Burning Bush about 7.5 years after collecting

[daudelus]

This is a Burning Bush that I collected very much out of season (late summer/early fall) in 2009... it was in the 80s that day, so rather than try and pot it, I just stuck it in the ground for a few years.


This is where it was last spring:


Now, this Spring (2017) just before leafing out:


Now after leafing out:


I plan to eliminate most of the straight branch coming off the top left once another branch presents itself further in... issues are there with reverse taper and work to be done on the stub coming toward you at the bottom... it's been one of 'those trees' that I have not really been able to figure out... I have thought about air layering at the reverse taper, but not sure it is worth it in the end... and I don't think I fully understand how to work with the foliage and the best way to get more extensive branching. Any thoughts?

 

[0soyoung]

This is a Burning Bush that I collected very much out of season (late summer/early fall) in 2009... it was in the 80s that day, so rather than try and pot it, I just stuck it in the ground for a few years.

Since you've done this once, do you suppose it could be done again (repot in late summer/early fall)?
And, why did/do you think it makes a difference to put it back in the ground as opposed to potting?

 

[A. Gorilla]

That doesn't strike me as unattractive reverse taper. It's particularly unattractive when it's very obvious what caused it and your vision keeps getting hooked by it. This looks like more or less "natural" which isn't distracting at a glance.

 

[daudelus]

Since you've done this once, do you suppose it could be done again (repot in late summer/early fall)?
And, why did/do you think it makes a difference to put it back in the ground as opposed to potting?

I dug it in the heat... I didn't want to disturb the roots any more and planted it back in the ground with all of the clay intact so it could recover. You haven't noticed any negatives to repotting (or collecting and potting) in the heat of summer in your experience?

 

[daudelus]

That doesn't strike me as unattractive reverse taper. It's particularly unattractive when it's very obvious what caused it and your vision keeps getting hooked by it. This looks like more or less "natural" which isn't distracting at a glance.

I would think that some carving could assist with the reverse taper... also, this front was chosen because it minimized the impact of that unwanted feature.

 

[aml1014]

how to work with the foliage and the best way to get more extensive branching. Any thoughts?

Burning bush are generally single flush plants meaning they only grow once a year in spring. I allow mine to fully extend its branching in spring then I'll cut back in mid to late summer. This stimulates a lot of back budding. These are slow to develop, buy well worth the patience for the nice fall colors.

Aaron

 

[A. Gorilla]

I'll post a picture of mine a little later. It also has some issues, but I think they are hide-able.

 

[Tieball]

Since you've done this once, do you suppose it could be done again (repot in late summer/early fall)?
And, why did/do you think it makes a difference to put it back in the ground as opposed to potting?

I would have put it in the ground too. Being collected at that time of the year it would have a better natural insulating and moisture management in the natural ground over the winter months.

 

[0soyoung]

You haven't noticed any negatives to repotting (or collecting and potting) in the heat of summer in your experience?

I've done Eastern redbuds, cork oaks, roses, acer palmatum, japanese quince, cotoneaster, boxwood, junipers, mugos, Douglas fir, p. strobus, p. contorta, p. nigra, atlas cedar, zelkova, ulmus 'Suiju', holly, viburnum, and azaleas/rhododendrons. My wife rearranges the garden both in spring and Aug/Sep, moving just about every garden plant in the same fashion as you, both in spring and Aug/Sep.

Aug/Sep repotting (stuff in pots) includes root work and even bare rooting. Basically, anything 'waxy leafed' doesn't skip a beat. Acer palmatum and Eastern redbuds will wimp out if the rH is below 50% (put them in shade and maybe a humidity tent for a while when it happens). I am reluctant to do bare rooting and heavy root combing of acer palmatums in Aug/Sep. So, mostly as a matter of convenience, I preferentially repot conifers and quince in Aug/Sep and thin-leafed deciduous in spring.

Heat below about 95F isn't a problem; in fact it is good because the metabolic processes are running 'full speed', so recovery should be fast. Low humidity (i.e., rH < 50%) is the big worry IMHO. For much of the western U.S. Aug/Sep is a rainy season (i.e., a time of high humidity).

As a group BNutters are very fearful of repotting anytime other than 'as buds swell', so I wonder if you continue to be terrified of Aug/Sep repotting or whether the experience has caused you to think differently.

 

[jeanluc83]

I have a burning bush that I have been working on for about 4 years now. I'm starting to get the feel for how it will respond.

You only get one push of growth a year but it behaves fairly predictably. In the spring each bud extends to form a shoot. The shoot will have several sets of opposing leaves but no branching. Over the course of the summer and early fall the shoot will thicken and it will set buds at the base of each leaf. The following spring the process will repeat with each bud becoming a shoot and so on.

