Barberry Literati

[mholt]

I collected this barberry last spring and this past week decided to make this multi-trunk into a literati. I chopped a couple trunks and thinned it out and potted it in a Chuck Iker pot.

 

[Smoke]

Sweet piece of material.

 

[daudelus]

I really like this one a lot! Which image do you consider the front? Do you have any plans for the base such as carving at all?

 

[RyanFrye]

Nice start. Keep us updated

 

[mholt]

Thanks Al!

 

[mholt]

Thanks Daudelus. I'm not quite sure of the front yet. I might pull the apex down slightly with a guy wire, let things grow, and go from there. The wood is really soft and punky on barberries and not sure how it takes to a lot of carving without it simply dieing back more.

 

[mholt]

Thanks Ryan!

 

[Mikee002]

This is one sweet little tree!

 

[John Ruger]

That's bold, I don't think I've ever seen a literari barberry, I would have been too tempted to just keep the fatty at the bottom.

 

[MattB]

Any pics with foliage on this little guy yet?

 

[mholt]

This one's getting there as well. A little slower probably because I reduced the rootball considerably and is touchier with it's watering needs. Photos to follow soon, hopefully this weekend.

 

[Bill S]

Good reason for the round pot on this one with what looks like more than one frontal choice. John I think this isn't the first of Matts bold decisions, he does tend to be different, in a good way of course.

 

[october]

Hello mholt.. I like this tree very much.. If I may.. In my opinion.. I probably would not do too much, if any carving.. I like the natural look of the tree and the bark.. It is simple, tranquil and looks untouched by human hands at this point.

Also, have you thought about swinging one of those branches down so it swoops down the trunk, so to speak. Either way, there seems to be many good options here..

Rob

 

[mholt]

Rob, sorry for my late reply...been a busy holiday weekend and for some reason your post wasn't sent to my inbox. I will take a look at the tree this week in more depth and see what potential it has. I kind of ignored it a bit while it recovers and letting it grow before any other decisions are made. In regard to carving...I wouldn't do any decorative carving just carving to eliminate some of the trunk and branch stubs.

MattB, sorry, no pics yet. This week. Really not a whole lot to show so far in growth just a bunch of vertical shoots.

 

[mholt]

Today's pics

Finally took some pics today. Not much in regard to impressive growth. Nothing has been touched on top.

 

[3rdfloordeck]

Updates? 2011..

 

[edprocoat]

Makes a convincing literati, I too would love to see some pics with the fresh reddish foliage how's about an update pic?

ed