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Bunjeh

Bunjeh

Chumono
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Location
DuPont, WA
USDA Zone
8a
A friend of mine brought me this huge burl from the slash pile on his building lot. Hard to see it now but it is an Alder (Alnus Rubra) and a Vine Maple (Acer Circinatum) that somehow intertwined. I am intriqued if not intimidated. It is quite large and will involve a lot of carving. I anticipate that I will try to turn this in to the "Fairy Tale Style" of which Walter Pall speaks. going to let it grow for a couple of years before I try anything major. It is in a mix of 40% DE, 40% Turface, and 20% sifted pine bark. I put more bark on the surface as a mulch as I understand that Alder do not like to dry out. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
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Pictures

Here are a couple of pictures. Again,..any advice will be appreciated.
 

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Looks like a fun project.

Wicked Base.

I'd cut the trunks back by half mid summerish. Then hedge cut it for a few.

This will make a nice Tale!

Score!

Sorce
 
sorce said:
Looks like a fun project.

Wicked Base.

I'd cut the trunks back by half mid summerish. Then hedge cut it for a few.

This will make a nice Tale!

Score!

Sorce
Click to expand...

How low would you hedge cut it? The whips are about 2" long now.
 
If you post photos of each side, from the same angle you took the first photo in post #2, people may be able to help offer their opinion on front, along with proposed chop locations. This appears to have a respectable base, but the trunks are likely too tall.
 
Depends on how fast and where it grows.....

Looks like you got a couple nice new leaders, but as BVF said, it would be nice to see around the horn!

I dig the hedge cutting method, but I use a highly particular form of it. Which kind of makes it regular maintenance pruning!

I would Try to cut it back once maybe twice a summer for 4 years. It will provide you with a solution by then.

Hard thing is going to be the different growth rates!

Read smokes blog about safety cuts, it'll be crucial to know what each will do.

More I think about it, more excited I get, ....

Did you get good roots? What's it's survival look like?

Sorce
 
wow what a great find and grab. You have the chance to make two distinct trees each with their own styling and growing methods and still work the different designs together. I cant wait to see it after it wakes up in the spring.
 
sorce said:
Did you get good roots? What's it's survival look like?

Sorce
Click to expand...

I think we are good. Lots of fibrous roots underneath. It has been sitting on top of a slash pile since last June and still grew through out the summer,..so I'd say we have a good chance.
 
I like the uniqueness. Would be interesting to give each tree it's own branching character to set them apart
 
I'd cut it right at the top of the burl and grow the resulting whips as a clump style. That would take two to three years to be convincing. The trunks are too straight no taper.
 
Michael T said:
I'd cut it right at the top of the burl and grow the resulting whips as a clump style. That would take two to three years to be convincing. The trunks are too straight no taper.
Click to expand...
Odd that you say that. I was just outside looking at it and thought the same to myself. Otherwise, it's never going to look right.
 
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Bunjeh,

I hope you didn't chop it! Is it living?

With those big wounds on the bottom, that won't likely close, a clump at the top of this Will never never look natural, or nice IMO.

The trunks don't have taper, but the whole thing has great taper!

I would make a carving project out of this one. You can create taper in the trunks and let this turn into the rugged holey halfdead halfbreed it wants to be!

I don't mean Nice carving with torches and hardener,

I'm talking gouge the s out of it and let it rot where it will! Maybe after a good years growth and promoting back buds.

2015-03-08_05.02.33.jpg

Sorce
 
Bunjeh said:
Sorce: So get this. So much for the whole alder/acer intertwined thing. Now that it is coming to life (lots of back budding all over), it turns out it is serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelanchier_alnifolia So, now I am even more intrigued. Not only flowering, but with edible berries.
Click to expand...


That's awesome!

Pics!

Sorce
 
sorce said:
That's awesome!

Pics!

Sorce
Click to expand...
Raining today. I will take some and post over the weekend. Also, all of my collected hawthorn seem to have survived and reestablished vigor. Great Spring so far.
 
Here it is now. It has reestablished vigor and is indeed a serviceberry.
 
hugemadoriservice berry.jpg Let's try that again.
 
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Service berry are awsome they are a native here in the southwestern desert so I know these things are tough
 
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