Taxus Baccata urban yamadori

Hi all IBC members.

I started to work on a Taxus baccata which is growing in a garden for a very long time. While discovering the structure of the tree I found out that there are two very nice branches which can become nice trunks of a middle size tree. And my plan is to air layer them

To get a better idea of the tree


And one of the branches which I like to air layer


And now to the point.
Does anyone have some experience with air layering of Taxus? If so, please share
Which technique is better to use (ring-barking or tourniquet method) ?
Which time is best by experience?
So basically any useful information, link or share of experience on the topic of Taxus air layering would be great.

Cheers, Roland

I would suggest you to dig up the hole tree! It has a great nebari!

My thoughts exactly. With a base like that I wouldn't bother with airlayers. Now is a good time for collecting Yew as well.

Of course I will dig up the tree. But its a huge tree and there are two branches that are useful as separate trees (the second photo is one of this branches). Im planning to air layer this two branches, all together three trees

rolandp wrote:Hi all IBC members.

I started to work on a Taxus baccata which is growing in a garden for a very long time. While discovering the structure of the tree I found out that there are two very nice branches which can become nice trunks of a middle size tree. And my plan is to air layer them

To get a better idea of the tree


And one of the branches which I like to air layer


And now to the point.
Does anyone have some experience with air layering of Taxus? If so, please share
Which technique is better to use (ring-barking or tourniquet method) ?
Which time is best by experience?
So basically any useful information, link or share of experience on the topic of Taxus air layering would be great.

Cheers, Roland

Hi Roland

I've observed a yew in my yard had produced a ground layer. I don't know how long it took for the branch to produce roots. there was enough on the branch to sustain it, if I chose to do so. I didn't bother with that one branch as it wasn't very interesting. yew branches will also self-graft, if you're curious about that, too.

If this were my find, I would wait one more year before lifting it. I'd want more lower foliage growth to ensure strong health of the tree in a box.

Hi Manosvince, Willa and Peter. Thanks for your reply.

I agree that it is better to collect the tree after new foilage is developed in the lower area of the tree. The main tree will of course be tha main base, approximately the first half of the trunk on the first picture and I think it can develope in a great tree with good potential.

So the future plan for now is. First I will encourage new buds that will form the basis for the development of new branches on the main trunk. After that I will prepare the tree for collection and planting in its first container. Parallel to that I will air layer the two good branches. Then we'll see further.

cheers, roland

[quote="rolandp"]
So the future plan for now is. First I will encourage new buds that will form the basis for the development of new branches on the main trunk. After that I will prepare the tree for collection and planting in its first container. Parallel to that I will air layer the two good branches. Then we'll see further. )

Hello Roland.
When i see those big roots it is a very good idea to prepare the root ball and grow some new feeder roots more near to the tree
before you take that tree out.
Here a convincing picture of an attempt of mine a few years ago. (well maybe something for a tanuki)
Sunip

Hi Sunip. Im sooooooo sorry about your great tree. That is a big los.
I will be now even more careful about the preparation of the root ball.

roland

Air layering yews came up in a discussion with Ryan Neil last year. A person tried one and failed. Ryan pointed out that if you want to have a successful yew air layer, there's got to be a couple of thriving branches underneath the area you want to layer.

I also agree about preparing that tree before digging it out. Shovel out a perimeter of say, about 10", and then place bonsai soil there. It'll encourage the development of fibrous roots near the top root base.

A great yew for sure!

Fore wrote:Air layering yews came up in a discussion with Ryan Neil last year. A person tried one and failed. Ryan pointed out that if you want to have a successful yew air layer, there's got to be a couple of thriving branches underneath the area you want to layer.

That would seem to eliminate the option of ground layering to improve the lower trunk/nebari. Has anyone been successful with that on yews? I've got a nursery yew with an interesting trunk and branch structure, but as is often the case, there is a fairly long, boring buried section of trunk with reverse taper. I've been planning to plant it out and try a ground layer, am I setting myself up for failure/loss of tree? Was probably going to try the tourniquet method.

Roland, that is a beautiful yew. Definitely take your time preparing and collecting! I dug up an old yew that had been planted too close to our foundation...thought I got a lot of fibrous roots but then when I examined it more closely I found there were really very few. It's been in a grow box for almost a year now and still has green foliage, but I have serious doubts as to whether it's going to survive. Not a great loss, as it had to be removed anyway and doesn't have the greatest bonsai potential (I'm using it to learn from)...would hate to see the same thing happen to this specimen.

Hi Fore. Thanks for this info from Ryan. I will take this in consideration when air layering the two branches. I checked if its doable and at least on one branch it is. Will let you know if it was successful .

Coh thanks for sharing your experience. I hope you tree will survive.

Cheers, roland

Please do Roland! I too would like to see it that was good advice.

Excellent looking tree.

If you can wait another year, cut a few of the major roots a few inches from the trunk now to encourage root growth where you need them. Consider the final pot size when doing this and spread the cut around the tree. Also replace some of the soil around those chopped roots with better soil and maybe add sphagnum moss to encourage rooting.

Hopefully, you will get more feeder roots and increase your tree's chances of survival when you collect it.

Good luck!

coh wrote:That would seem to eliminate the option of ground layering to improve the lower trunk/nebari. Has anyone been successful with that on yews? I've got a nursery yew with an interesting trunk and branch structure, but as is often the case, there is a fairly long, boring buried section of trunk with reverse taper. I've been planning to plant it out and try a ground layer, am I setting myself up for failure/loss of tree? Was probably going to try the tourniquet method.

Yes, I've successfully ground layered a yew. This yew I recently posted about was originally purchased as nursery stock 7 years ago. The trunk went down into the soil with a deep root system. I haphazardly stripped some bark from the trunk where I wanted roots, planted it in the garden in an area that gets morning sun, and packed sphagnum around the wound. Surprisingly, when I dug the tree up one year later, lots of fine roots had formed. Two years later I removed the deep original root system.

Don't expect to get a great nebari quickly though. Mine just produced a dense mat of fine yew roots around the trunk. After 4-5 years, the thickest of the new roots is maybe 2mm. But its OK, I think yew is a species that can be good without needing a great nebari, kind of like juniper.