Inspiring trees around me

alivation

Sapling
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this tree in my backyard has the best twisty branches. I’m pretty sure that the owner grafted one or two of branches because they’re a different bark and growth type but the way they grow is wild. One of the main trunks also snapped off during ice storm Urie last year and is a great asymmetric slant now. I’m super inspired by how this tree looks and how the dead wood in some spaces appears and makes me want to use shari or Jin on one of my trees in the future.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
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this tree in my backyard has the best twisty branches. I’m pretty sure that the owner grafted one or two of branches because they’re a different bark and growth type but the way they grow is wild. One of the main trunks also snapped off during ice storm Urie last year and is a great asymmetric slant now. I’m super inspired by how this tree looks and how the dead wood in some spaces appears and makes me want to use shari or Jin on one of my trees in the future.
That looks to be a cedar elm (ulmus Crassifolia). An extremely common tree in central and east Texas. The previous owner didn't graft anything. Those branches that look grafted are younger than the main trunk but are gaining more strength than the "main trunk." That's the way cedar elm grow sometimes. I have several as bonsai. Would not advise deadwood on them simply because it allows an opening for disease and rots pretty quickly.

BTW, it looks like you have a lot of cedar elm in that field behind your house. They are extremely easy to collect with a reciprocating saw this time of year...
 

alivation

Sapling
Messages
31
Reaction score
14
Location
Texas
USDA Zone
8b
That looks to be a cedar elm (ulmus Crassifolia). An extremely common tree in central and east Texas. The previous owner didn't graft anything. Those branches that look grafted are younger than the main trunk but are gaining more strength than the "main trunk." That's the way cedar elm grow sometimes. I have several as bonsai. Would not advise deadwood on them simply because it allows an opening for disease and rots pretty quickly.

BTW, it looks like you have a lot of cedar elm in that field behind your house. They are extremely easy to collect with a reciprocating saw this time of year...
I’m not allowed to mess with the tree unfortunately as we rent and it’s in our agreement that the owner does all the tending to stuff otherwise I could be liable for damages. Which was hard to sit with when it just, snapped and nothing was tended to for it from the storm. But I am making sure bag worms don’t take it 🤢

Oh, and do you mean like, a cutting, or straight up yamadori? I can’t dig out anything in the green belt since it’s protected, but I am able to take small cuttings.
 

alivation

Sapling
Messages
31
Reaction score
14
Location
Texas
USDA Zone
8b
That looks to be a cedar elm (ulmus Crassifolia). An extremely common tree in central and east Texas. The previous owner didn't graft anything. Those branches that look grafted are younger than the main trunk but are gaining more strength than the "main trunk." That's the way cedar elm grow sometimes. I have several as bonsai. Would not advise deadwood on them simply because it allows an opening for disease and rots pretty quickly.

BTW, it looks like you have a lot of cedar elm in that field behind your house. They are extremely easy to collect with a reciprocating saw this time of year...
And thank you so much for id’ing it!! My mom and I have be going ??? Over it for the last two years and neither me nor our neighbors have any clue. That is gonna help me take care of it.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
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I’m not allowed to mess with the tree unfortunately as we rent and it’s in our agreement that the owner does all the tending to stuff otherwise I could be liable for damages. Which was hard to sit with when it just, snapped and nothing was tended to for it from the storm. But I am making sure bag worms don’t take it 🤢

Oh, and do you mean like, a cutting, or straight up yamadori? I can’t dig out anything in the green belt since it’s protected, but I am able to take small cuttings.
I mean straight up digging trees (although, "digging" is a relative thing--most deciduous trees can be sawed out of the ground with a handheld battery powered reciprocal saw...) If you can't dig anything, cedar elm are prolific and you will likely find seedlings growing all around. Pull them up, or dig them out, and put them in a pot with bonsai soil -- keep them outside and watered. They grow like weeds with minimal care and can take extremely hard treatment, hard pruning, drastic root reduction, etc.).

Here's one of mine. Had it for 25 years. Originally collected near Austin.
 

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