Use the fact that each bud becomes a shoot to your advantage. Over the course of several years you can build your ramification.

Working with a burning bush is almost more like working with pines. You only really need to work on them a couple of times a year. The rest of the time they just need to be left to grow.

 

[sorce]

As a group BNutters are very fearful of repotting anytime other than 'as buds swell

I am the hell outtha that camp!

I noticed a clear summer dormancy in my trees last year.

I think that summer repotting time is somewhat the same as spring as they are "just waking up" again.

Follow moon...humidity...etc.

I'm gonna "Mugo Schedule" repot a spruce or 2 this summer....
Some blue rug...
And some Mugo!

Maybe an elm.

Sorce

 

[just.wing.it]

I did several summertime repots last year including yew, mugo, 2 different Ilex's, a small burning bush that I dug from the ground and bare rooted, and a spruce...
No problemo!
But I still prefer to do it when buds are swelling, on most....
The only one that I may never do at that time are mugo....it's just safer to take Vance's advice on that!

 

[daudelus]

I have a burning bush that I have been working on for about 4 years now. I'm starting to get the feel for how it will respond.

You only get one push of growth a year but it behaves fairly predictably. In the spring each bud extends to form a shoot. The shoot will have several sets of opposing leaves but no branching. Over the course of the summer and early fall the shoot will thicken and it will set buds at the base of each leaf. The following spring the process will repeat with each bud becoming a shoot and so on.

Use the fact that each bud becomes a shoot to your advantage. Over the course of several years you can build your ramification.

Working with a burning bush is almost more like working with pines. You only really need to work on them a couple of times a year. The rest of the time they just need to be left to grow.

I'd love to see a picture of yours! Also, do you have any suggestions on taming the really course growth that can occur over the course of just one season?

 

[sorce]

I'd love to see a picture of yours! Also, do you have any suggestions on taming the really course growth that can occur over the course of just one season?

Just a couple thoughts.....

I killed a Fall dug one...
And 2 nursery ones.

But....

The stump in.the yard .that was previously cut down .sent .shoots .last year....I cut em off....all summer.

It thru a shoot again this year!

Gangster!

More important but just.as. confusing....

You know the 10day JBP candle program?

Well as I.understand it....
You .cut. The low candles first...
So the new growth has more season To grow And be bigger.

I think this practice can be applied to BB.
Though more.complex depending.on. the .tree.

Maybe doing single .branches all .the .way up over a .longer time?

Sorce

P.S. sorry .for.bleeding periods .all over with my broke lol! Pad!

 

[jeanluc83]

I'd love to see a picture of yours! Also, do you have any suggestions on taming the really course growth that can occur over the course of just one season?

I started a thread when I collected it three years ago.

Euonymus alatus, burning bush, spindle tree

I had course growth the first two years but last year's growth was not as vigorous. It was repotted in the spring and then battled aphids until early summer. That could have been why it slowed down some. It is also a big tree at about 38" tall so the growth is not really out of proportion.

I have been told that you can decrease node length by pinching the terminal bud as the shoots extend but I have not tried it. You should also get more controlled growth as you build ramification.

I'll update my thread later in the spring. I need to do some more carving and do a complete wiring of the tree.

 

[jeanluc83]

You know the 10day JBP candle program?

Well as I.understand it....
You .cut. The low candles first...
So the new growth has more season To grow And be bigger.

I think this practice can be applied to BB.
Though more.complex depending.on. the .tree.

Maybe doing single .branches all .the .way up over a .longer time?

The problem with doing this is that you get only one push of growth a season. Burning bushes in the ground can get a second after it is trimmed but I would not rely on it in a pot.

I think you need to think of it more like a single flush pine. Anything you cut off is not going to be replaced that season so you need to be smart about when you do it. I have found fall or early spring to be a good time to do major cutbacks. My reasoning goes like this. By fall the tree has recovered the energy it used to grow the shoot so removing it will not reduce the trees energy significantly. In the spring none of the stored energy has been spent yet so anything removed will not cost the tree anything.

 

[daudelus]

I started a thread when I collected it three years ago.

Euonymus alatus, burning bush, spindle tree

I had course growth the first two years but last year's growth was not as vigorous. It was repotted in the spring and then battled aphids until early summer. That could have been why it slowed down some. It is also a big tree at about 38" tall so the growth is not really out of proportion.

I have been told that you can decrease node length by pinching the terminal bud as the shoots extend but I have not tried it. You should also get more controlled growth as you build ramification.

I'll update my thread later in the spring. I need to do some more carving and do a complete wiring of the tree.

Nice tree! It will be interesting to see where you go with the carving...

 

[Toshi]

How's this tree doing? I'm invested in its future now please don't leave me hanging :b