Hackberry air-layer with uro

[Melospiza]

I believe this is a Georgia Hackberry (Celtis tennuifolia) and not a Southern Hackberry/Sugarberry. My neighbour had cut down the top of this tree and it was sprouting from the cut. I air-layered it to include a natural hollow. Right now, it is recovering in a pot, and I plant to work on the roots and carving the top next year. Maybe drill into the dead top of the tree to connect it to the uro?

 

[Anthony]

Tropics here
Normally, the Celtis l. will try to heal a wound.
The wood is not really durable.
So you would need to make a choice.

What we do is seal the wound and the tree slowly, heals
the wound, pushing off the wound seal.

Looks like a very good choice for a Bonsai.
See the work of Guy Guidry [ Google ]

Glad to see more folk using the Hackberry.
Now to find our local Celtis i. Which has thorns.
Keep the group informed please.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Yup. I'd heal the wound.

 

[Melospiza]

Thanks for the advice. I will try to heal over the small fresh wound over the uro, perhaps by encouraging backbudding near that wound, or just by allowing free growth all over. Right now it has been sealed with the glue version of wound sealant, not with the putty.

Hackberries are great, unfortunately most people simply don't notice them or only see them as nuisance trees. Here in Georgia, hackberries invariably get affected by aphids in late summer (around now), and the honeydew from the aphids encourages black sooty mould everywhere it falls. So you'll see whole patches of woods looking like they've been blackened by soot below a large hackberry tree. There are no long-term ill effects but it just looks ugly till fall.

 

[TN_Jim]

Thanks for the advice. I will try to heal over the small fresh wound over the uro, perhaps by encouraging backbudding near that wound, or just by allowing free growth all over. Right now it has been sealed with the glue version of wound sealant, not with the putty.

Hackberries are great, unfortunately most people simply don't notice them or only see them as nuisance trees. Here in Georgia, hackberries invariably get affected by aphids in late summer (around now), and the honeydew from the aphids encourages black sooty mould everywhere it falls. So you'll see whole patches of woods looking like they've been blackened by soot below a large hackberry tree. There are no long-term ill effects but it just looks ugly till fall.

That is exactly what happened to mine...saw em’ quick & thought I had them beat...half tree blackness..

Good things..
Seems do take abuse and come fighting back, and they’re not afraid to take a funky shape.

 

[Melospiza]

That is exactly what happened to mine...saw em’ quick & thought I had them beat...half tree blackness..

Good things..
Seems do take abuse and come fighting back, and they’re not afraid to take a funky shape.

If it's any consolation, the late-summer aphid outbreaks are a feast for migrating warblers. I have seen a flock of Tennessee warblers and Magnolia warblers spend hours in just one tree gorging on aphids in preparation for their long flight over the gulf of Mexico. Now I don't mind the black mould any more.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Seems a bit large, even if you can heal it closed it will always be an ugly sphincter shaped scar probably ?. I would embrace it as part of the design and carve it to a more interesting, less symmetrical shape.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Possibly elongate the Uro down to the soil line? Could look gnarley if you’ve got two substantial roots on either side of the Uro. I don’t really know how Celtis deal with rot though.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

These pictures are kind of what I have in mind:

 

[Melospiza]

I don't want to do anything to the large uro with the rolled-in sides. Will just focus on trying to heal over the smaller fresh cut just above it.