What’s wrong with this blue beech?

[Eckhoffw]

Small nursery plant purchased this spring. I’ve done nothing but pot it up from a smaller container when purchased. IDK. Leaves look burnt up. I’ve been trying to stay up on the watering with the hot weather. Just wondering if there’s something else I don’t see or should do.
thanks
Nothing special. But the only beech in my collection.

 

[Paradox]

I've had beech do this and lose all their leaves when I moved them from an area with mostly shade to a spot with more sun. The trees didn't die though so if yours loses its leaves just keep it watered and winter it as normal. Wait until next Spring before you declare it dead.

Beech like to be in a spot with morning sun and a lot of afternoon shade

 

[BobbyLane]

looks like its sulking from being called a 'blue' beech

ps could be sun or wind drying the leaf tips or it might of gotten too dry. along with hornbeams they like to be well watered in summer. one missed watering is all it takes to look crappy all season.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Wrong color/not blue. Green and brown one likely got too hot.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Thanks ^^^^ I’m thinking it got scorched and too dry. Weather has been pretty hot lately. No rain!!!! I’ll put it in the morning sun, afternoon shade spot.

 

[Eckhoffw]

looks like its sulking from being called a 'blue' beech

American hornbeam??
It’s been so dry the Cortonwoods are shedding leaves.

 

[BobbyLane]

American hornbeam??
It’s been so dry the Cortonwoods are shedding leaves. View attachment 389575View attachment 389576

see in a climate like that id have a bit more organic matter in my soil. ive always kept beech, hornbeams and elms, in fact most of my trees tend to have more organics in than most. i had a hornbeam that was drying out too quickly early in the season, the top soil was drying too quickly, i knew it would get caught dry if i didnt do something, so top dressed with moss and some old soil with compost in yep compost its in my mixes, the tree is thriving. in the heat of summer i can get away with just wetting the surface of my pots. i dont need to drench at every watering. elms n zelkova will take a bit of drought but not beech n hornbeam they love moist soil.

 

[sorce]

I’ve done nothing but pot it up from a smaller container when purchased.

How?
That's huge.

Sorce

 

[Forsoothe!]

Moving full sun trees into partial sun because they are reacting badly to poor watering habits is back-asswards. Increasing watering, over-potting, or increasing organic fraction is a better answer to the problem. The trees are entirely dependent upon the human owner who needs to proactively anticipate situations, not just react after the fact. People who choose to imitate the Japanese penchant for inorganic media in shallow pots need to remember that bonsai is treated as a discipline with daily obligations in Japan, not just a sometime hobby as it is in the west.

 

[Eckhoffw]

How?
That's huge.

Sorce

how did I do it? Well I purchased it in early spring. It was in leaf. I figured I could slip pot it into another bigger plastic pot. Didn’t cut or comb roots, just loosened rootball.
I added some recycled calcined clay, pine bark and pumice I have around to fill pot.

 

[TN_Jim]

Hey @BobbyLane, I’m certain you’ve posted this somewhere… I know you’re across the pond and conditions are not exactly equivalent to mine; however, could you describe the ingredients and ratios of your beech/hornbeam mix in a bonsai pot?? Thanks much

 

[Eckhoffw]

see in a climate like that id have a bit more organic matter in my soil. ive always kept beech, hornbeams and elms, in fact most of my trees tend to have more organics in than most. i had a hornbeam that was drying out too quickly early in the season, the top soil was drying too quickly, i knew it would get caught dry if i didnt do something, so top dressed with moss and some old soil with compost in yep compost its in my mixes, the tree is thriving. in the heat of summer i can get away with just wetting the surface of my pots. i dont need to drench at every watering. elms n zelkova will take a bit of drought but not beech n hornbeam they love moist soil.

Thank you for the feedback! I’ll be sure to keep it well watered and will add some top dressing. Would you do anything with it at this point besides?

 

[BobbyLane]

yeh id put it in the ground to bulk up!

 

[Eckhoffw]

yeh id put it in the ground to bulk up!

Will be moving in 2 weeks, but yeah. Good call!

 

[augustine]

Yes it is American Hornbeam.

 

[Scrogdor]

I just bought a Pre-Bonsai NA Hornbeam with leaves that look the exact same. The owner said they all got pretty scorched during the most recent heat wave but all had ample water, and should bounce back in the spring. For what its worth too, the NA hornbeams had the worst leaf scorch out of the other European, and Korean hornbeams that were also there.

Did some reading and the American Hornbeam is generally found in the understory of hardwood forests in nature, so it should do well in partial shade.

 

[Eckhoffw]

I just bought a Pre-Bonsai NA Hornbeam with leaves that look the exact same. The owner said they all got pretty scorched during the most recent heat wave but all had ample water, and should bounce back in the spring. For what its worth too, the NA hornbeams had the worst leaf scorch out of the other European, and Korean hornbeams that were also there.

Did some reading and the American Hornbeam is generally found in the understory of hardwood forests in nature, so it should do well in partial shade.

Thank you for this info!
yeah, during a heat wave this summer this tree as well as a small Korean maple both got scorched! I waited for new leaves but none showed up. Didn’t want to defoliate because I figured the were already unhappy! They still get care but look awful. . Thanks again!