Cork bark inverse taper

[heeclee]

I got a Yatsubusa elm mid this spring and slip-potted in to a 2 gallon pot. There's an inverse taper at middle section of the tree where it developed more corky bark than the lower section. Will it resolve itself as it grows and possibly develop corky bark at lower section? Or will it always have proportionally thicker bark at mid section? Any tricks to correcting this?

 

[twisted trees]

That's a good one. With not great experience with the variety I'd say it's a definite maybe. Air layering is easy for elm. Then you can have two.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Let some of those low branches grow wild for a few seasons. The cork will come back, it looks like it was scrubbed off or fell off because it was left wet or mossy. Keep moss off the bark, or you’ll always have that problem. Looks like a nice trunk.

 

[twisted trees]

Let some of those low branches grow wild for a few seasons. The cork will come back, it looks like it was scrubbed off or fell off because it was left wet or mossy. Keep moss off the bark, or you’ll always have that problem. Looks like a nice trunk.
View attachment 172608

What he said. ^^^^

 

[heeclee]

Thanks for the tip with lower branch and moss. Quick search on the forum shows that the vinegar and soft brush is the way to get moss off right?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I use tweezers. A brush will remove the bark if it’s loose, wet or soft.

 

[twisted trees]

I use tweezers. A brush will remove the bark if it’s loose, wet or soft.

Vinegar will kill the moss.

 

[Victorim]

Vinegar will kill the moss.

Any adverse affects if you spray with vinegar? Not getting in too much in the soil..

 

[twisted trees]

Any adverse affects if you spray with vinegar? Not getting in too much in the soil..

I asked a soil scientist and he said no.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I like your tree, I would be happy to have that in my yard. Nice start.

Cork Bark elms usually have a ''lumpy'' look to them. It is part of their charm. If the overall composition is nice, the lumpy appearance, or zones of reverse taper is usually overlooked by judges at shows. If a bud for a branch sprouts in the inverse taper zone, let it run as a sacrifice, it will thicken its immediate neighborhood.

You can also scrub loose bark off above the zones of reverse taper if it really bothers you.

In time bark will develop everywhere. But it might be 5 or 10 years later for everything to even out.

 

[heeclee]

I guess I'll embrace its natural lumpiness and hope in next several years it becomes a good starter tree

 

[Gurudas]

Very nice tree! Enjoy!

 

[just.wing.it]

I asked a soil scientist and he said no.

Soil Scientist, specializing in DE.

 

[twisted trees]

Soil Scientist, specializing in DE.
View attachment 172733

My cat was from Cornell.

 

[heeclee]

The tree survived the winter and leaves are emerging. I repotted the tree on Apr 1st, in 12 inch bulb pan with 1:1:1 akadama, lava, pumice. Top of the soil is covered with finely chopped sphagnum moss.
The goal for this year is to keep the tree healthy, and clean up some areas where 3 or more branches emerges from a junction (there are several).

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks for the tip with lower branch and moss. Quick search on the forum shows that the vinegar and soft brush is the way to get moss off right?

Allow moss to die then remove with tweezers. ? sometimes a soft brush with some bark can be damaging. @Adair M your thoughts?

 

[jriddell88]

Allow moss to die then remove with tweezers. ? sometimes a soft brush with some bark can be damaging. @Adair M your thoughts?

Read page one again , and there’s no moss to remove .......yet

 

[Cadillactaste]

Read page one again , and there’s no moss to remove .......yet

Right photos show no moss on the trunk...but you didn't mention allowing the moss to die then use tweezers in your above comment I quoted. When your ready to attack moss...you need to know how to address this species.

One newb ruined his bark by not allowing the moss to die and pull off as instructed. I would hate to see you build your cool bark back up to follow in that ones footsteps. His was really of similar texture. Can't recall if same species or not. But Adair...would know if this species needed tweezers to eventually pull off dead moss when you cross that bridge. Which was the reason for the tag.

 

[jriddell88]

ive Had no problems pulling moss off with no vinegar , just be careful don’t be tearing the shit off like a mad man

 

[jriddell88]

Or don’t let it get that bad