Another Corkbark Chinese Elm

Pulled out of the field last November, I trimmd down the roots last week and put it into a shallower container. It's now ready for some styling work. Any suggestions! I'm all ears gang!

Randy

Hi Randy,

Excellent tree and very good branch ramification. To me it is fine as it is and IMHO not much to improvise an otherwise great tree......

Ravi

That's a great start and shows the value of growing trees in the field instead of rushing them into a bonsai pot.

I'd say keep doing what you're doing. Pull the branches down a bit with wire and cut off anything straight up or straight down.
Use some ink or paint to tone down the color of the scar on the front.

If there was one major comment though it would be what to do with the very heavy second trunk. It is borderline too heavy to be that high up on the tree. There are several factors I would consider regarding it: this is a cork bark elm so the bark will always look chunky which can cause the illusion of reverse taper and heaviness, can the trunk look less heavy if viewed from slightly different front, can the trunk be thinned by carving and if so what to do with the carving scar, if the second branch were removed what to do about the massive scar, or leave it be but thin the foliage significantly to let the true apex thicken more.

Also would be nice to see a bit more of the nebari.

What's the new pot look like?

Rob Kempinski wrote:

I'd say keep doing what you're doing. Pull the branches down a bit with wire and cut off anything straight up or straight down.
Use some ink or paint to tone down the color of the scar on the front.

If there was one major comment though it would be what to do with the very heavy second trunk. It is borderline too heavy to be that high up on the tree. There are several factors I would consider regarding it: this is a cork bark elm so the bark will always look chunky which can cause the illusion of reverse taper and heaviness, can the trunk look less heavy if viewed from slightly different front, can the trunk be thinned by carving and if so what to do with the carving scar, if the second branch were removed what to do about the massive scar, or leave it be but thin the foliage significantly to let the true apex thicken more.

Also would be nice to see a bit more of the nebari.

What's the new pot look like?

Rob,

All good suggestions that have crossed my mind too. I've done some significant trunk removal on other corkbarks and carved it into shari so that can be done for sure but in this particular tree the placement of the second branch is to the rear and the main branch has little if any branching on it if I were to remove it. I'm rather slow in making major decisions like that and often take months or years to finally decide what to do. Your definately right on bringing the existing branches down and that certainly was this years goal. The tree does look different when it's in leaf and has lead me down the path of making a single overarching canopy with a primary apex and a secondary apex that blends into the primary one and overall canopy (not sure that makes sense). Here are some progression pic's 1st is the tree in leaf last summer, and the 2n'd is Nov. 2010 right after I dug it out of the ground.

Randy,,a very nice tree!! i would not change too much..just sit and drool at it!!! take care john

Great stuff Randy.
I kinda like the way many people are finding ways to utilize thick branches that in the past would have been removed. There is the possibility of reducing that large branch down to the first secondary branch at the front of it then carve it down for taper. You will lose some ramification in the short term but may be much better in the future. The only other thing I would consider at the moment is how the leader is parallel to the main branch. I would look at developing a branch some where about where I mark in green to take over as the new leader in the near future.

Another spring has arrived and things are looing nice that they have put on some clothes! Here's an update pic for you.

Randy

Hi Randy
I like the design from Brett Summers.I think it is the best future for your very nice tree.

Kind regards Yvonne

Looking good Randy How is the other elm ??

Seth Ellwood wrote:Looking good Randy How is the other elm ??

Hi Seth,

It's doing ok but had a bout of fungal leaf curl on one or two branches this year as it leafed out. I neglected to do my normal Lime Sulpher and oil dormant spraying last winter and now paying the price. It's just behind by a few weeks but now starting to grow out in earnest and should look better in another month or so.

Randy

[quote="Randy_Davis"]

Seth Ellwood wrote:Looking good Randy How is the other elm ??

Seth,

Here it is all cleaned up and ready to go for this year. Now it's just pad development. I'm glad I removed that lower left limb.

Randy

Bravo misur, Very nice . I took a leap of faith on mine this year and decided to take it another direction.It has responded very angerly (approx 100 shoots). I agree the left branch was adding nothing to the tree . Now it looks very balanced and ancient . This is one of my favirote chinese elms .