Corylus avellana 'Contorta'
- Thread starter ConorDash
- Start date
Cattwooduk
Shohin
The only thing I can see perhaps is that while the air layer is in place, any Nutrients coming from the roots still go up to the section above the air layer, thus depriving the rest of the plant of those nutrients. This is because you only interrupt the cambium layer and not the phloem/xylem. If you had two plants, chopped one and air layered the other at the same time, the chopped one would immediately be redirecting the nutrients to the rest of the plant, where as the air layered one is still using the nutrients to maintain the part above the layer. So when you remove the air layered part you've removed all the nutrients that would've gone elsewhere... obviously when you remove the layer the nutrients are then directed elsewhere as well, it just means you've lost the nutrients from the duration of the air layer.
I think that makes sense... was kind of typing it out as I thought through it!
I think that makes sense... was kind of typing it out as I thought through it!
Just a pic of it leafing out. The leaves are certainly tiny, almost insignificant to its outstanding grey branches. I do love the leaves on it though, they have a purple flower bud still in the middle of it. As far as I know, the catkins are the male and the purple parts female flowers. Seems like there is still yet more to open from inside the leaves but I could be wrong.
Still really liking the cascade idea of the lower section of it:
But I also really fancy one of the big branches for a tree of its own... Ill put forward an idea and plan for that sometime, for now I'm content with it just being happy and healthy. As has been fleshed out in this thread, I don't want to chop it about too much or waste it. If I air-layered off the cascade part on bottom, I would leave the air layer for a long time to get many roots, so there's minimal risk of losing any of the top of the tree.
Any way, I don't want to go in to plans too much, just pics for now
Still really liking the cascade idea of the lower section of it:
But I also really fancy one of the big branches for a tree of its own... Ill put forward an idea and plan for that sometime, for now I'm content with it just being happy and healthy. As has been fleshed out in this thread, I don't want to chop it about too much or waste it. If I air-layered off the cascade part on bottom, I would leave the air layer for a long time to get many roots, so there's minimal risk of losing any of the top of the tree.
Any way, I don't want to go in to plans too much, just pics for now
Cattwooduk
Shohin
Looks nice! I haven't actually looked at mine lately so I don't even know if it's leafing out yet. The leaves are tiny now but they get pretty big before too long!
Oh really? I thought that was it lol. Well, Im not going to look up any pics of this, I'd like to be pleasantly surprised by it. Im really attracted to a small tree of this though, hanging catkins and those really nice leaves, purple buds in the middle. The branchs colouring with it just look great.
The branches can still be wired to go in a different direction, if need be. I just wouldn't wire for movement in the branch itself, no need.
Hello,
I'm being indecisive and I wanted someone to help.. Sorce telling me to do it, isn't enough to take my worries away lol.
This branch of the contorta, I want to air layer. I like it the best due to the split in it, I think it looks great! Just worried about air layering, not feeling confident at the moment..
what does anyone else think?
It's the one with my hand on it, and in second pic it's the very top middle branch.
I'm being indecisive and I wanted someone to help.. Sorce telling me to do it, isn't enough to take my worries away lol.
This branch of the contorta, I want to air layer. I like it the best due to the split in it, I think it looks great! Just worried about air layering, not feeling confident at the moment..
what does anyone else think?
It's the one with my hand on it, and in second pic it's the very top middle branch.
Why not confident? I checked mine few weeks ago. It's an ugly high graft, the contorted cultivar on a very straight trunk, so I'm gonna air-layer it right below the graft union without any hesitation within a month.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
@ConorDash ...you had success with an air layer off the pyracantha. So I'm puzzled at your hesitation. But I will leave you with this...if there is hesitation. Maybe it's not per say...of the actual process...but, the direction you are taking with this piece. If that the case. I bid you to just wait...and chew on it. So, you lose a year. So what!?! In the big scheme of things. Patience = bonsai
My hesitation is due to liking it so much... I really love the way the branch is. If I lost it, I'd feel like it was such a huge waste of potential. That's my reason.
I think if that's my only reason stopping me, I need to get over it and do it.
Taking this branch away won't really affect the fullness of the tree overall much, it's still a great looking tree if I were to leave it be, after removing the branch, so it takes nothing away from the tree overall, which is very good too.
Thank you @Cadillactaste , I understand. I've thought about it a good amount of time and watched it, looked at it a lot.. I feel sure in this direction. I think it'd make a great literati style of tree. I think in the future, maybe 3 years, I'll have to really try and get some kinda base nebari out of it, to make it bette rebut the branch itself as a trunk, I think is great.
I think if that's my only reason stopping me, I need to get over it and do it.
Taking this branch away won't really affect the fullness of the tree overall much, it's still a great looking tree if I were to leave it be, after removing the branch, so it takes nothing away from the tree overall, which is very good too.
Thank you @Cadillactaste , I understand. I've thought about it a good amount of time and watched it, looked at it a lot.. I feel sure in this direction. I think it'd make a great literati style of tree. I think in the future, maybe 3 years, I'll have to really try and get some kinda base nebari out of it, to make it bette rebut the branch itself as a trunk, I think is great.
