Amur maple - clump or forest questions

davetree

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Has anyone on the forum trained Amur maple in forest or clump/group style ? I have a nice stump that died back and sent out about 15-20 shoots from the base, which is about 8 inches across with a nice flare. The trunks are from 1/2 inch to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Just looking for some advice on designing this species this way and how to prune. thanks for any help !
 

rockm

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A picture might help, but generally, leave the shoots alone and let them grow until the diameter at their base suits you, prune them back hard to induce backbudding, grow out, etc.

Developing those shoots into trees is the same as with a single tree. grow, chop, grow, etc.

The thing with amur is they do tend to die back a bit at large pruning wounds, but they also recover and heal those wounds pretty quickly, backbudding tends to be angular, so amurs can become a series of right angle turns. You have to work to keep things from getting too angular...
 

davetree

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Thanks, I'll post a pic soon.

Walter, beautiful clump, this is the look I am after, but field maple is a bit different from Amur, is it not ? Maybe they are similar.

RockM, are Amur maple better for bigger, taller forests or clumps ? I recall you mentioning working on a forest in another thread, thanks much for the tips.

RockM, when do you dig field grown Amur maple ? I have heard it can be done in the fall, but is spring better ?
 

rockm

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AMur maple is a little touchier when it comes to hard pruning than many other maple species. Hard pruning and trunk chopping can result in significant die back. However, that die back is prett ymuch quickly compensated for as this species grows robustly.

Spring is ALWAYS better than fall for collecting a tree from the ground. Fall offers very little time for root recovery, especially if the plant is placed in a growing container before freezing weather sets in. If you don't have a shelter that remains above 35 all winter, I would wait to dig.

One of my amur forests was developed from saplings I got from Bill Valavanis 15 years ago. Another is composed of older trees that were cut down and grown out. All trees used are less than 24 inches tall and are less than two inches in diameter. They've never been planted out in the ground.

I've been very satisfied with this species in forest plantings. It's a strong grower and is winter hardy to something like -12F or something ridiculous like that--It is hardy to Zone 2.

the biggest problem I have with it is it is TOO fast growing and hardy. The trees can it start pushing growth as early as mid-January. From then on, it's a contest to see how I can slow the trees down and get them root pruned before they are in full leaf.
 

davetree

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Here is a pic of the clump in question. I plan to cut it back several times next spring and summer to get the basic outline started.
 

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Here is a pic of the clump in question. I plan to cut it back several times next spring and summer to get the basic outline started.

it looks as though you could possibly reduce it to a knobby sumo-trunk. i'm not saying i'd do it but it could be possible i bet.
 
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