Eastern Red Cedar

[Joe Dupre']

ERC, or Cajun Rocky Mountain Juniper, as I like to call it. I've been eyeing this one for a couple of years. I've topped it a couple of times to discourage Christmas tree hunters. This is the first collection of the year. The bottom branches were buried........ growing among some of the roots. Base is a bit over 2". I left plenty of foliage to get it established. Pretty decent amount of small feeder roots. I did the right thing and filled in the hole and kicked a few leaves over the spot. The spot should disappear in a few months. And, yes, we have a$$holes that dump mattresses on the side of the road. Sigh.

 

[Joe Dupre']

It's a pretty straight, uninspiring trunk, but I think I can coax a decent bonsai out of it somewhere down the line.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

It's a pretty straight, uninspiring trunk, but I think I can coax a decent bonsai out of it somewhere down the line.

I like it. Could slanting work? Or do they make good formal uprights?

 

[Joe Dupre']

I like it. Could slanting work? Or do they make good formal uprights?

I didn't really look at it too closely today. Tomorrow, I'll put it on the turntable and eye it more closely. I would imagine that it will end up one half or even one third of its current height. I probably will just let it recover for the rest of the coming summer.

 

[CaptColin]

I have been wondering with a tree this size, if grafting a few (or many) shimpaku scions to completely replace the ERC foliage would alleviate many of the traditional ERC concerns. seems like if this was a viable option there would be a basically infinite supply of trunks to use to create material. Anyone have any knowledge of grafting shimpaku onto ERC?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I have been wondering with a tree this size, if grafting a few (or many) shimpaku scions to completely replace the ERC foliage would alleviate many of the traditional ERC concerns. seems like if this was a viable option there would be a basically infinite supply of trunks to use to create material. Anyone have any knowledge of grafting shimpaku onto ERC?

The thing with ERC is that the rust on the foliage is no problem, just cut it off. But on trunks that's different, because you can't keep cutting trunks off. Replacing the foliage with kishu or itoigawa is possible and pretty easy, but that doesn't fix the problem of a susceptible trunk.

I still believe, no, I know, that there is a rust resistant variety out there. One with good foliage too! If these things are the weeds people perceive them to be, then there are wild specimen out there that have good characteristics. If I would have lived in the US, I would have gone out there to find it.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I have been wondering with a tree this size, if grafting a few (or many) shimpaku scions to completely replace the ERC foliage would alleviate many of the traditional ERC concerns. seems like if this was a viable option there would be a basically infinite supply of trunks to use to create material. Anyone have any knowledge of grafting shimpaku onto ERC?

I actually like the ERC foliage, when it has grown in a bit. If it gives me juvenile foliage ( which it WILL do) I just accept it as part of the habit of the species.

 

[Joe Dupre']

The thing with ERC is that the rust on the foliage is no problem, just cut it off. But on trunks that's different, because you can't keep cutting trunks off. Replacing the foliage with kishu or itoigawa is possible and pretty easy, but that doesn't fix the problem of a susceptible trunk.

I still believe, no, I know, that there is a rust resistant variety out there. One with good foliage too! If these things are the weeds people perceive them to be, then there are wild specimen out there that have good characteristics. If I would have lived in the US, I would have gone out there to find it.

I had a bad bout with rust on the tree in my avatar on the lowest right-hand branch right at the trunk. I brushed on pure Fertilome Triple Action. It went away and never came back.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I have been wondering with a tree this size, if grafting a few (or many) shimpaku scions to completely replace the ERC foliage would alleviate many of the traditional ERC concerns. seems like if this was a viable option there would be a basically infinite supply of trunks to use to create material. Anyone have any knowledge of grafting shimpaku onto ERC?

The avatar pic is from 2 years ago. This is how it looks today. It has a few wisps of juvenile foliage, which is fine by me.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Im tired of the bad rap ERC gets... 3-in-1 bio advanced early spring effectively eliminated rust from my trees. Two applications early in march and again six weeks later early may and no rust on my ERC, even where there was rust the prior years.

They are tough as nails. They have great winter color...

Look at Vancehanna's ERC and tell me they dont make nice trees... not enough people have spent time to work with them imo. Post in thread 'E. Red cedar' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/e-red-cedar.47745/post-1086398

 

[TN_Jim]

Im tired of the bad rap ERC gets... 3-in-1 bio advanced early spring effectively eliminated rust from my trees. Two applications early in march and again six weeks later early may and no rust on my ERC, even where there was rust the prior years.

They are tough as nails. They have great winter color...

Look at Vancehanna's ERC and tell me they dont make nice trees... not enough people have spent time to work with them imo. Post in thread 'E. Red cedar' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/e-red-cedar.47745/post-1086398

Isn’t that (Vance’s) a grafted tree?

ERC does/can have amazing form and all characteristics..that are not the foliage…someone unlock the secret to ERC foliage and that technique will surely carry you name

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I don't believe his tree is grafted. Did he say it was? I thought it was completely native. He said he collected it when it was like... 8 FT tall and chopped it down.

 

[CaptColin]

Thanks for all the replies - and apologies for hijacking the thread, Joe! I never considered the trunk being suseptible, definitely an oversight on my part. You've done good work with yours. I suppose I'll just have to start experimenting in a quarantined section of my property - maybe I'll start a thread.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Thanks for all the replies - and apologies for hijacking the thread, Joe! I never considered the trunk being suseptible, definitely an oversight on my part. You've done good work with yours. I suppose I'll just have to start experimenting in a quarantined section of my property - maybe I'll start a thread.

No apologies needed. Glad to help a fellow Cedar-er. Despite the aversion to pinching in some circles, pinching is mainly how I got back budding on the avatar tree. I hope to do the same with this newly collected one.