_space_bard_
Mame
I don't know what type of pine this is. It's in the city park so could be anything. But at the end of that branch it exploded with growth, like it's so thick I can't even put my hand in there. 
Wtf is going on with this pine branch?!
- Thread starter _space_bard_
- Start date
Shogun610
Masterpiece
That is a witches broom
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
That there could be a new cultivar.
Shogun610
Masterpiece
Nah the tree either has a hormonal issue or a virus caused by pests or fungus.
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
Possibly, only way to tell is to graft a scion and document how it grows.
_space_bard_
Mame
It might be hard to layer it since it's a public park. I might be able to hide a small layer inside the mess next spring.
_space_bard_
Mame
Just came across this article, I'm definitely going to try and graft it. I need to research grafting and buy some hosts to graft the cuttings to. I'll drive by the park tomorrow on my way to work and take better pictures and a video.
www.mprnews.org
Plant fanatics climb up trees hunting for 'witch's brooms'
Now about brooms -- witch's brooms, to be exact. Small, tightly woven masses of branches that can appear high up in pine trees across northern Minnesota. These "brooms" are actually the genetic source of a lot of the landscape plants and shrubs sold at nurseries. They're not often easy to retrieve.
www.mprnews.org
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
You don't need to air layer there at the park.
If you want to try growing it out all you need is a suitable rootstock and a cutting to be used as a scion. Graft the scion onto the rootstock and see what happens.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
I reckon the regular parts would be easier to maintain.
Stuff like this requires so much cutting, you end up left without enough to sustain it and too many holes.
Sorce
Stuff like this requires so much cutting, you end up left without enough to sustain it and too many holes.
Sorce
hinmo24t
Masterpiece
keebler elves' home
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Cool witches broom!
hinmo24t
Masterpiece
very coolJust came across this article, I'm definitely going to try and graft it. I need to research grafting and buy some hosts to graft the cuttings to. I'll drive by the park tomorrow on my way to work and take better pictures and a video.
Plant fanatics climb up trees hunting for 'witch's brooms'
Now about brooms -- witch's brooms, to be exact. Small, tightly woven masses of branches that can appear high up in pine trees across northern Minnesota. These "brooms" are actually the genetic source of a lot of the landscape plants and shrubs sold at nurseries. They're not often easy to retrieve.
from that article, heres a look at a broom segment
If I’m not mistaken, Kingsville boxwood was discovered as a witches broom years ago, 1915 ish. I know I’ve read this and I love Kingsvilles with their tiny congested growth. There are knowledgeable Kingsville growers here maybe they will respond especially if I’m mistaken. It was a awesome discovery if that was the case. That is a pretty cool, find!
LunaticTree
Yamadori
I am a landscape gardener, this type of behavior is called a witches broom, its a genetic misshap that cna often happen inall kinds of trees.
Seen it regulary especialy in european beech trees, although it can can of course happen in many other species.
The Tree is not at risk and this is Not the result of pests.
Seen it regulary especialy in european beech trees, although it can can of course happen in many other species.
The Tree is not at risk and this is Not the result of pests.
Jiminsauga
Mame
That was a fantastic read!Just came across this article, I'm definitely going to try and graft it. I need to research grafting and buy some hosts to graft the cuttings to. I'll drive by the park tomorrow on my way to work and take better pictures and a video.
Plant fanatics climb up trees hunting for 'witch's brooms'
Now about brooms -- witch's brooms, to be exact. Small, tightly woven masses of branches that can appear high up in pine trees across northern Minnesota. These "brooms" are actually the genetic source of a lot of the landscape plants and shrubs sold at nurseries. They're not often easy to retrieve.
I'm pretty sure I've seen witches brooms before during the winter, but I've always thought they were birds nest high up in the trees.
_space_bard_
Mame
One of the dudes paralyzed himself falling out of a tree while trying to grab one, and he was back out of there a year later in a wheel chair and probably shooting them out of the tree with a shotgun lol. Must be an addicting hobby.
_space_bard_
Mame
I've contacted NAU's biology department to see if their agriculture/botany/whathaveyou section would be interested in it. I don't really have the resources or the space to attempt cultivating a new cultivar lol. I still plan on attempting some grafts in the spring. I'm just afraid the city will eventually cut it off and throw it out since it's getting so large and unsightly.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
This is the fate of most witches brooms in public parks. Most people see such growth as similar to cancer and want it gone to either protect the tree or improve the look. The more visual it is the quicker it gets removed.
Witches brooms are more common than most realize. It is only those few who spend time looking into tree canopy that notice most of them. Some die off naturally before we even see them. A few get really big like this one.
Not all witches brooms end up as desirable horticultural cultivars. Many are unstable, some are just too weak to survive even when grafted, the growth habit of others is just way too contorted and tight to be useful, etc. Always worth trying to see exactly what characteristics it does have but not all will yield commercial cultivars.
_space_bard_
Mame
I was hoping it shot laser beams or poison darts out of the candles, but that hasn't been the case so far.
