Cedar Elm Clump

[BackyardBonsai]

Replacement Cedar Elm clump. Bigger.
View attachment 275139

Scott,
Can we see some of the groups behind this one. I see the twin trunk baldy, several tridents and a Japanese maple?

 

[markyscott]

Scott,
Can we see some of the groups behind this one. I see the twin trunk baldy, several tridents and a Japanese maple?

Thats the downsizing collection. It’s a twin trunk Crape Myrtle, a bunch of trident groups I had planned to assemble into a forest, a big green island ficus, a couple of Japanese maples and assorted other plants. Good projects, but they don’t have the interest to me that they once did. All heading to the HBS auction.

 

[markyscott]

The trident forest. Original seedlings were bought from @Brent at evergreen garden works. I grew them out in the ground and created some additional trees by air layering them. Supplemented those originals with some additional seedlings from Matt Ouwinga- leftovers from various grafting projects.

 

[markyscott]

The crape Myrtle. I had planned to remove one of the two trunks.



The Japanese maple. Originally grown from seedling by Bennie Badgett in the Austin area.



S

 

[BackyardBonsai]

The trident forest. Original seedlings were bought from @Brent at evergreen garden works. I grew them out in the ground and created some additional trees by air layering them. Supplemented those originals with some additional seedlings from Matt Ouwinga- leftovers from various grafting projects.

View attachment 275852

Are you planning on putting all these together into a TEXAS SIZE forest one day? I don't see you wire these out like the ones you have planned on keeping as single trunk. I would like to see a write up on these... how you going to develop these. I have a quite few that look like these that I kind of not sure what to do with them. I was thinking of cutting back all existing branches and start over just like what you to your field grown trident thread. I would appreciate if you have time to do a write up on your plan for these.

 

[markyscott]

Are you planning on putting all these together into a TEXAS SIZE forest one day? I don't see you wire these out like the ones you have planned on keeping as single trunk. I would like to see a write up on these... how you going to develop these. I have a quite few that look like these that I kind of not sure what to do with them. I was thinking of cutting back all existing branches and start over just like what you to your field grown trident thread. I would appreciate if you have time to do a write up on your plan for these.

Hi BB. The old plan was to assemble all of them into a large forest planting. As I mentioned, I’ve lost interest in the project, so the new plan is to donate them to the club and let HBS auction them off next April. So come to the meeting and all of these can be yours with which to build a great forest. These are at the beginning stages of branch development. It‘s the same with a forest as it is with a single tree. Grow the branches out and wire them while they’re young. Let them extend and then cut them back hard. Rinse and repeat - build the branches in stages and from the inside out.

- Scott

 

[Dav4]

Replacement Cedar Elm clump. Bigger.
View attachment 275139

I love the curves/movement in the trunks, and they really compliment each other so well. Very Nice!

 

[sorce]

Best Phoenix Thread Graft there ever been!

This is how Gangsters Tanuki!

Nice!

Sorce

 

[markyscott]

So the replacement clump was collected 25 years ago. We got it out of the garden with a chainsaw and a front end loader because it had rooted into the ground through the pot. This is the first repot in a quarter century.

 

[markyscott]

First, find the nebari. Next, cut the rootball.

 

[markyscott]

Bare-rooted the tree and cut back the major roots.

 

[markyscott]

Tied it carefully into the training pot.

 

[markyscott]

After cut back and in its new shoes. Done for now.

 

[markyscott]

I’ve let this tree just grow since the major repot in 2019. This year it grew strong. Lots of good extension and it put on a lot of leaves. It even flowered (cedar elm is a fall flowering tree) and put out a some seeds. I’ll probably harvest the seeds to have some seedlings for root grafting. Here it is showing a bit of fall color. Really my very favorite elm to work with.

 

[markyscott]

Here’s the clump after cut back. I reduced the main trunk and repositioned things a bit with guy wires. It didn’t need a repot this year.

 

[markyscott]

Eh - a little more off the top.

 

[Wood]

Any idea how these'll handle Virginia winters?

 

[markyscott]

Any idea how these'll handle Virginia winters?

I suspect they’ll be fine with a little winter protection. @rockm has grown them here for years, so could probably offer more experienced advice. I had them inside the barn on the single digit days and in the high tunnel the rest of the winter. They did fine - they’re all starting to bud out now.

S

 

[markyscott]

First styling.

 

[rockm]

First styling. View attachment 500259

VERY nice group. Glad to see they're doing well.

Also To answer @Wood s question about cedar elm winter hardiness --this species is fine here in Va. I've had one or two for the last 25 years or more. I overwinter in the backyard under deep mulch from end of Nov. to about the end of March or so. No problems in that time. However, you do have to be a bit careful in spring and protect against late frosts. I have to bring mine inside three or four times in the spring.

VERY underused, tough and desirable species for bonsai. Response to bonsai techniques is outstanding and can drastic root reduction or hard root work. If you have the opportunity to get one, do it.