progress thread: Porcelain Berry

[hinmo24t]

backstory: got it off CL for free ($10 + drive, nothing is free either, best lesson i ever learned in honors economics)
it was grown in a whisky half barrel for a decade. the lady said she never did anything to it and thrived regardless. illegal transfer by her in MA but w.e.
i repotted it mid march 2021
im careful with this thing because i dont want me yard to be taken over by it. ive seen it berry as well, later summer i think





open to comments or suggestions

 

[Dav4]

Cool variegated porcelain berry. I have found them to be tough and very responsive to pruning to build ramification… But I lose all that ramification over the winter. This year I’m trying a slightly different strategy and allowing the runners to extend at least a foot if possible. I’m hoping that allows some of the branching to lignify and become permanent.

 

[hinmo24t]

thanks, and good to know. this one had an ant colony living in it or working aphids when i got it, just gnarly looking

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I like it.
If it were mine, I would eliminate all those "stilt roots" surrounding the trunk. I would also go to a larger pot, or be prepared to water this several times a day. You could also set the pot in a shallow pan of water for the hot weather. drain the pan at night, refill in the morning when you water before heading off to work. These are very thirsty in 90+F weather.

Letting branches extend to lignify, as @Dav4 suggested is the way to get the branches to lignify enough to survive the winter. Let grow out after the middle of summer, prune back hard in late spring, as or after the tree has begun to move in spring.

 

[hinmo24t]

I like it.
If it were mine, I would eliminate all those "stilt roots" surrounding the trunk. I would also go to a larger pot, or be prepared to water this several times a day. You could also set the pot in a shallow pan of water for the hot weather. drain the pan at night, refill in the morning when you water before heading off to work. These are very thirsty in 90+F weather.

Letting branches extend to lignify, as @Dav4 suggested is the way to get the branches to lignify enough to survive the winter. Let grow out after the middle of summer, prune back hard in late spring, as or after the tree has begun to move in spring.

Thanks Leo

 

[hinmo24t]

@Leo in N E Illinois i think i will get rid of some stilt roots and keep your suggestions in mind for watering and letting it go after mid summer pruning.

 

[hinmo24t]

i removed three ish stilt roots per @Leo in N E Illinois and more pruning and she responded well
plan on some more pruning thru mid July then let her harden off until next year

from this AM

 

[badatusernames]

Looks great!

Many apologies, I just asked this in another thread before seeing this more recent one - are these to be repotted in summer? Or is it more of a mid / late spring thing? I see the other thread I posted in from April, and this one from June, both from the northeast, so figured I'd try to drill in the details.

 

[hinmo24t]

Looks great!

Many apologies, I just asked this in another thread before seeing this more recent one - are these to be repotted in summer? Or is it more of a mid / late spring thing? I see the other thread I posted in from April, and this one from June, both from the northeast, so figured I'd try to drill in the details.

They are super vigorous and invasive and can put up with a lot you might be able to report one now but spring for sure, I wouldn't in winter