Japanese boxwood

Zournathan

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Location
Houston
USDA Zone
9a
Howdy,
I was at a local nursery recently that had Japanese Boxwoods on sale for $6.99. I found one with a pretty thick trunk interesting bark and decided I couldn't pass it up at that price. Since then I've been doing a little more research and I'm starting to worry that the interesting bark might actually be an illness. What do you guys/gals think?
 

Attachments

  • DSCF0035.jpg
    DSCF0035.jpg
    184 KB · Views: 101

Zournathan

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Location
Houston
USDA Zone
9a
Here is another picture after I repotted it out of the rather muddy soil the nursery had it in.
 

Attachments

  • DSCF0037.jpg
    DSCF0037.jpg
    192 KB · Views: 123

jersanct

Seedling
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
The trunk looks interesting rather than ill from here, at least from what little I can see. Maybe someone with more experience will weigh in for you, too. Could you get us a closer picture now that there is a more clear view of the trunk?

Looks like it could be a promising little tree once you work it down to a much smaller size. I think I see a nice nebari in there, too.
 

M.B.

Mame
Messages
105
Reaction score
1
Location
Outside Sacramento, CA
USDA Zone
9
What "illness" are you thinking this tree has? It looks fine to me.
Noissee is right, get those branches wired now. They stiffen/harden very quickly.
Mary B.
 

Zournathan

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Location
Houston
USDA Zone
9a
I really didn't have a particular illness in mind. The bark just looked so different from anything I'd seen in pictures that I was curious if it was something wrong with the tree. I'm glad to hear that it's probably nothing to worry about. It's raining right now but I'll see if I can get better pictures tomorrow. I think I'll also see about doing my first wiring tomorrow :)
 

Zournathan

Yamadori
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Location
Houston
USDA Zone
9a
I did some wiring on this boxwood on Sunday. I only broke one branch and it was a small one at the end of a branch I'm probably going to shorten later anyways. I've decided I need way more practice before I try to wire another tree...wrapping wire around twigs is a lot easier then a branch that's still attached :(. I ended up using mostly guy wires to pull the branches down. My plan is to shorten most if not all of these branches, so I'm really just trying to get the base of the branches pointed more horizontal. I haven't done any trimming on this tree yet because I don't want to put it through the additional stress.
 

treebeard55

Chumono
Messages
762
Reaction score
88
Location
north-central Indiana, USA
USDA Zone
5A
From what the pics show, I don't think you have anything to worry about. The bark does look a little "hairy" in the first picture, but that could easily have been mud splashed up during rain or watering.

Boxwoods naturally have a bark that looks aged right from the get-go, one of their positive features for bonsai.

If you still wonder about the tree and just want to be absolutely sure, take it to someone in your local club, or to your Cooperative Extension agent.
 
Top Bottom