RoR Cotoneaster from Seed

Paulpash

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My wife, who is prone to naming just about everything, calls this one The Lizard. It started as a 2 leafed seedling that lodged itself in an inch of dirt by a dip close to a wall probably twenty years ago now. I have abused this little guy multiple times, especially when I was just starting out - continual pruning, stupid changes in angle that I later cut out and started again, numerous dig ups and replanting in the garden. I didn't know then that cotoneaster don't thicken that well, especially if you keep messing with them.

I tried out my first thread grafting experiments and use of sacrifice branches on this one too which luckily saved it from a fungal attack about 10 years back. In order to save it I had to trunk chop it back below the infection site to the low sacrifice I had grafted on it and basically start over from scratch. Essentially, the vast majority of the tree is a thread graft. For the more observant there's a definite change of colour from the older silvery trunk (first 2 inches above the roots) to the less mature bark of the thread graft. You can still see the remnants of the hole the drill made (I'm not sure if this is an entry or exit wound) in the pic below. Anyway, enough of the jibber jabber here are the pics
IMG_20181113_155943.jpgIMG_20181113_160107.jpgIMG_20181113_161637.jpgIMG_20181113_161648.jpgIMG_20181113_161826.jpg

I'm off now to listen to 'I will survive' by Gloria Gaynor .....IMG_20181113_155927.jpgIMG_20181113_161826.jpgIMG_20181113_160224.jpg
 
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JosephCooper

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Nice! The roots really grab the rock.

I usually don't like root over rock because the roots often look like they will just walk away.

Once the chops heal and the branches are more refined it will be an impressive tree.
 

Paulpash

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Great roots! If it was from seed, what year did you start this?

A long time ago - 15 plus. It took ten years to grow a decent sized trunk and then I had to chop it all off and start again :( cotoneaster don't thicken very well and, maybe after quince, are the worst candidates for convincing root over rock.
 
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A long time ago - 15 plus. It took ten years to grow a decent sized trunk and then I had to chop it all off and start again :( cotoneaster don't thicken very well and, maybe after quince, are the worst candidates for convincing root over rock.
Thanks. I really like what you shared. :)
 

moke

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Nice ooh sooo nice!!! Dig it!!
Tanks for sharing Mon,
 

AlainK

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I found a pic with it in development from late Sept 2015. I think this was it's first year in this pot.


I like this angle:

It looks as if the tree wanted to throw away the rock :D

Or as if, when the rock failed, the tree secured roots either to save it, or to save itself.

In any case, this is the side I would definitely choose.

Anyway, like your tree a lot.

PS :
"Kraken" : exactly what came to my mind.


Krakoto-en ?... :D:cool:
 

W3rk

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I found a pic with it in development from late Sept 2015. I think this was it's first year in this pot.

Yeah this presents really well in this view. The movement and wrapping of the roots over the rock is so much better than most RoR I've seen. Really cool tree.
 
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