Celastrus Scandens - Bittersweet, shohin root-cutting projects.

[HorseloverFat]

I have always admired the appearance of the bittersweet root.. as well as spend many hours combatting this plant with removal attempts. (I have seen bittersweet branches layer themselves because they were CLOSE to the ground.)

So yesterday, whilst communing with nature, I noticed a nice, gnarly pyramid-top root peeking up with a few more slender shoots emerging and strangling a nearby sugar maple.
I thought to myself, “that would be kind of a neat little mame climbing tree with only a small amount work. I knew that the plant’s survival wasn’t going to be an issue as I don’t possess nuclear arms. Once removed, a very large length of gnarly, red root came with..
I then thought to myself (again) “Wow! This root cutting would make several interesting mame and shohin “canvasses” with just a tad more work than the original.

So I decided to “keep tabs” on the new additions here..

This was the specimen that instigated this madness.



In this picture, the left-most two are “slated” for gifts to another learning soul.



More.

 

[HorseloverFat]

((Update))

I have since sealed the larger pruning wounds, for the purposes of later comparison.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

A couple years ago I harvested a 3 inch diameter bittersweet trunk, I did not seal the wounds, the only buds that sprouted were right at the soil line. Not great.

I do like bittersweet as bonsai. The fruit are really great winter interest. I have never gotten one to set fruit in a pot in my custody. But I've only had one since 2017.

 

[HorseloverFat]

A couple years ago I harvested a 3 inch diameter bittersweet trunk, I did not seal the wounds, the only buds that sprouted were right at the soil line. Not great.

I do like bittersweet as bonsai. The fruit are really great winter interest. I have never gotten one to set fruit in a pot in my custody. But I've only had one since 2017.

As reductively simple as it sounds.. I can NOT get past how “cool” (uniquely aged and colored) the bark is.

Given the slender tendencies of these individuals, it’ll be neat to see how the root cutting will adapt and exactly HOW(if) the sprouting takes place. I have given them a decent place to begin as well as room for anticipating die-back.

We shall see what happens.

 

[HorseloverFat]

(((Update)))

The root cuttings taken are developing emerging “nubs”... Not too low either, so sealing must be the x-factor, there. Not picture-worthy.. just mostly wanted to share a picture of and update....

...This guy!

 

[HorseloverFat]

None of the root cuttings I collected struck. It WAS the incorrect time to take THIS kind of cutting, just thought I may get lucky... nope . That is NOT “how it works” hehe!

The original specimen is still quite alive though.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Your root cuttings that failed get recorded in the positive column, for destroying invasive species. It is A-OK to kill a few of these invaders.
I do like their orange-ish colored brown bark.