Pyracantha that arrived today from Jason Schley...

[Cadillactaste]

Repotted it...took very little roots off. Was surprised by what was under the dirt. Adds crazy character. Love it! Love it's not a stick in the pot.

Tried for a few years to find one of these...still can't get over a zone friendly tree is unable to be ordered by nurseries up this way...their growers don't mess with them. No demand for them...improperly planted in the wrong place in landscapes have them a bad rep.

Forgot to credit pot to John Cannon.

 

[quietobserver]

Interesting new addition. Jason's a good fella. Don't forget this tree is a FL native this coming winter..

 

[Cadillactaste]

Interesting new addition. Jason's a good fella. Don't forget this tree is a FL native this coming winter..

Controlled cold greenhouse...got it covered...but thanks!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Now...to do the chops later today...to many long straight sections on the canopy.

 

[GrimLore]

Cool addition Was he able to tell you what color the pomes will be?

Grimmy

 

[coh]

What are your eventual plans styling and size-wise? You may want to allow one of those shoots to grow unhindered for a couple-few years to make a more gradual transition (taper) between the main trunk and the rest of the tree.

 

[LanceMac10]

If it was my tree, I wouldn't do anything to it until next year. Was it shipped from Florida? It looks like it's in active growth. With repotting, shipping, new climate....chopping off most of your foliage doesn't seem like such a great idea. Take your time!!

 

[Cadillactaste]

If it was my tree, I wouldn't do anything to it until next year. Was it shipped from Florida? It looks like it's in active growth. With repotting, shipping, new climate....chopping off most of your foliage doesn't seem like such a great idea. Take your time!!

Figured while in active growth the best time...would allow it to get a jump start on its future.

Had one familiar with Pyracantha tell me to do it now.

 

[Cadillactaste]

What are your eventual plans styling and size-wise? You may want to allow one of those shoots to grow unhindered for a couple-few years to make a more gradual transition (taper) between the main trunk and the rest of the tree.

Would it be best to keep then the main top branch to thicken answer chop later then?

 

[coh]

Would it be best to keep then the main top branch to thicken answer chop later then?

Maybe....depends on a few things:
- what is your future plan, do you intend to grow the top out and perhaps bring it over to the right? (If so, you could wire it now unless it's already too thick/stiff...which happens quickly with these)
- are there buds or small branches in the lower part of that top branch that could then be used either as branches or new trunk segments? Can't really tell what is there from the photo.
- do you have something else in mind, such as flowing the design over to the left using that left branch?

Ultimately it's very tough to make suggestions without being able to see the full structure. My experience has been that pyracantha is pretty slow to thicken, so I'd try to make use of what is there if it fit my design.

 

[Don Blackmond]

That pot reminds me of a cinnamon roll. Very interesting.
If it was my tree, I would have pruned it back when I repotted it. The conservative approach tells you to leave it alone and prune it later after its recovered from the other violations. Its probably best to be conservative.

 

[Cadillactaste]

That pot reminds me of a cinnamon roll. Very interesting.
If it was my tree, I would have pruned it back when I repotted it. The conservative approach tells you to leave it alone and prune it later after its recovered from the other violations. Its probably best to be conservative.

It was pruned a bit prior to shipping. Just repotted yesterday. I'm fine with being bold. You don't feel it needs a sacrafice branch @Don Blackmond ?

Was maybe only cut the top branch as one would want the leader to go...leaving the top as sacrafice? Or chop it entirely. I'm fine with being bold. I hear these are pretty durable.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Maybe....depends on a few things:
- what is your future plan, do you intend to grow the top out and perhaps bring it over to the right? (If so, you could wire it now unless it's already too thick/stiff...which happens quickly with these)
- are there buds or small branches in the lower part of that top branch that could then be used either as branches or new trunk segments? Can't really tell what is there from the photo.
- do you have something else in mind, such as flowing the design over to the left using that left branch?

Ultimately it's very tough to make suggestions without being able to see the full structure. My experience has been that pyracantha is pretty slow to thicken, so I'd try to make use of what is there if it fit my design.

There is none taper in that tall branch. It needs cut back eventually to build taper. Wiring would not correct that even if flexible. Though I have not even checked to see if brittle and stiff to be honest.

Though,I too was told they are slow to thicken. I don't know this cultivar very well.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

You really aren't going to build taper unless you want to let those branches run wild for 3-5 years, then chop them back to little stumps. Pyracantha are in the rose family, and send out "canes" from spurs (green arrows).

The best way I've found to train pyracantha is to wire a lot of movement into those straight branches, forcing all the spurs to the outsides of bends (yellow line). This gives a full appearance, and makes room for the blooms/berries. Eventually, you can shorten those long branches, back to a proximal shoot, and begin the process again. Eventually, you'll get taper, and in the meantime, you'll enjoy a bit of a canopy.

These branches are 10 years old. You can see they have been wired for shape, but really have no taper.


But, it's nice and full, and getting ready to put on quite the (smelly) bloom show...

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks @Brian Van Fleet for direction. Your canopy is amazing! So glad I didn't cut this tree back. So I need to wait on those spurs to grow a bit...but add movement with the bends of the spurs not hidden. Will be taking this route. Since I honestly don't know the tree. But love the direction your offering. Thanks for the photos explaining as well. I need virtual guidelines for my brain to grasp.

 

[quietobserver]

Thanks @Brian Van Fleet for direction. Your canopy is amazing!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Cool addition Was he able to tell you what color the pomes will be?

Grimmy

This is a standard red...but seedlings can be a bit different. So we will see. If it's to red and not orangish enough. Then...I will go hunting for a larger pot and look for a rock. It's got roots where one could slip a rock up under it and it could be cool. There is a space under that coils for the rock area to slip up under. And give me time to find the right rock. So either way it's a win/win. If orangish it stays if red...another direction to take.

 

[Don Blackmond]

It was pruned a bit prior to shipping. Just repotted yesterday. I'm fine with being bold. You don't feel it needs a sacrafice branch @Don Blackmond ?

Was maybe only cut the top branch as one would want the leader to go...leaving the top as sacrafice? Or chop it entirely. I'm fine with being bold. I hear these are pretty durable.

I assume you are going to grow it small, but if you are thinking about apex taper, then keep the lead and put it back in a grow pot. Wire your branches to create movement within 2" of the trunk, as you'll be cutting off everything past that. As I said, I'd wire it and cut it back now rather than waiting, but you need to do what suits your style and preferences.

 

[Don Blackmond]

This is a standard red...but seedlings can be a bit different. So we will see. If it's to red and not orangish enough. Then...I will go hunting for a larger pot and look for a rock. It's got roots where one could slip a rock up under it and it could be cool. There is a space under that coils for the rock area to slip up under. And give me time to find the right rock. So either way it's a win/win. If orangish it stays if red...another direction to take.

I would not try to make it a root over rock at this point. Roots need to be young and pliable, otherwise you have two things that don't look like they belong together. That's my opinion. Yours may differ.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I would not try to make it a root over rock at this point. Roots need to be young and pliable, otherwise you have two things that don't look like they belong together. That's my opinion. Yours may differ.

Very true...it was more root on roclimate sitting at an angle. Not wrapped around. But that would be confusing.