Collected Bald Cypress help

I had this tree shipped to me in Florida last February bare root and planted in this big tub right after I got it. I waited all spring and then finally about a month ago I got two branches of growth way down at the bottom. Just wondering if it is dead above that area? I'm not going to touch it this year but should it be cut way down next year at the growth area? Thanks for looking.

It may bud out further up on the trunk this summer, but not after the season is over. Honestly, what you have may be all you get. Fertilize heavily, let those branches grow, and see what happens. By the way, it looks like the chop site wasn't sealed? I've heard from more then a few experienced cypress collectors that you absolutely should seal those cuts or else risk serious die back.


And fwiw, the trunk above where the buds are pushing has no taper, so you probably would have wanted a low chop at some point anyway

Although this is not a Bald Cypress, your tree reminds me of something like this if you work it right:

Davevall said:

I had this tree shipped to me in Florida last February bare root and planted in this big tub right after I got it. I waited all spring and then finally about a month ago I got two branches of growth way down at the bottom. Just wondering if it is dead above that area? I'm not going to touch it this year but should it be cut way down next year at the growth area? Thanks for looking.

Click to expand...

That looks dead on the top to me. Snip all of those upper branches off at the trunk and see of they are all dead all the way in. If so then I would say that is is all dead from the top, but you can easily check. Just start at the top with knife or a dremel and start digging a small trench from the top down see if you ever encounter live cambium - I would bet not. Sorry. But Its not a total loss just chop off most of the deadwood and then in a year or two once the tree has regained full vigor you can carve a nice little tapered top for it. They should pop everywhere - these are a few pics i just took a min ago for you of three 30 gal trees chopped down this spring. Even in a small container they will pop out everywhere the growth will just be much slower.

Dav4 said:

And fwiw, the trunk above where the buds are pushing has no taper, so you probably would have wanted a low chop at some point anyway

Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing. A blessing in disguise.

choppychoppy said:

That looks dead on the top to me. Snip all of those upper branches off at the trunk and see of they are all dead all the way in. If so then I would say that is is all dead from the top, but you can easily check. Just start at the top with knife or a dremel and start digging a small trench from the top down see if you ever encounter live cambium - I would bet not. Sorry. But Its not a total loss just chop off most of the deadwood and then in a year or two once the tree has regained full vigor you can carve a nice little tapered top for it. They should pop everywhere - these are a few pics i just took a min ago for you of three 30 gal trees chopped down this spring. Even in a small container they will pop out everywhere the growth will just be much slower.

View attachment 109335 View attachment 109336 View attachment 109337

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. Yep, it's dead from the growth area up. I will chop it next winter and see what happens. Have to get creative with this one!

Vin said:

Although this is not a Bald Cypress, your tree reminds me of something like this if you work it right:

View attachment 109329

Click to expand...

It's going o be a project for sure but hell what else do I have to do.

Davevall said:

It's going o be a project for sure but hell what else do I have to do.

Click to expand...

Now that you know you have to chop it, I would consider repotting it into something much larger (or the ground) in the spring, and then letting a new leader grow wild for a while to try and build some taper.

ColinFraser said:

Now that you know you have to chop it, I would consider repotting it into something much larger (or the ground) in the spring, and then letting a new leader grow wild for a while to try and build some taper.

Click to expand...

Great idea. Will do. I really don't want to loose it.

Davevall said:

Great idea. Will do. I really don't want to loose it.

Click to expand...

that tub is PLENTY big - and the ground isnt really good unless you have some place extremely wet to put it - it will grow better in the tub

choppychoppy said:

that tub is PLENTY big - and the ground isnt really good unless you have some place extremely wet to put it - it will grow better in the tub

Click to expand...

It is a very big tub about 22" X 14". Should be good for a while. I think what is best here to feed, feed, feed and just leave it alone and let it grow. If it started and is still going strong I'm thinking it has hope. I'm feeding organic granular once a month and then acid loving Miricale grow once every two weeks using only water from the rain barrel.

choppychoppy said:

that tub is PLENTY big - and the ground isnt really good unless you have some place extremely wet to put it - it will grow better in the tub

Click to expand...

OK. I have mine in large concrete mixing tubs.

Davevall said:

It is a very big tub about 22" X 14". Should be good for a while. I think what is best here to feed, feed, feed and just leave it alone and let it grow. If it started and is still going strong I'm thinking it has hope. I'm feeding organic granular once a month and then acid loving Miricale grow once every two weeks using only water from the rain barrel.

Click to expand...

You'll need to leave it alone for probably a few years. I had one that behaved this way several years ago but it had live branching and thus roots all the way around so I just fed and watered it so it could gain strength, the finally was able to make something of it. The wood above the living part of your tree will start rotting in the next year or so, but that's okay. You can make a nice carving project out of it and possibly end up with a neat bonsai.

Zach

It it just the species or what? I had all 5 seedling i bought this year die back to a few inches from the base and get that blackish ring above the live trunk. I don't think i clipped them either.

Personally I don't think it is a species problem...in fact I am very surprised that this doesn't happen more often when someone decides to buy/sell freshly collected trees...seems like the worst possible scenario for the tree!! Snatched out of the ground, sit bare rooted for a few days until someone buys it, then get shipped....even crazy vigorous trees like BC are going to often succumb under those conditions. I think those kind of sales are more about money and greed...shamefully!

If you are considering buying a collected Bald Cypress you should:
1. Consider only trees established in a container...at least a full growing season...two is better!
2. Consider only trees with outstanding taper...(taper and fluting are the characteristics that make this species attractive for bonsai)...if its 3" or more in diameter at the chop it is going to be difficult and time consuming to grow a believable transition...another option is to carve/hollow.
3. Great roots on at least one side is a non-negotiable...it is very rare to find collected ones with an outstanding 360 degree spread but don't even consider one that doesn't have at least one side of nice spreading roots with flutes.

I have yet to see one of these freshly collected and bare-rooted Bald Cypress for sale that has either good taper or decent roots let alone both!!

Anything less than this is subpar material and probably not worth your time in the long run!

To the OP...if the shoots continue to grow and be strong, I would consider doing a diagonal chop at the highest shoot two or more years out from now...then completely hollow the remaining trunk...at this point, I suspect this is one of the few options that MIGHT lead to something down the road.

In the meantime buy or collect yourself another trunk to work on!!