Arakawa bark trivia?

[caffeinated]

I had read somewhere a long time ago that the corkbark on maples develop faster in the shade. I forgot about that bit of questionable info until I was checking on an Arakawa that I had started an air layer on in February. I had it nestled in among some other trees in my "growing these out so just ignore them" area and hadn't touched it until this week to see if I could see any roots through the plastic. It had been sitting in the same position for five months and already has a fairly thick trunk that is starting to bark up. I turned the tree around and was surprised to see how much more bark had developed on the side facing away from the sun in just four months. Is this useful information? I have no idea.

 

[rockm]

Trunk in the shade for 25 years. I planted the tree under my deck. Planned to dig it up at some time for bonsai. Never got around to it. Now the first third of the trunk is almost thigh thick...Ignore the black snake for the moment.

 

[Ininaatigoons]

This is incredible! Anyone else with this experience? Bark up in the shade! This is very valuable information.

 

[zita]

VERY interesting

 

[pandacular]

Hmmm I believe there is an old Kimura Bonsai Today article about using the direction of the sun to grow bark. But I believe it was a pine, and that the bark was growing stronger on the sunny side. Let me see if I can find it.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Hmmm I believe there is an old Kimura Bonsai Today article about using the direction of the sun to grow bark. But I believe it was a pine, and that the bark was growing stronger on the sunny side. Let me see if I can find it.

Try issues 38, 60, 80, or 84…?

 

[leatherback]

Trunk in the shade for 25 years. I planted the tree under my deck. Planned to dig it up at some time for bonsai. Never got around to it. Now the first third of the trunk is almost thigh thick...Ignore the black snake for the moment.

gorgeous homogenous!