Advice on where to cut? Banana Shrub

[JosefR]

10 gallon banana shrub, 3" at base and 56" tall. Looking for suggestions on where to chop. I have thoughts on it, but too new to be confident about it.
I was thinking to air layer the smaller curvy trunk but I was wondering how if the 2 trunks in a Y shape is viable.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Lots of nice "stuff going on" here!

Where are you located? There'r Members from
Alaska to South Africa.. so climate /location will be a relevant update to your profile.

I am COMPLETELY unfamiliar with this tree!

Someone will know...

I know what I'd do.. but that depends on backbudding.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

The flowers smell like banana I guess?? xD

 

[JosefR]

Lots of nice "stuff going on" here!

Where are you located? There'r Members from
I know what I'd do.. but that depends on backbudding.

Updated. I'm in Louisiana, the plant is suited for this climate. It is in the magnolia family, a sub-tropical evergreen. Supposedly takes pruning well. Don't know if that means it backbuds well, but I will assume so. What you got?

The flowers smell like banana I guess?? xD

Exactly.

 

[HorseloverFat]

My eye's keep chopping on your tree.. there are a few REAL groovy possibilities..

But we gotta know (A) if they back bud, and (B) what is your vision?.... how large of a "finished product" are you looking for?

EDIT: I see you responded.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Oooh Louisiana!

That's a cool linguistic/dialect area..

I LOVE that stuff!

 

[JosefR]

My eye's keep chopping on your tree.. there are a few REAL groovy possibilities..

But we gotta know (A) if they back bud, and (B) what is your vision?.... how large of a "finished product" are you looking for?

EDIT: I see you responded.

I think it should be kept small, this is the only plant I have with this much girth, so it's the closest I'll have to anything looking big and old, at my age (56). But obviously I want to keep those built in curves. So maybe 2 feet? It's sub tropical, and likes being pruned, so let's pretend it backbuds well.

 

[HorseloverFat]

If it backbuds nicely, and it's "comfy" where it's at.. and pushed much growth LAST season.. I'd, personally, wait till spring, and then keep only the the two prominent trunks.. and prune Lower. Giving myself a decent structure to start from.. which will grow out nicely in scale.

Then I'd let it run WILD for a season (or two)

That'd ALSO be me aiming at a 16"-18" 'finished product' (NEVER finished)

 

[HorseloverFat]

Haha! Looks like we were thinking about the same size!

And yes.. that movement HAS to stay... it's the VERY visually drawing relationship BETWEEN the movement of those two branches that MAKES this particular tree so satisfying to look at.

 

[JosefR]

If it backbuds nicely, and it's "comfy" where it's at.. and pushed much growth LAST season.. I'd, personally, wait till spring, and then keep only the the two prominent trunks.. and prune Lower. Giving myself a decent structure to start from.. which will grow out nicely in scale.

Then I'd let it run WILD for a season (or two)

That'd ALSO be me aiming at a 16"-18" 'finished product' (NEVER finished)

Shoulda mentioned I just got it from a clearance rack, so it's new to me.
I wasn't sure if the Y thing would be a good idea. Most of the other crap is crossing branches and inside curve branches, so there's a lot to remove.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Alrighty.. pardon how "quick and nasty" this is..

Buuut...

RED is where (correctly timed) I'd, personally chop, until I knew it's habits FOR CERTAIN...

YELLOW represents the lines that I really enjoy about your tree.. and the direction those chops would be working TOWARD.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I would eliminate all other "trunks" except those two, also.

 

[JosefR]

Ok, you're still chopping the second largest trunk below it's curve, so they're both a good candidate for air layering.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Ok, you're still chopping the second largest trunk below it's curve, so they're both a good candidate for air layering.

Absolutely, If they are "prone" to it!

Once again, I know little-to-nothing about these specific trees.

 

[JosefR]

Knew this was out there, but couldn't find it earlier.

Michelia figo/////Banana Magnolia

First off, I am sure 90% of the forum is unfamiliar with the species, so let me give a bit of background information on it. Michelia figo is a member of the magnolia family, often times called Banana Magnolia or simply, Banana Shrub. The leaves are quite large, with relatively short internodes...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[19Mateo83]

Absolutely, If they are "prone" to it!

Once again, I know little-to-nothing about these specific trees.

Magnolias do air later fairly easily and if it is in the magnolia family I would assume it’s worth trying. Nothing to loose right? Also being as it is in the magnolia family it should back bud and ramify quite well. I have a saucer magnolia in my front yard and this looks very similar to it in structure and it is very easy to work with and air layers quite easily.

 

[JosefR]

I'm looking forward to the banana smell.