Liquidambar orientalis - SweetGum

So, let's start with the bad. It's got serious root arrangement issues, and it's way too high in the pot. I also think that a significant portion of the top needs to come off. Oh, and charmingly, it experienced an "unplanned partial defoliation" by riding to the event unprotected in a pickup!
 
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The good? Well, the trunk has some mass to it, the leaves seem pretty small, I've been wanting to work with this genus, and . . . hmmmm . . . it came with a pot.
 
I think my plan for the moment will be to pack some sphagnum in around the root base to see if I can get some extra roots going - more to choose from/work with when phase two comes along. That would be repotting and arranging/pruning the roots in early spring sometime. It will probably go into a larger & deeper growing container.

I also think I'd like to layer off about the top third to quarter of the trunk . . . so phase three may be to get that started in late spring or early summer.

I'd love to fuss with it in some way now, but I know I should probably just leave it alone. I am considering a slip-pot into a cement tub though . . .
 
I like it, but I find it odd that the trunk is smooth. They're not like that here.


I like the second view better because of the trunk wiggle.
 
I see where you could layer it, about a 1/3 up the crooked picture. Pic 2.
But I think you could leave it too.
Seems a graceful slenderness with nice branching that could be excellent with a bit of balancing!

Righteous score!

Sorce
 
I like the second view better too. When you unpot this next year, maybe you can get those walking roots to separate from the root ball and spread them flat to create a better nebari. Planting deeper will help. I have always liked these, but never had any luck with them here.
 
I think your right about removing the top about 3/4 the way up where the kinda bare straight section is. Some wire to get a new apex and branch situation and a little root work and will be a nice tree! I have been thinking about about these lately as they grow in gobs here and thinking about scouting this winter to snag one this spring.
 
JoeR said:
I like the second view better because of the trunk wiggle.
Click to expand...
JudyB said:
I like the second view better too.
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That is indeed the previous owners front, as indicated by the chopstick.
I was told that the tree was "styled" by Roy Nagatoshi, but that could mean anything from "it came from his nursery" to "I took it to his workshop" etc. - and I have no idea how long ago that was.
 
JudyB said:
When you unpot this next year, maybe you can get those walking roots to separate from the root ball and spread them flat to create a better nebari. Planting deeper will help.
Click to expand...
That's the plan! I spoke with a teacher who does classes at my club while considering the purchase, and he said he could probably help me sort that out, and even wire some roots, at a class next year.
 
Just brought this great little tree home, determining the front and planning to cut, wire, repot...... And we are helping to

Why are we all so impatient to do something? Perhaps the better approach is to not determine the front, first because then all else is governed by this decision. Perhaps the better approach is to live with the tree for several months and let the tree talk to us and it will tell us what it should be in its own sweet time.

Just my 1.25 cents for y'all to ponder.
 
DougB said:
Just brought this great little tree home, determining the front and planning to cut, wire, repot...... And we are helping to

Why are we all so impatient to do something? Perhaps the better approach is to not determine the front, first because then all else is governed by this decision. Perhaps the better approach is to live with the tree for several months and let the tree talk to us and it will tell us what it should be in its own sweet time.

Just my 1.25 cents for y'all to ponder.
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As I said, the earliest I plan to actually do any work to it is next spring. It will never be a quality bonsai with the current root situation, so I see little benefit to skipping that work at the repot. If you're saying "don't repot this next spring" then aren't you really saying "wait a whole year to start that work"? Is that what you mean, and if so why? Otherwise, I think your "several months" wait is built in and called winter ;)
ColinFraser said:
. . . repotting and arranging/pruning the roots in early spring sometime . . . I'd love to fuss with it in some way now, but I know I should probably just leave it alone.
Click to expand...
As for the front, I think other commenters were just expressing what they liked, and I appreciate it. My suspicion is that the results of the root-rearrange will be the most likely determiner of the front down the road. In the meantime, there's nothing's nothing wrong with having a preferred side to admire it from.
 
Time to start some cuttings ;)

image.jpeg

If you've been paying attention to some of my other posts, you're probably starting to worry that I've made a drastic chop . . .
 
0soyoung said:
I was expecting air layers this time :)!
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Yep. No chop, but I haven't started the layers yet either - just cutting a few heavy branches back.

I'm actually thinking that I might ground layer the whole thing at the widest point a couple of inches above the existing root mess.
 
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