Wallace Cork Bark Elm

[ForrestW]

I have been really admiring all the tree thread on this site and regret years and years of not taking photos. This thread is kind of a reboot on this tree. I have probably had this tree for about 20 years. I acquired it at the Carolina Bonsai Expo from Ken Duncan in 2003-2005 range as a nice stump with skinny shoots all over it. I gave it a lot of years of care and development including probably 3-5 years in the ground, but then it had about 10 years (young kids) where it was on the auto sprinkler and and quick hedge pruning. It had a nice summer silhouette but was really poor in the winter. The image are from 2020 in a really shallow pot, then 2021 in a deeper one, then 2021 in the late summer early fall in leaf.

 

[ForrestW]

The first photo is the spring of 22, I did a moderate cut back-- then in may, I did a bit more aggressive one --sorry not pictured . Then the next photo is the spring of 2023 in a different pot and you can see it cut back further. The next two photos are from now Feb 2024 with a before and after work. I am happy with the direction it is going and will start thinking about a good pot to match it next year of the year after. I am glad to have any feedback or pointers-- there are somethings I am not going to attempt such as worrying about the inverse taper section but know there is always room to grow, or things fresh eyes see better. I am going to try and post some updates as time goes on Thanks-- Rob

 

[ForrestW]

Found the baby picture on an old mini CD that one of my first digital cameras used. This was in the spring of 2003-- so I acquired it in the fall of 2002 and this was just repotted into the same container I bought it in-- just after a root prune. If I knew then what I know now, it would be a much better tree by now. But... I am happy working it in what I see as a better direction.

 

[Ken Duncan]

Great work Rob and wonderful progression. It is good to see that a tree I started years ago is still alive and looking so beautiful in the hands of a true Artist.

 

[Ruddigger]

Chef’s kiss.

 

[ForrestW]

Update--
So about 3-4 weeks ago I watered it and a big area of leaves fell off??? This hapend a few years earlier with the lower left branch as well-- It recovered and I am hoping this will as well. But, I could not find any bugs or issues-- my suspicion is its a root issue and I will try and avoid keeping it too wet. In the spring I want to make a new pot for it, and will switch to a more traditional soil (Acadama, lava, etc) Right now its in sifted composted pine bark mulch and granite. Its not a great soil for refinement but its what I have used for 25 years and for the most part my watering has matched it well enough.

A few days ago I saw a good bit of new buds forming in the area the thinned out so I went ahead and did my spring pruning, and removed all the wire from before. My hope is thie would also give those buds a little head start and push the recovery in those areas...

I wired a few branches and added a few more tie downs for the rest of the year. I may try to use a soft tooth brush and a little water and soap and see if I can clean the darker areas off the bark without removing it. --

If anyone has any suggestions about
1. Why the leaves just randomly dropped in an area, and
2. good technique for cleaning the bark on a cork bark I would be grateful.

Thanks-- Rob

 

[bwaynef]

You've been holding out on us! This is a fantastic tree. I've got one I'm starting to work on myself so will be happy to glean from these photos on timing. I like that in its most recent pot that it appears to have been lowered a bit. That helps the nebari look more mature. I think some of the branching on the left would benefit by cutting back and starting over so that there's more taper, but also more bifurcation. The low-left branch in particular seems to extend for a while before any branching happens. The branches on the right have a lot more movement. (Really, it looks like its the first left branch and the branch off the left trunk just above that branch that goes to the rear.)

 

[ForrestW]

You've been holding out on us! This is a fantastic tree. I've got one I'm starting to work on myself so will be happy to glean from these photos on timing. I like that in its most recent pot that it appears to have been lowered a bit. That helps the nebari look more mature. I think some of the branching on the left would benefit by cutting back and starting over so that there's more taper, but also more bifurcation. The low-left branch in particular seems to extend for a while before any branching happens. The branches on the right have a lot more movement. (Really, it looks like its the first left branch and the branch off the left trunk just above that branch that goes to the rear.)

