne root cutting today. The top needs some development, obviously, and I hope to get it into a smaller pot in the next few years but I think it will be a nice tree in short order.

Artdoiron wrote:I re-potted this hawthorne root cutting today. The top needs some development, obviously, and I hope to get it into a smaller pot in the next few years but I think it will be a nice tree in short order.

The taper looks like you planted the hawthorne root upside down. Is that possible? Or did it just gain taper after growing..

hi.
congrats on getting a root cutting to develop. i am rubbish at getting any cuttings to work for me but i am very impatient so.......
i hope you dont mind me critiquing.....
for me the tree has too many bends in it and is too tall for the trunk diameter and as hawthorn grow very slowly, you will take a looooong time getting a top on it if you keep it in that small pot.
i would plant it in a bigger pot,preferably shallow to encourage root spread and flare at the base. i would also cut it right back to peraps to the original s shape and get some lower branches to develop to thicken it up age the bark and create a compact tree image.

matsu

Hi Artdoiron,

I am glad to see that you are a sprightly 32 year old.

The tree has great lower movement, you should capitalise on this feature... take the tree out of the pot, plant in open ground, let the trunk thicken up and develop taper, whilst this is happening develop your branch structure, concentrate on developing a mature image and not a twig in a pot (which is what it is now) you have time on your side.... unlike some of us crusties on the forum.

Hey Tony, thanks for the reply. This is only one year from being a root so it is a ways away from anything but a twig in a pot. I suppose by "short order" I meant 3-5 years. I think, though, I am planing on leaving it in the pot and keeping it pretty small as the top develops. A mame literati maybe?

Hey Tony and Matsu, I was looking at this tree and trying to do some sketches of what I was thinking for it and came up with a basic idea. I was hoping to get great little mame in spring flower as a nice little seasonal tree like the drawing below. Then it dawned on me that what I trying to do may not be possible on this scale which made me think, "oh maybe that's why they were suggesting to get it into the ground". So I just wanted to follow up with the drawing and say that I didn't intend to dismiss your critiques I simply had a thought (perhaps based in ignorance) and wanted to try and follow through with it.

Also, Matsu, I apologize for not responding to your original reply for some reason I failed to notice it earlier.

Artdoiron (what IS your name)

I kinda get the image that you want from this little tree however as a hawthorn you want all that is best about this wonderful species. Aged bark, mature ramification and a 'canopy' The yamadori Hawthorns that work with only require branches and ramification usually taking up to 12 years to achieve hopefully look like 'little' hawthorns.

The image (nice image) you have drawn is best suited to a minimal pine or juniper. Put this tree in the ground and let it mature.

Hey Tony, my name is Jim Doiron (I keep meaning to change my name here).

I have the older (6-8yrs?) tree that this root came from and they are still, as you said, young. No flowers but some nice trunk/bark/nebari development. They are in the ground awaiting the hard chop to come so I thought with those in the wings I might leave this guy as the smaller sibling. I just potted this up in this pot do you think it will survive being messed with again? I don't mind leaving it here for the year and doing it next year or maybe I can just put the whole pot in the ground for now as a halfway option.

If you have time you can grow trees from seeds or small cuttings. I grew this from a seed in about 14 years. Never put it in a large pot. Always in a bonsai pot. While a shohin it was good enough to go on the cover an the ABS Magazine a few issues ago.