celtis africana

[jason biggs]

this is one of my best trees and it has an awesome trunk.
The branching is not good but I think it can be greatly improved...

 

[0soyoung]

Awesome trunk, indeed!
Branching is not so bad - two, three years to spectacular.

 

[BobbyLane]

this is one of my best trees and it has an awesome trunk.
The branching is not good but I think it can be greatly improved...
View attachment 222540View attachment 222542View attachment 222543

Yes with some wiring. i like the tree a lot, has a natural look to it.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I like it a lot, nice start. A little work for a couple years, and this will be very show worthy, Nice.

 

[jason biggs]

Thanks for all the positive response.
In picture 1 the big right front branch has branching mostly facing inwards
and not on the outside....
I'm thinking of thread grafting 1 or 2 branches ??
I really don't want to stuff this tree up.

 

[jason biggs]

in picture 2 the original trunk chop has closed brilliantly !!

 

[0soyoung]

... just some thoughts ...

With regard to perspective in your tree, one wants thicker branches in front and thinner in back.
One also wants the tree to bow to the viewer as it feels friendly

These two things suggest the front ought to be somewhere like 180 from your second pic. If this were the front, then I don't think the branching from the first branch would be a problem.

I think pic 3 offers nice perspective/depth. The trunk has a nice basal flare in this view, but it looks like the nebari has some problems. It looks to me that there is a big massive root looping around clockwise. Of the views you've supplied, I think I like this view (in pic 3) to be the front. The canopy development appears to be easy with this choice (famous last word, 'easy' ) and you wouldn't be fretting about

In picture 1 the big right front branch has branching mostly facing inwards and not on the outside....

. Instead, just cut back before bud burst, then a little wire after the new shoots have extended might be all that you need to do. The focus would be on eliminating this really bad root ( which maybe isn't such a big deal with a different choice for the front).

What is your chosen front for the design, @jason biggs? I think you need to get this clearly set in your mind as it dictates your plan for the remainder of your development of this tree.

 

[BobbyLane]

OP should draw some inspiration from this celtis, similar in some ways
http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t12607-my-broom-celtis

 

[Frojo]

Thanks for all the positive response.
In picture 1 the big right front branch has branching mostly facing inwards
and not on the outside....
I'm thinking of thread grafting 1 or 2 branches ??
I really don't want to stuff this tree up.

That is one great looking tree.

To be honest, I would chop that branch back to the first of the three thicker ones at the end. There seems to be lots of places it will bud if you do that.

Celtis are my favourite trees, I dug up a few this spring.

 

[jason biggs]

This is the closest I'll get to fall...

 

[jason biggs]

 

[jason biggs]

For whatever reason, this tree had a death wish...
last 2 pics show hope

 

[jason biggs]

gave it a mid summer defoliation and put it in full sun...
seems to be ok again...