How do develop clump chojubai?

Lars Grimm

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Hi All,

I have a nice small white chojubai I bought from Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks early this year. It has put out a bunch of long shoots and it growing well. My question is how to develop the clump style that seems to be the most common style seen in mature specimens? Is it a matter of just getting repeated bifurcation of the primary trunk? Reading between the lines, it sounds like some people have used multiple rooted cuttings to try and generate a larger clump, but I haven't seen this definitively described. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. There seems to be a lack of information on the web.

Lars
 

fredtruck

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I've done multiple rooted cuttings to make a clump. I use some very fine wire, like floral wire, to tie the cuttings together. It takes awhile for the cuttings to fuse, and a genuine rootball to form, but it is worth it because your tree will have a wide base. I have started with 5 to 7 cuttings. Some may die off due to competition. If this happens, just add more cuttings, because the variation in trunk width is helpful in making your clump a believable unit.

I think it is a good idea to begin by planting your cuttings very low in the soil. As the roots develop, raise them a bit every time you repot (2 to 3 years). The roots will thicken adding interest to the clump.
 

Lars Grimm

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What time of year is best to taking cuttings on a chojubai? I have read that fall is best for repotting.
 

MichaelS

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What time of year is best to taking cuttings on a chojubai? I have read that fall is best for repotting.
Lars, you can do it a number of ways. The best time for cuttings in in summer if you have a good propagation set up. (bottom heat and mist) If you do, you can keep taking cutting into autumn as well. You may also try hardwood cuttings in late winter.
An almost fool proof way is to take root and rhizome cuttings just before the plant starts up in spring. (say about 50mm long) These can be placed randomly and horizontally in a shallow pot and covered with soil and you can train what comes up as a clump. You will never have to separate them again. Another way is to just wait for the plant to naturally send up suckers and train them. Or, you could arrange a number of struck cuttings into a small pot with uneven spacings and let them grow away. If you have a larger older plant to play with you can also peg down a bury any low side branches with just their tips showing and they will root down in time. This will give you a wider type of clump.
 

Lars Grimm

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Lars, you can do it a number of ways. The best time for cuttings in in summer if you have a good propagation set up. (bottom heat and mist) If you do, you can keep taking cutting into autumn as well. You may also try hardwood cuttings in late winter.
An almost fool proof way is to take root and rhizome cuttings just before the plant starts up in spring. (say about 50mm long) These can be placed randomly and horizontally in a shallow pot and covered with soil and you can train what comes up as a clump. You will never have to separate them again. Another way is to just wait for the plant to naturally send up suckers and train them. Or, you could arrange a number of struck cuttings into a small pot with uneven spacings and let them grow away. If you have a larger older plant to play with you can also peg down a bury any low side branches with just their tips showing and they will root down in time. This will give you a wider type of clump.

Thanks for the response @MichaelS. I have a young plant that has put on a lot of growth this season with runners that are a couple feet long. My plan was to take cuttings from it and plant them close to the trunk in order to allow it to develop a denser base and eventually fuse up as described by @fredtruck above. I guess I was most curious about the best time to take struck cuttings and whether it needs to be on hardwood.
 

Cadillactaste

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I've done multiple rooted cuttings to make a clump. I use some very fine wire, like floral wire, to tie the cuttings together. It takes awhile for the cuttings to fuse, and a genuine rootball to form, but it is worth it because your tree will have a wide base. I have started with 5 to 7 cuttings. Some may die off due to competition. If this happens, just add more cuttings, because the variation in trunk width is helpful in making your clump a believable unit.

I think it is a good idea to begin by planting your cuttings very low in the soil. As the roots develop, raise them a bit every time you repot (2 to 3 years). The roots will thicken adding interest to the clump.
So, you do this work in the fall right? I have five small white chojubai coming in June. Planning a clump and wishing to hurry it along. Seen you bind them with floral wire...I can do that... thanks for the suggestion. How low do you suggest when the time comes?
 

fredtruck

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Basically, cover the roots. Don't leave any surface roots visible. What you want is for the roots to thicken up. This doesn't take really long. Maybe a year or two. When you transplant the tree, raise it a bit. Another way to do this is to pot up your cuttings. Then, don't do anything. Wait for normal erosion to reveal the roots. Then, when this happens, transplant and raise the tree a bit.
 
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