Celtis Sinesis / Africana

[Dorian Fourie]

Thanks for posting: a great story and a very good tree.

I only regret that you've made such a large shari that widens from the first cut. To me -personal opinion!- it would have looked much more natural with a less conspicuous wound. So far, the bottom part looks a bit artificial, but I'm sure it will improve, and anyway I'm impressed by what you've done in terms of ramification.

Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

I understand what you mean about the shari but the wounds on the front of the tree (I feel) didn't leave much option except to make it big in order to remove them.

I think in the years to come as it callous's over it should make it look more natural. I am also planning to go deeper into the trunk

Today I carved slightly deeper into the trunk.

Before (sorry for the blurry pic)


After

 

[Dorian Fourie]

Just a quick update on this Celtis.

It has been growing nicely. I gave it a slight clean up by cutting back some of the longest branches so that I can continue to work on the ramification. I checked all the guy wires to make sure they are not cutting into the bark and that is all fine. For now I will leave those wires on as I believe the longer they are in place, the less chance there is for the branches to spring back up when removed.

All in all I am happy with the progress. This weekend, I hope to do some more craving into the trunk to hollow it out more.

 

[jasondsouza]

thanks for posting the progression! its been quite a journey!

 

[Dorian Fourie]

thanks for posting the progression! its been quite a journey!

Pleasure.

 

[Tieball]

Nice work on the tree...I like that guy wire attachment method....the below the Bonsai pot lip holding wire. Fits perfect.

 

[Dorian Fourie]

Nice work on the tree...I like that guy wire attachment method....the below the Bonsai pot lip holding wire. Fits perfect.

Thanks Tieball. Appreciate the feedback

I worked on it over the weekend by carving out more of the center of the trunk. The tree is very healthy and doing well. I am not removing the guy wires at all this season as I believe the longer they are on, the more chance the branches have of staying down.

Before Carving


After Carving

 

[Dorian Fourie]

I wanted to reset all my guy wires on the tree as some of them have reached there max tension and may break if I twist them any more.

I removed all of them and before I reset them, I decided to take a picture of what it might look like in a year or 2 if I had to show it.

I am happy with the progression so far. After the picture, I replaced all the wires.

 

[discusmike]

Very nice tree,i think the small wounds would have healed over on your front n you could have hollowed out the large wound a bit n let it rot naturally,instead of the shari running down the front of the tree.

 

[Dorian Fourie]

Very nice tree,i think the small wounds would have healed over on your front n you could have hollowed out the large wound a bit n let it rot naturally,instead of the shari running down the front of the tree.

@discusmike - Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately I do not think that large wound at the top would of closed and something needed to be done to sort that out. The smaller wounds would definitely have closed but in a few years when the trunk is really rugged and all hollowed out I believe it will really suit the overall style of the tree. I believe I am on the right track of getting the ramification finer so in the next growing season, I am hoping for it to get some good growth happening.

Currently it is mid winter here and it is in silhouette mode. I might get round to carving some more into the hollow today. Lets see how the day pans out.

 

[Dorian Fourie]

I cannot believe that it has been almost 2 years since I updated this tree.

Just some images of what it looks like taken today. We are in mid Autumn here in South Africa so all the leaves have fallen. Ramification is coming along nicely and I am working hard on getting the lower right side of the tree to develop and fill out.

 

[BobbyLane]

looking good!
youre going to give some folk recurring nightmares with that hollow trunk

 

[SeanS]

@Dorian Fourie beautiful tree! I’ve got 3 Celtis seedlings I planted this season growing, but they’re still tiny.

Interesting it’s lost all its leaves already. My 2 maples are still fully leaved, one of them has a single (1) red leaf so far. I’m in the northern suburbs (Fourways) and it hasn’t been that cold yet for any of the trees in the area to really colour up or drop many leaves yet. The Cedars on our pavement are dropping leaves but my bonsai all seem to still be awake

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Dorian Fourie
It is a joy to see this tree again, and how nicely all the work you did has aged and settled in. It looks very natural now. Well down.

 

[just.wing.it]

Well done!

 

[Dorian Fourie]

@Dorian Fourie
It is a joy to see this tree again, and how nicely all the work you did has aged and settled in. It looks very natural now. Well down.

Thanks so much Leo. It is developing nicely and I am happy with the process. Long way to go still. I need to hollow out the trunk more to make is look more rugged. I feel that it might just pull the edges in more if I do remove some more of the inner trunk which will add to the character.

 

[Dorian Fourie]

@Dorian Fourie beautiful tree! I’ve got 3 Celtis seedlings I planted this season growing, but they’re still tiny.

Interesting it’s lost all its leaves already. My 2 maples are still fully leaved, one of them has a single (1) red leaf so far. I’m in the northern suburbs (Fourways) and it hasn’t been that cold yet for any of the trees in the area to really colour up or drop many leaves yet. The Cedars on our pavement are dropping leaves but my bonsai all seem to still be awake

Hi Sean.
It is weird how my celtis have lost leaves but none of my maples. Just the way it goes. I am just down the road from you in Northriding and all my other trees still have leaves except the celtis. Plant your seedlings into the ground above a tile and leave them to grow like mad. Otherwise go and dig up a celtis from the veld once the lock down has lifted. They grow well from being dug up.

Stay safe

D

 

[Dorian Fourie]

Well done!

Thanks

 

[SeanS]

Hi Sean.
It is weird how my celtis have lost leaves but none of my maples. Just the way it goes. I am just down the road from you in Northriding and all my other trees still have leaves except the celtis. Plant your seedlings into the ground above a tile and leave them to grow like mad. Otherwise go and dig up a celtis from the veld once the lock down has lifted. They grow well from being dug up.

Stay safe

D

@Dorian Fourie I think I’m going to follow your suggestion once we’re free to move around again. I’ll keep an eye out for some wild Celtis and use yours as inspiration

 

[Dorian Fourie]

@Dorian Fourie I think I’m going to follow your suggestion once we’re free to move around again. I’ll keep an eye out for some wild Celtis and use yours as inspiration

Absolutely. I have another big celtis that I dug up on a friends farm. I have also carved out the middle and let it grow out. I am currently working on branch development. Will post a pic of that when I get a chance

 

[crea7or]

it's 2022 man, time to share with us some updates with this beautiful tree