It's my fault this hornbeam didn't grab attention!

[fourteener]

I used to feel bad that visitors to my back yard never paid much attention to an old Hornbeam I have. After a major cutback, now I know the source of the problem...me!


After rolling around in a box for 2,000 miles due to an ebayer who didn't know how to pack a bonsai tree, I potted it up and let it grow. I just wanted it to get healthy again. But it got lost in foliage.



After a major reworking and pushing back the branch structure, there is actually a tree under there. No one being able to see it was my fault.



The apex was lost and best to just start over. I also found a new front and it needs to be tipped forward. In some ways I wonder if I shouldn't just start over with new branches on the top of the tree. They are thick and heavy. The way it backbuds, it woul dbe easy to do, but will it look even worse with the scars from that?

 

[cascade]

This is very nice material! Can you perhaps post different views ?

Thanks,
Dorothy

 

[Poink88]

Very nice. I think the top branches are okay size wise. You just need to thicken the ones below.

I'll be tempted to remove the lowest & 3rd up left branch if this is mine...and carve/reduce that massive root.

 

[Skip]

Super hornbeam

Your hornbeam looks great an you did a great job getting it healthy. Thanks for the post an I am going to start looking on e-bay. That sure is a attention getter. Skip

 

[fore]

I agree fourteener, the top branches are a bit thick for me. I don't know how hornbeams heal over wounds, but starting over will also give you a better taper in addition to finer branched apex.

 

[Zach Smith]

The apex was lost and best to just start over. I also found a new front and it needs to be tipped forward. In some ways I wonder if I shouldn't just start over with new branches on the top of the tree. They are thick and heavy. The way it backbuds, it woul dbe easy to do, but will it look even worse with the scars from that?

Do not remove the upper branches! They are in scale with your trunk, it's the slim lower branches that make you think you need to restore balance. Either grow sacrifice branches near the bases of your lower branches or wire up the growing tips and let them run to thicken. They need to be three times as thick as they presently are, at least. While this is going on, keep those upper branches cooled off by frequent pinching and pruning. You'll have the proper balance in a couple of years.

Great material, but you already know that.

Zach

 

[cmeg1]

Great tree.I just love seeing massive Korean hornbeam trunks,as I am trying to make a few of them for retirement fun.They are growing in the earth now on tiles.I was a bit worried because I had heard that the Korean Hornbeams can get a bit wimpy in the roots,but after seeing yours it gives me hope.A couple of mine have some weird leaves,but I hope they just pull out of it and get growing.I planted about a month ago.I know they are just sending roots now,so hopefully survive the winter for next season.
Great tree! Thanks for sharing.