Corkbark Elm potentials

[missionBonsai]

Hey all,

Wanting to share this corkbark I picked up a couple years ago. I think I will probably chop it down the road - maybe next year - and it has a ton of choices.

I thought it would be interesting to see what people think. I circled a problem area, I would normally take the branch growing straight up, but it just won’t look right.

 

[Shibui]

No need to worry about the circled problem area IMHO. It is way too far up the tree and will likely be removed in the reduction process. The V fork just below that area looks unnatural and there's no difference in thickness between the 2 branches/ trunks up there so one or both needs to go.
It's hard to assess forward and back trunk movement from 2D photos but I'd probably reduce this trunk to the second or 3rd red cut mark (counting up from the soil) Exactly where will depend on the shape of the lower trunk and roots and whether the upper section is growing away or forward from the best viewing 'front'

Don't worry too much that that sort of cut will leave the trunk pretty bare. Getting rid of those strong upper branches will allow the lower shoots to grow more so you can develop better lower branching.

Many trees have tons of choices. The trick is to assess each and pick the best. If you still can't decide which to pick that usually means all the options are equally good so it does not matter which you follow. If necessary toss a coin and follow one. After that the choice you've made will be the correct choice.

 

[missionBonsai]

No need to worry about the circled problem area IMHO. It is way too far up the tree and will likely be removed in the reduction process. The V fork just below that area looks unnatural and there's no difference in thickness between the 2 branches/ trunks up there so one or both needs to go...

Hey thanks for confirming my thoughts on the v-shape, I can’t decide yet which one I’d take. On the other hand I think I’d rather just have a smaller tree.

I did let some small branches start to develop last year further down, hard to see with all the buds that have popped.

It’s definitely too late in the season to chop that whole Y-shape off… right? Here’s some better pictures of the bend, it’s fairly drastic I’d say.

 

[S.C.garden]

I can see what I'd be wanting to do with it right off the bat, but I think it would look good in a short/ wide format. Nice looking plant.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Third red line from the bottom for me, not too late this year, best time to chop deciduous is when they are growing vigorously so they can heal the chop.

The reverse taper/knob in picture #3 of post #3 will require some reduction

 

[Shibui]

Hey thanks for confirming my thoughts on the v-shape, I can’t decide yet which one I’d take.

Neither of those upper branches are good. Definitely cut lower.
3rd red line would be my preferred option but only if the new top section comes toward the new front. A lower chop might be a better option if that gives a front growing apex.

I did let some small branches start to develop last year further down, hard to see with all the buds that have popped.

Those lower new shoots are great for future branching. Don't worry about a chop that reduces the tree to as tick and new shoots. Whatever you do it will be a few years before it looks good so you might as well chop at the best place and spend the time growing a good tree instead of cutting higher and getting a mediocre tree.