Thanks for the feedback-- you are absolutely correct about the bottom left branch. That was the one that dropped all its leaves a few years ago, and I wanted to see it really strong before stumping it. It is probably fine now, and I did get a small sprout early on the branch this spring. Once I see that get sprout to show a little more strength I will have the confidence to stub it shorter. Most of the other branches I did over the last 2 years in the regrowing stage. I also really want to get into those roots before doing much more heavy work. I am concerned why that big section up front dropped a bunch of leaves out of nowhere....

 

[luvinthemountains]

Thanks for the feedback-- you are absolutely correct about the bottom left branch. That was the one that dropped all its leaves a few years ago, and I wanted to see it really strong before stumping it. It is probably fine now, and I did get a small sprout early on the branch this spring. Once I see that get sprout to show a little more strength I will have the confidence to stub it shorter. Most of the other branches I did over the last 2 years in the regrowing stage. I also really want to get into those roots before doing much more heavy work. I am concerned why that big section up front dropped a bunch of leaves out of nowhere....

My big cork bark elm killed off a bottom branch this year. The branch was a bit weak anyway, so it wasn't entirely unexpected, but it was disappointing. Anyway, I have heard that these trees in particular will pull resources from lower branches if you let the top get too strong. That is certainly the case with my tree, and I wonder if it might have contributed with yours. One last thought - check the undersides of your branches for elm scale. I got them bad last year and they seem to love the cork bark for all the craggy hiding places it provides. Good luck!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

A lot of progress, but your branches have gotten too thick. Time for one of these:

 

[ForrestW]

My big cork bark elm killed off a bottom branch this year. The branch was a bit weak anyway, so it wasn't entirely unexpected, but it was disappointing. Anyway, I have heard that these trees in particular will pull resources from lower branches if you let the top get too strong. That is certainly the case with my tree, and I wonder if it might have contributed with yours. One last thought - check the undersides of your branches for elm scale. I got them bad last year and they seem to love the cork bark for all the craggy hiding places it provides. Good luck!

thanks for the feedback. Ironically neither time did the branch die. It dropped almost all the leaves, then budded back a little later... But I could not find any sign of bugs, but will keep my eye out.

A lot of progress, but your branches have gotten too thick. Time for one of these:

I will do some thinking on that-- most branches I shorted a lot in the last 2 seasons, and I just reduced the bottom left branch since my last photo. If I do go down to nothing, or just an inch or two with no visible buds-- what would be the best time to do that to have the best odds of back budding.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I will do some thinking on that-- most branches I shorted a lot in the last 2 seasons, and I just reduced the bottom left branch since my last photo. If I do go down to nothing, or just an inch or two with no visible buds-- what would be the best time to do that to have the best odds of back budding.

Early spring before the buds start to push, or early summer after the first growth has extended and hardened, but before second round of growth starts to push.

 

[ForrestW]

@Bonsai Nut What would you cut? The ones marked in Red were my thoughts -- the purple was a maybe. I do not mind most of the movement in the main tree and the transitions, but please feel free to mark up your suggested cuts (or anyone else).

 

[Wood]

Would these cuts in blue be worthwhile?

My thought is that the proposed cuts to the lower left branches will be the slowest part to re-grow to show-ready form. These apices could reduce the chance the tree sheds the lower branches if it's prone to that, and there will be plenty of time to rebuild them. An alternative could be to remove a lot of ramification from the apices

 

[ForrestW]

Would these cuts in blue be worthwhile?

My thought is that the proposed cuts to the lower left branches will be the slowest part to re-grow to show-ready form. These apices could reduce the chance the tree sheds the lower branches if it's prone to that, and there will be plenty of time to rebuild them. An alternative could be to remove a lot of ramification from the apices

View attachment 543335

I have been pondering reducing the 3 apex, however I have held back based on the somewhat higher lower branches in the ratio of first branch to total height. I would want to cut the second tree a little lower if I go this route, so that I have 3 different heights on the apex.