Share your Fusions or Mad Scientist Projects

W3rk

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I'm really curious about fusing trees. I've found a bit of information about it but it doesn't seem to be too common. I've seen some ficus and maple (trident) fusions and not much else.

I've got some ficus cuttings that I'm working on rooting with hopes of trying fusion with later. I also recently cut off about 15-20 chinese elm whips - I wrapped them into bundles of about 5-6 each that I wired and bent to work on rooting them and potentially fusing.

I'd love to see tree fusions that any of you have worked on, or any other similar odd projects.
 

BrianBay9

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I'm really curious about fusing trees. I've found a bit of information about it but it doesn't seem to be too common. I've seen some ficus and maple (trident) fusions and not much else.

I've got some ficus cuttings that I'm working on rooting with hopes of trying fusion with later. I also recently cut off about 15-20 chinese elm whips - I wrapped them into bundles of about 5-6 each that I wired and bent to work on rooting them and potentially fusing.

I'd love to see tree fusions that any of you have worked on, or any other similar odd projects.

This is six trunks fused. One died. Ficus microcarpa.
 

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Wires_Guy_wires

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I'm trying albizia jullibrissin, which seems to work. But there are a couple of years to go until it looks like something.
 

TN_Jim

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Worked on this ficus last night. It started as four 4-5” cuttings taken last winter, wired tight this early spring, biting wire removed mid summer, scars pretty much gone now.

Probably worked it a bit to hard. Should be alright. Will come in under light when lows get ~50*. Used some old used wire -never again, lesson learned, gaps..don’t know how I didn’t snap a branch. The trunk is about as thick as my ring finger

Was left with four 3-5” cuttings when done to try it again

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BrianBay9

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I used raffia and zip ties instead of wire. Seemed to work pretty well.
 

jason biggs

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ficus burtt davyi and natalensis work very well with this method. both throw serious aerial roots
and the cuttings thicken quickly with little effort. I have found that tying the cuttings together with string works
well as after a year or so it rots and there is almost no scarring on the trunks...
 

bwaynef

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I managed to acquire one this year that's apparently a bunch of jmaple seedlings that'd been bound together. They'd experienced some stress earlier in the year and there was some unfortunate dieback. I'll likely up-pot them in the spring and let them grow for a bit. Its got some potential to develop into an interesting trunk.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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The backyard scientist made a clonex clone today:
- 100mL of water, 60-70°C
- 315mg of IBA-K
- 20mg of humic acid
- 20mg of fulvic acid
- 200mg of vitamin C

After addition and vigorous stirring, cool as soon as possible and store in the fridge. Or transfer to 2mL tubes and freeze them for later use.
 

plant_dr

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Here's about 4 or 5 thin Ficus benjaminas that I bound together awhile ago with no specific goal or plan in mind. I originally used green plastic floral tape but found that the plastic stretched out rather than holding the trunks tight enough. So I then wrapped with raffia which held better but then something chewed through the raffia over the last summer outside! All of the trunks have fused enough to feel like one solid trunk and some parts have grown together enough to look solid on the outside too. It's not pretty, I know.
 

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AJL

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Here in England I know a European Beech planted originally as a clump in the ground @ 100 years ago - it now has a basal diameter nearly 3 foot and is totally fused , with weird looking twisted bark. Must try to take some photos to post here next time I visit.
Im sure the same technique could work with a number of hardy deciduous trees species, willows would be an easy one to experiment with as you could just plant a tied bunch of cuttings together.....
 
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