Lonicera Maacki -

[HorseloverFat]

I collected this Amur Honeysuckle in an overzealous “first spring season spent as a bonsai/penjing/tinytree enthusiast” fervor. It came with me in February 2020 after I found the soil around it’s root system near completely eroded away.

At the time of it’s collection, I was unsure of the timing or reason that three previous trunks were severed prior to my discovery by parks maintenance workers.

It never occurred to me at that time that those branches had no “life” flowing through them anymore...


What’s left is my personal, almost-immediately dashed hopes and aspirations for this tree.

This little ‘suckle is taking a year to really “soak in” the sights, work on his visualization.... align his chi.

That being said, I believe if i alter my perception in a more positive manner.. this’ll be a strange and enjoyable project.

One could gain LOTTTTS of carving practice from this specimen.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I find honeysuckle have a bad habit of loosing the more ramified branches in favor of 'sucker' type growth.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Point of my post, you have a sucker coming from the roots, to keep the trunk alive, get rid of that sucker, and any new that form right away, as soon as they are visible.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Point of my post, you have a sucker coming from the roots, to keep the trunk alive, get rid of that sucker, and any new that form right away, as soon as they are visible.

Much appreciation in your general direction, Leo.

I shall perform this operation now.

 

[HorseloverFat]

(((Mid-summer maintenance)))

I am taking it veeery slowly with this tree.. as I’m still sketching Ideas for how to deal with/incorporate those(one) of those dead trunks... and still meditating on this bleak overall design.

What a terribly ill-informed collection!!!
Hooray!

 

[sorce]

It looks exactly like mine!

Bout to throw it out!

I cut mine back and it took like a month and a half to grow again.

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

It looks exactly like mine!

Bout to throw it out!

I cut mine back and it took like a month and a half to grow again.

Sorce

Every day.. i look at it.. and feel bad for it, and myself, that it’s sitting on my bench.

 

[HorseloverFat]

....I hate this tree.
(And NO!...I HAVEN’T decided what to do with all that deadwood)

 

[HorseloverFat]

Had to set movement early... the chutes act QUITE brittle when lignified.... also addressed some deadwood/scar tissue... setting up for future healing success.
I still don’t really like this tree... just making the best of an “early-in-the-game” collection.

 

[HorseloverFat]

It was time for round one..
I cut longer... this is because this tree has a random budding procedure when hormones are redistributed.. so I didn’t want to burn all of my bridges.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Now I know what to expect.. I'm planning for a more productive year.. This tree is starting to grow on me, despite it's sheer stupidity. I have a plan for that deadwood now... but could not find my hand saw...(the one pictured was NOT effective) so that must wait.

 

[HorseloverFat]

These (North American Honeysuckle) seem to have a different rhythm, different timing than other Lonicera. Due to this I will be creating a species study.. documenting a specimen I am developing from cutting.

But THIS... is how I do my "Pre-summer" Lonicera work...(I've found they move in three flushes... and up here, it's best to lock in that second flush for high-summer, from my experience.)
Before

After

 

[HorseloverFat]

Just blitz updating with what semi-recent shots were available. I will be outlining/discussing my local Lonicera technique, but using the younger, more.. expression-able specimen that I started from cutting, in the Species Study thread. I'll start going at the stumps in spring.

Uhhhh that's not a good, OR super recent picture!!! (This doofus is actually starting to resemble something "neat" in potential.).. I doubt I'll remember to take another, better, "nude" shot before next spring.

 

[HorseloverFat]

First round of work...

 

[HorseloverFat]

Second round... About 2-3 weeks ago.