European Hackberry

[BobbyLane]

Celtis australis

So i decided to go ahead and order this Hackberry ive had my eye on for a long while now. its been reduced in the recent kaizen sale. but the tree has been sitting there since last spring/summer was when i first saw it, so i know that by now there is going to be a lot to work with and i have a plan set out already

these images are of how it looked last year at the beginning of summer, its had last year and some of this year to run up a head of steam, so i know its ready for some major styling work

i will look to defoliate the tree and have a look at the structure properly and do whats needed, i have a feeling ill want to compact it down to the black outline if going with my favourite side, but of course ill know more once its in front of me, my other idea is if going with the angle where the tree leans right, to tilt it even further right so that the right sub trunk is almost cascading. a few thoughts running through my head

 

[BobbyLane]

My Hackberry arrived this week, as expected it was just a big ball of healthy growth/foliage

basically just 'hacked' everything off with a pair of secateurs
20190628_062840 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20190628_062937 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20190628_063158 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20190628_063310 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i like this as a front, but the big sub trunk in red had a massive bulge in it, i felt this sub trunk was best removed
20190627_162515 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20190627_204429 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

everything a little clearer, pretty much the image i had in mind when i first saw the tree, this will be in the naturalistic style. a fat heavy trunk that splits into two.

i plan on keeping the tree this height i think the proportions look good
20190628_190255 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20190628_190346 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

overtime looking to get a little more length in the lower branches

 

[TomB]

Good call on the middle trunk imo. I like the way the two remaining trunks echo each other’s movement.

 

[jason biggs]

Bobby you seem to get most of your trees with fantastic bases...
wish our nurseries would play ball...
This is going to be another super tree.

 

[BobbyLane]

Bobby you seem to get most of your trees with fantastic bases...
wish our nurseries would play ball...
This is going to be another super tree.

cheers mate. you have some pretty cool hackberries, looking forward to seeing updates on yours too.

how are they to take hardwood cutting Jason, is it worth my while taking some cuttings from the lump that was cut off? i have the option of a greenhouse.

 

[BobbyLane]

great response, its been back budding all over the trunk

 

[Paulpash]

Nice base but I'd probably reduce the height of the right trunk.

 

[BobbyLane]

Nice base but I'd probably reduce the height of the right trunk.

could do, possibly to one of these shoots. not really thought about it
20190628_190346 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

 

[Paulpash]

could do, possibly to one of these shoots. not really thought about it
20190628_190346 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

The first would get rid of the straight section, improve taper & move away from the main trunk.

 

[BobbyLane]

The first would get rid of the straight section, improve taper & move away from the main trunk.

its a good idea Paul, it wont take long to regain a little of the height with a new shoot that moves up n out.
can see how cluttered the area between the two trunks is getting already.will defo create better taper, movement and cleaner lines eventually

 

[BobbyLane]

small change which has made a big difference.wont take long for the finer shoots to fill in the negative area and form part of the crown, good shout Paul

 

[atlarsenal]

You don’t waste any time with advice you like I like the right trunk shorten also.

 

[BobbyLane]

Does anyone have any idea what would cause this on some of the leaves?
first season working with the species...im thinking some form of insect damage, maybe a leaf minor
anyway given it a dose of insectide...
tree is very healthy otherwise
i did have an issue with spider mites on a couple of my elms earlier in season too

 

[terryb]

My Celtis australis (which are far, far smaller than yours) do this too. I think it only happens toward the end of the season but will pay more attention now when I see it. As far as I can tell there is no insect infestation or other pathogen.

how are they to take hardwood cutting Jason, is it worth my while taking some cuttings from the lump that was cut off? i have the option of a greenhouse.

Not sure about hardwood cuttings but no problem from root cuttings.

 

[BobbyLane]

My Celtis australis (which are far, far smaller than yours) do this too. I think it only happens toward the end of the season but will pay more attention now when I see it. As far as I can tell there is no insect infestation or other pathogen.

Not sure about hardwood cuttings but no problem from root cuttings.

hmmmm i think something is present but not visible, nothing major at least. its not fungal i agree

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Does anyone have any idea what would cause this on some of the leaves?
first season working with the species...im thinking some form of insect damage, maybe a leaf minor
anyway given it a dose of insectide...
tree is very healthy otherwise
i did have an issue with spider mites on a couple of my elms earlier in season too
View attachment 259725
View attachment 259723

I first saw something like this in orchid seedlings I was raising. I have since seen it in very vigorously growing trees, and other species of plants. It is an ephemeral condition, happens once and does not seem to reoccur,

I was given a number of explanations, none made sense when thought through. The color will not return to the ''bleached'' zones or variegated zones, but it will most likely not reoccur.

Probably some transient epigenetic change in a somatic cell line, but not a stable one, or rather not at a point where future tissue would come from the epigenetically altered somatic cells.

 

[BobbyLane]

I first saw something like this in orchid seedlings I was raising. I have since seen it in very vigorously growing trees, and other species of plants. It is an ephemeral condition, happens once and does not seem to reoccur,

I was given a number of explanations, none made sense when thought through. The color will not return to the ''bleached'' zones or variegated zones, but it will most likely not reoccur.

Probably some transient epigenetic change in a somatic cell line, but not a stable one, or rather not at a point where future tissue would come from the epigenetically altered somatic cells.

Thanks Leo

 

[BobbyLane]

This one had a strong season and will be ready for a first full wiring job in a few weeks, i would say from what ive seen so far with the multiple flushes this has put out since jan, its on par with zelkova serrata for extreme vigour

 

[defra]

Nice going Bobby!
Yes its amazing how fast these grow !
ive got a celtis sinensis, your nebari looks way better than my tree has great find!

Ive had the same going on with some leaves on my hibiscus last year ive removed them it didnt spread and didnt came back this year Either

Edit:
Ive let the wire grow in quite a bit on the shoot that will be the new trunkline actualy i tought it was bitten in to much but in two weeks it was Hardly noticable that happend

 

[Paulpash]

It'll be interesting to see how that right trunk has developed. I've never worked a Hackberry so I'm always keen to learn, albeit vicariously.