Large Hornbeam

[JudyB]

After posting, and looking at the photos, I've solved the issue on the left side of the apex on the large trunk. (chopchop) I also re-oriented the bothersome branch on the smaller trunk upwards. Still not sure on that one, but may stick with this for now. At least it doesn't distract my eye so much.
I also know I need to reduce the apex back as well...
How much of the fine branching is it wise to cut off of the branching I'll be keeping at this point? I don't want to have any dieback issues so figured I'd wait to see what finished out the winter alive, and then do more smaller pruning before bud break?

Thanks for checking it out!
J

 

[flor1]

If this tree was mine and just going by the pictures posted I would have to think about removing or reducing the short trunk.
At the same time remove the root in front.
A great tree but without seeing it hard to guess on what to do.

 

[iant]

Beautiful tree Judy!
The first photo on the first page reminded me of this elm. I love the negative central space where the trunks parallel each other for a period then the larger goes it's separate way and the smaller tapers off.
Thanks for posting your tree Judy!
Ian
(Photo from example Ulmus tree in Brent's catalog.)

 

[tmmason10]

It really looks good Judy! It looks like a tree, which is what you're shooting for. Definitely do not change or lose the second trunk I think it's a nice part of the composition.

 

[Dan W.]

Great tree Judy! I'm not going to try and tell you what to do with it though... I'll let the veterans put in thier two cents...lol.

I'm very impressed with the trees you've been posting. - I't wasn't very long ago that I remember you saying that you may never have any great trees...something like that... (forgive me if my memory is off), and we were all having the discussion about saving our money on the cheap trees to buy fewer but better ones. I't looks like you've done exactly that! Good job and way to actually pull it off.

Do you mind me asking where you found this.. It looks like one I was also eyeballing from Don?

 

[JudyB]

Dan, yes it is a Don B. tree. And that plan is exactly how I wound up with some better stock to work with. Never looked back...

Ian, thanks for the photo of the elm, it does remind me of the hornbeam in feel.

flor1- Thanks for taking a look and giving me your thoughts. While I appreciate what one might do with any other tree, please think of this as a one of a kind old korean hornbeam, and what that might mean. There are few of these left out there, and they don't all have this kind of gravity of size. So when one finds one, I would much rather work with the material at hand than change it to suit any particular aesthetic.

Don't worry Tom, I won't be doing away with the secondary trunk.
Thanks all.

 

[JudyB]

should I have gone further???

In seeing all the recent posts about cutting back (more) on branching to attain certain things, I'm wondering what you all thought about this tree in that light. I want to get more size on the branching, so was leaving them all longer. But now I wonder if I should have gone further back???
hmmm?

 

[mcpesq817]

Very nice tree. Whatever you do, don't remove that second trunk! You'll lose a ton of character and uniqueness if you do that.

 

[ghues]

Hi Judy...very nice tree.
I'm with you in that I'd wait to see if you get any winter dieback that needs to be trimmed off in a couple of months.
However IMHO..... if you want better ramification then you will need to cut back and re-grow many of the primary branches at the same time.
No matter which way you go I look forward to watching its progress.
Cheers
Graham

 

[Si Nguyen]

Hi Judy, I enjoyed going back and rereading this thread. This is such a nice hornbeam! You picked 'em well.

Just curious: How does it look on the opposite side of this view?

 

[Poink88]

Just curious: How does it look on the opposite side of this view?

While at it...also a 90 degree view from this to the right. (Si's request is 180 degrees from here)

 

[Martin Sweeney]

Judy,

The secondary trunk adds a lot of character to this tree.

On the other hand, what are your thoughts about the first branch on the right of the primary trunk, and what appears to be a kind of visually cluttered area around it? In the picture it appears confusing.

Regards,
Martin

 

[JudyB]

Thanks mcpesq, no worries, that trunk is going nowhere!

Graham, the thing about these is that they do grow slow, and maybe I should leave the bulk of the branches intact for a bit, so I get all the advantageous growth I can before starting the ramifying process. I'm just not used to working on such an old tree, so going slow may be the best way.

Si, thank you. I've taken more shots, here is the tree, first pic rotated counter clock from front, and continuing, second shot is catacorner to the new front that I've been showing. Third shot is the opposite side of that new front.

 

[Poink88]

I like the 2nd (middle) pic best as front.

 

[JudyB]

Martin, I agree about the second trunk, I can't imagine doing away with it.

I've taken some shots to help clear up the confusion about what comes from where. And I'm not exactly sure which branch you are talking about from the right side of the primary, as the first branch on the primary on the right, is all the way at the apex. I hope that you can see better with these images of the single trunks. (If you were looking at the photos from before the wiring, there was a lower branch, but I took it off. You can see a small stub where it was in the first shot)

Please let me know what you think.
Thanks.

 

[Martin Sweeney]

Judy,

I see in the new pictures that the area I was looking at does not have a branch I thought I saw. Maybe I saw an old picture out of order or something.

Carry on, nothing to see here.....

I am looking forward to seeing this tree with leaves.

Regards,
Martin

 

[JudyB]

Dario, as this is directly opposite to the side I'm currently working as the front, I have kept it in mind that it could work as well. Nothing so far precludes it from working. I'll try to work both sides if possible.

Thanks Martin, I did insert an earlier photo somewhere in the mix, so it was before I cut that ugly branch off.

I'll post a pic of the intended pot when I get it.

 

[JudyB]

I've been pretty busy repotting recently, having a cold greenhouse with heating options, (bottom and air) and good lights really speeds up, and extends my season here. Plus I don't have to worry too much about moving in and out until it actually gets warm.

The new pot isn't ready, so I am using a large unglazed pot for now that is very close to the size/shape of the pot I'm aiming for. I actually kind of like the pot with it, go figure.

I really think it came out well, the new angle is really good. I think for now I'm keeping the front root, in person, it seems to add rather than detracts to the image, still not sure... Maybe I'll take it to the W. Valavanis workshop that I signed up for...
Thanks to all who helped out with input!

 

[tmmason10]

It looks really good! Nice work.

 

[Poink88]

Looking good!

Only thing I will do different is trim/cut some of the twiggy branches shorter now and start building ramification in the right places. Wiring can only do so much. JMHO.