Montezuma cypress

[Cajunrider]

I have a 3 year old Montezuma cypress in the ground. It is about 4 ft tall and around 1.5" trunk. Now that I will not be owning the land much longer, I am contemplating digging it up to make it a bonsai. It is already budding out so I guess immediate digging is out. Can I dig it up in the fall or should I wait until next year?

 

[Cajunrider]

Trunk exploded to 2.5” this year.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I've got a seedling Montezuma cypress I potted this spring. Do they usually grow in wetlands, like our bald and pond cypresses, or do they prefer dryer ground?

 

[Cajunrider]

I think they are just like the bald and pond cypress.

 

[Cajunrider]

It is mostly dead. I will attempt a rescue soon.

 

[Cajunrider]

Rescued. It did not grow in size at all this year. I hope there are enough roots to support the few young buds it has at the bottom.

 

[Cajunrider]

I started slicing the trunk until I found live tissue and wound up with a very short but healthy trunk. So 4 years after buying a seedling on line and suffering multiple major weather events, this is where I am. Next year when this tree get healthy, it will be moved to a flat and placed in a mucky wet tub like all of my bald cypress for fast growth. It is currently in a rather deep pot because most of the healthy roots were down low. I cut away two thirds of the deep roots but still have to keep some to keep the tree alive. Once the top roots recover, the deep roots will be cut to prepare for future as a bonsai.

 

[Cajunrider]

 

[Cajunrider]

Unlike bald cypress that naturally drop their leaves in the fall, my Montezuma cypress did not drop any leaves and stayed green through winter. I am not sure whether it didn't turn because the leaves were still too young because they just came out in August 2022. Since the leaves didn't turn, I took it to my garage for a week when the temperature dropped down to 18-20 deg F at night. It is back outside now and is growing again.

 

[Cajunrider]

Unlike BC. The branches are not trying as hard to grow vertically. I let them grow naturally yet the top branch doesn’t try to grow straight up like BC would.

 

[Cajunrider]

Since the tree is already chopped low. This one will be carved down further to be a shohin like what @Joe Dupre' is doing.
PS: Hidden away from view is a very big side root. I am not sure what to do with it yet.

 

[Cajunrider]

Now I know why the tree was struggling. The carpenter ants dug multiple tunnels throughout the trunk. The tree has been treated so no more ants.

 

[Colt Carson]

Wow, I didn’t know ants would eat through living wood like that. I’ve seen Formosan Termites eat the bark of living Pine trees, but they didn’t get into the inner wood. I’m curious to see how things turn out.

 

[Cajunrider]

On the mend

 

[Cajunrider]

I am planning to dunk this tree as well to see how it goes. The species grows in the swamp in Mexico so being dunked should be no issue.

 

[Cajunrider]

20230516 Lower the soil level 3” and put it in a bus tub for dunking. We will see how it responds.

 

[Cajunrider]

A lot healthier once dunked

 

[Cajunrider]

Carved away the rotten part. Tree looks good. The leader will be allowed to grow til next year.

 

[Cajunrider]

End of growing season. Tree is healthy. I still don’t know how I am going to style it. Any suggestion?

 

[ERClover]

End of growing season. Tree is healthy. I still don’t know how I am going to style it. Any suggestion?
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Far be it from me to suggest how the Cypress king handle his subjects but just wanted to say glad this one made it through its rescue! Add ant attack to the list of fears haha.