How well do Larch respond to a hard pruning?

[Cypress]

How well do American Larch respond to a hard winter pruning? Like removing 50-60% of the foliage/branches? From what I've read it seems it would respond ok, I just read Lenz suggests cutting up to half the branches off right when collecting one. But I wanted to check in here before I do any work. I have a quite tall (~4-5 feet), quite thick, but quite straight and boring american larch I got from a nursery last summer. To make a straight tree an interesting tree I plan on removing all the branches and bark from the upper half (~2 feet) of the trunk to make a sort of "jin spire' and growing out the tree structure on the side of the main trunk. Similar design idea to Michael Hagedorn's foemina juniper here:

My larch has a very beefy root system, still in it's nursery pot, and is about 2.5 inches at the base of the trunk if that's relevant. Thanks!

 

[Cypress]

Holy hell, the picture is huge in the thread... here's just the normal link to the picture so you can see the whole thing on your screen without having to scroll, haha: http://crataegus.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/foeminalargefile.jpg

 

[tmmason10]

I have seen, and own, much more boring material! Larches are pretty tough, i don't know that I have done too much hard pruning but it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[mc4mc44]

I've removed 50% of the branches off larch without any issues, the trees don't even notice. Larch are tough, as long as they're healthy they'll live through almost anything. With a nursery tree you'll be fine removing half or even a little more.

 

[drew33998]

Why don't you try to carve some of the "straightness" and bulk out of the entire trunk first? Or are you looking for a perfectly straight trunk? Nice material either way and good luck

 

[Cypress]

I have seen, and own, much more boring material! Larches are pretty tough, i don't know that I have done too much hard pruning but it shouldn't be an issue.

Haha, I think one or two of you are mistaking the picture I linked of Michael Hagedorn's juniper for my larch which I didn't post a picture of. I wish! But I linked a picture of his juniper as a similar design for where I would like to take my own larch. It's a great example of designing a really interesting tree from stock with an almost perfectly straight trunk. But thanks for chiming it. I'll post an actual picture of my larch after I do some work on it.

 

[tmmason10]

Haha, I think one or two of you are mistaking the picture I linked of Michael Hagedorn's juniper for my larch which I didn't post a picture of. I wish! But I linked a picture of his juniper as a similar design for where I would like to take my own larch. It's a great example of designing a really interesting tree from stock with an almost perfectly straight trunk. But thanks for chiming it. I'll post an actual picture of my larch after I do some work on it.

Ha how did I miss that? I have a thread about a larch I am trying to do in mind of the same look, but not as large as a trunk. I'd be curious to see your tree.

 

[coppice]

Road crews drive brush cutters through tamarack brush growing in thousands of miles of Maine road ditches. Beheading countless millions every year.

I've been told they have been known to actually kill three or four every year.

 

[Jason_mazzy]

I was starting to worry as this is a juniper pic.....................

 

[Cypress]

I was starting to worry as this is a juniper pic.....................

Haha yes, come on lets just read my post lol. I don't intend my larch to look like a juniper. Just the basic trunk/branch design. Although my larch will have the branch structure mostly moving upwards "mingling" with the jined trunk as opposed to this juni having the branch structure descending. Will post pics soon.

 

[Cypress]

Did some heavy carving work on my Larch. Started a separate thread specifically for the tree here: http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?13848-Making-a-boring-larch-an-interesting-larch-(my-first-larch)&p=181316#post181316

 

[twisted trees]

I work with a lot of larch. A healthy tree will tolerate extensive pruning 50%-70% very well. If you are unsure, whack off 1/2 of what you intend in the spring and the other half in late spring after the tree puts out new growth. One thing of note I have found out about larch is that almost everyone of them will grow all season if you keep pinching before they develop a terminal bud.