So, please tell me...
This is the branch and a better representation of what it would be like.
Red line follows the branch, the rounded red parts are the large damaged scars of the branch, which I think are great.
Blue and green pots are potential air layer locations.
The thing I'm finding difficult to deal with is the stature of the tree once air layered off and potted.
These are what I would think, the trunk lines would be like... Someone please give me their opinions. I've thought about stared at this for a while now and finding it difficult to see clearly.
This is the branch and a better representation of what it would be like.
Red line follows the branch, the rounded red parts are the large damaged scars of the branch, which I think are great.
Blue and green pots are potential air layer locations.
The thing I'm finding difficult to deal with is the stature of the tree once air layered off and potted.
These are what I would think, the trunk lines would be like... Someone please give me their opinions. I've thought about stared at this for a while now and finding it difficult to see clearly.
Interesting thing... it's apparently very slow growing which I'm seeing, I've not touched it in any way apart from watering and fertiliser.. yet it's pushing out new growth from the trunk?!
I thought you had to hard prune to get such back budding but apparently not.
I take this as a sign that it's very healthy and happy. Hopefully that means my air layer is also doing well.
I thought you had to hard prune to get such back budding but apparently not.
I take this as a sign that it's very healthy and happy. Hopefully that means my air layer is also doing well.
AlainK
Imperial Masterpiece
This is an excellent patio tree 
I've got one that is grafted, it's a hassle getting rid of the "straight" suckers...
I've got one that is grafted, it's a hassle getting rid of the "straight" suckers...
This is an excellent patio tree
I've got one that is grafted, it's a hassle getting rid of the "straight" suckers...
Yeah this one has a load of suckers again that I need to get of.. still hoping my air layering is coming along well! I'll have to take off the foil for a peek, see if I can see anything through the film and moss.
Friend came round and she said "it looks dead". That's her comment on the tree.. she doesn't like trees much.
Rambles
Mame
I have one of these. very vigorous grower. I trim off about two thirds of it every winter and it goes on its merry way come spring. The backbudding is a blessing and a curse. Mine has a huge knot of a graft at the base of the trunk, so while not ideal material, i can style it for a few years, let it grow, them trim and choose a new style.
In short, I am a fan of this crazy Dr.Suess tree.
You should have no problem air layering. I've had good success with it. Cuttings also take very successfully.
Never thought or using it as self-styling literati, but I like the idea.
In short, I am a fan of this crazy Dr.Suess tree.
You should have no problem air layering. I've had good success with it. Cuttings also take very successfully.
Never thought or using it as self-styling literati, but I like the idea.
I do like it, very character filled and so unique.
I think as a literati it'd be awesome. I think the tree is made for that style, everything about it screams it to me.
I think as long as the air layer comes off successfully, some years, it'll be a great tree. I have high hopes for it.
I'm not 100% about the location of the air layer that I have done yet, but that's due to how different it'll be. Me, I'm new and very used to the standard tree with trunk and branches. This is very different so it'll take a while to adjust.
I'm told they are a very slow grower. But must be vigorous to have back budded like that with no encouragement.
Lol. I don't feel I can say I'm not new yet, in something such as bonsai, a year is a drop in the ocean.
My air layer I think I'll leave longer than I usually would. The tree is gonna be very long and top heavy so I'm gonna have to rig something up to support it. I'll need all the roots I can get for added support.
Tried to peek and see any roots, but cannot see them so far.. I can see callusing, but that's cos I was looking from the top down.
Rained today so everything is a bit soaked and slimey. Somewhat worrying that I can't see roots from the outside of the cling film yet.
I have a larger pyracantha air layer that I could see roots through a few weeks ago, and I cared much less for that one.
Rained today so everything is a bit soaked and slimey. Somewhat worrying that I can't see roots from the outside of the cling film yet.
I have a larger pyracantha air layer that I could see roots through a few weeks ago, and I cared much less for that one.
LOL, Conor, I was thinking of you and this thread last weekend. I visited my mother and fertilized my ground grown trees...came to my air-layered contorted coryllus and being sure I could see some roots I cut it below A-L. Yes, first cut then checked carefully. Fortunately nobody was hearing what I was saying when I put it out of DE earth filled dark plastic bottle. No roots at all, just nicely callused. So only thing I could do was potting it and anchor in a pot really tightly.
Placed in the shade, watered daily the tree hasn't lost any leaf, pushing new growth slowly and I can see some new back buds in a week. I'm not sure if this one will live. @0soyoung , how can we explain this?
Placed in the shade, watered daily the tree hasn't lost any leaf, pushing new growth slowly and I can see some new back buds in a week. I'm not sure if this one will live. @0soyoung , how can we explain this?
AlainK
Imperial Masterpiece
The callus is made of cells that can easily turn into roots, so what you did was perhaps some kind of cutting rather tha air-layer.
It reminds me of a failed attemp at air-layering a ginkgo: I left the air-layer during the winter, but it was probaly too wet, and with the frosts, I saw that the roots that had beun forming were damaged. So I just refreshed the callus and planted it (this was done in the early spring, before budbreak), and it worked!
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