snapped main branch rescue

[SouthernMaple]

So i was bending my cascade maple today even harder and I snapped a branch, its not 100% snapped but its a deep crack 40-60% of the main trunk, I watched the Bill Valavanis full moon maple vid and put cut putty into the wound with a chop stick, do you think it is done for? The crack actually makes the bend better

 

[0soyoung]

Wrap some saran around it, polyethylene garden tape, a wad of damp sphagnum, putty, etc. ASAP. This will keep what cambium is left from desiccating and could save the branch. If it has been more than 24 hours, it probably doesn't matter any more.

As long as there is a line of cambium across the break, it can survive, but the leaves above the break will tell you in short order whether there is enough functional xylem to keep them going. If they wither, you need to face the music and prune it off just below the break. Not to worry, you can regrow it. Then, when it is young and supple, you should do this wiring and gentle bending and not wait until is is several years old like you did this time.

 

[SouthernMaple]

Wrap some saran around it, polyethylene garden tape, a wad of damp sphagnum, putty, etc. ASAP. This will keep what cambium is left from desiccating and could save the branch. If it has been more than 24 hours, it probably doesn't matter any more.

As long as there is a line of cambium across the break, it can survive, but the leaves above the break will tell you in short order whether there is enough functional xylem to keep them going. If they wither, you need to face the music and prune it off just below the break. Not to worry, you can regrow it. Then, when it is young and supple, you should do this wiring and gentle bending and not wait until is is several years old like you did this time.

it happened 24 minutes after making that post, the center part of the branch is severed but not completely broken, i puttied it within 5mins of snap, shouldi wrap in spagnum too?

 

[one_bonsai]

Every time I've broken branches or trunks on any species including Maples, I've just wired them back to their original position and they always survive as long as it's done fairly soon after the break. Even with bad breaks where it's just hanging on by the bark.

 

[SouthernMaple]

Every time I've broken branches or trunks on any species including Maples, I've just wired them back to their original position and they always survive as long as it's done fairly soon after the break. Even with bad breaks where it's just hanging on by the bark.

i watched a bill valavanis video where he cracks a branch like people do with pines on a full moon maple. Also according to Peter Chan this time of year is the best time to heal cuts on trees

 

[0soyoung]

it happened 24 minutes after making that post, the center part of the branch is severed but not completely broken, i puttied it within 5mins of snap, shouldi wrap in spagnum too?

No, that's good.
The point is to immediately do something to keep the cambium moist. Obviously damp sphagnum will do that and so would a damp paper towel as well other things along that line. The alternative is to cover the cambium with a moisture barrier such as the putty you applied.

 

[AJL]

You could also tie a length of wire along the affected branch section to provide support, like a splint, till the wound has healed. I have occasionally used superglue with some success applied to the broken section but not covering the cambium. Cling -film food wrap makes a good temporary moisture barrier.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Beware with clay cut protection. Have done same thing on Oak tree but when scraped off clay months later had excess callus tissue and lump in branch/trunk. Only leave a couple months maximum.

 

[leatherback]

To be honest, I would just clip it off.

Will it life? Yes it will. The break is not so bad.
Will it look good? Not really. You will always have a swelling there.
What is worse, it will remain a weak spot for years to come. So amy manipulation you do later, will risk breaking.

You have 2 side-branches there. Use those. Get some taper back in. On the long run I think it will help the tree more to remove it.

But I have easy talking. I have more trees than I know what to do with, so I do not mind a few unplanned chops.

Do make a plan for where you want this tree to go, then see whether you do need the long main trunk.

 

[Shibui]

I strongly agree with @leatherback
Healed breaks are always a weak spot. In a few years you will forget and try to bend again and it will break again. been there, done that - many times.
Also about the taper. This break is good for your tree. Using a side branch to extend the trunk usually gives a much more natural bend and, much more important, gives taper in the trunk. It may seem you are going backward but will be much better in the long term.

 

[SouthernMaple]

I respect all of your answers thank you for everything, this is why I like using this forum so much instead of people in my club. Whom aren't as responsive or knowledgeable about Acers, this is 1 of 15 trees in my collection and my only cascade(i have a few semi cascades), cascade is definitely my favorite style. The plan for the tree was to bend it there and it was already bent there to some degree, I was just wanting to bend it a little more and snap. The end of the tree has such great ramification, better than the rest of the tree, in my opinion.

Is there any way I can cut where you suggest and use the cut off part and put into water and grow roots since its too late in the year to airlayer it?
This particular maple is an Atropurepureum and the only one in my collection so having two would be beneficial to me in the future.

 

[leatherback]

You can of course leave it now, and airlayer in spring?

Then, the young branch you can wire in place directly. Look at good cascades. The cascading branch should show some for of stuggle between forces pushing it down, and following the sunlight up: Bends, curves and twists adds interest.

 

[Paradox]

Redirect Notice

Good ones on that link

IMO the trunk is too big and straight to be reliably bend into a convinicing cascade. Trees dont grow straight for 3-4 years then suddenly decide to be a cascade..
You might have better luck starting with a much smaller seedling that is more bendable.

 

[SouthernMaple]

Redirect Notice

Good ones on that link

IMO the trunk is too big and straight to be reliably bend into a convinicing cascade. Trees dont grow straight for 3-4 years then suddenly decide to be a cascade..
You might have better luck starting with a much smaller seedling that is more bendable.

it was a year old seedling that I started the bend on last year as I started taking it off and noticed wire biting into the tree

 

[Paradox]

it was a year old seedling that I started the bend on last year as I started taking it off and noticed wire biting into the tree
View attachment 323889

Take a good look at some cascade maples as was suggested by @leatherback . There are a couple in the link I posted.
Then take a good look at your tree and see if you can tell the difference.

 

[SouthernMaple]

Take a good look at some cascade maples as was suggested by @leatherback . There are a couple in the link I posted.
Then take a good look at your tree and see if you can tell the difference.

the difference is about 50 years

 

[leatherback]

the difference is about 50 years

look better.

Time will fix that. But the fundamental way good cascades are build you need to do now

 

[Paradox]

the difference is about 50 years

yes but thats not the only difference.
Those trees dont look like they were a straight trunk that has been bent over with wire.
Those trees look like they grew that way, under harsh conditions that bent them as they grew and shaped them before they built woody trunks.

 

[fredman]

True...a slow bend will still look like a slow bend in 50years time.

 

[SouthernMaple]

True...a slow bend will still look like a slow bend in 50years time.

not to be a douche but i can't seem to find any pictures of one online, I guess the consensus is to lop it off, tomorrow will be a rough day I guess but if I want to grow as a bonsai artist I am gonna have to put on my big boy britches and cut away and not think twice about it. To me that is one of the hardest parts of doing this hobby. Thank you guys for being patient with me. Ill post pics tomorrow post cut.