I'll never look at a plant again the same...

[Cadillactaste]

I had been looking into a Harry Louder...just not seeing the red majestic as contorted around my neck of the woods. Went and looked at some 5' red majestics and was quite disappointed. Graft was quite noticeable...and...well the base though was going in the yard not a pot. Was rather blah...

While looking at a local nursery for my step mothers gift for Mothers Day. My husband pulled me over to a small Harry Lauder. Asking about the leaves being green, for I had been looking at the red majestic variety that has the purple tinted leaves. (The nursery said they had two Harry Lauders when I asked about them. They do not carry the red majestic nor does their supplier handle them)...I had seen the other one which was nicely contorted...but the base seemed...blah as well.) This one had an amazing base...my husband informed me...NOT BONSAI BUT FOR THE YARD in the area we discussed...is still our plan for when we get one correct?...as I went on about the roots...I agreed...but, also said...you can't grow a base like that on just any tree. It goes with the contorted branches quite well. I told him we would plant it so the roots remained seen. He then goes and says...hey! This isn't about you...your boys are getting you stuff remember that. And I had picked up a few things in my cart already for the boggy area of our waterfall. So I presumed he wanted a larger tree/shrub as well. Since we had discussed a larger one...then he reminded me we had discussed on many occasion both wishing for it to be much larger.

I did tell him again...you just can't find a base with roots like that any day...and sighed. Here all along he had bought it for me. I hadn't realized it. as soon as I went on about the roots...he had winked and nodded at the girl. And it was mine...he went back the next day for it.

So my question to ones...when buying intentional yard plants...do you find yourself looking for ones that would have character verses just the variety you were after?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Correct me if I am wrong...I do believe this is an air layer...verses a grafting. Which if it is...means no suckering! (From what I've researched)

 

[GrimLore]

Correct me if I am wrong...I do believe this is an air layer...verses a grafting. Which if it is...means no suckering! (From what I've researched)

Certainly looks like you found a cool contorted! And could be an air layer but more likely a single stem planting which does not develop suckers.

Grimmy

 

[Poink88]

Very cool tree. I would have grabbed it myself!

It need a bit cleaning (removal of the lowest branches) but that would be a gorgeous tree fast!

Happy Mother's day!

 

[RKatzin]

Corylus avellana 'Contorta'

Hi, first to answer your last question, whenever choosing any tree I always look for the same characteristics I'm looking for in selecting bonsai material. I use the same techniques to trim and prune my yard trees and it's good to start with a tree that's going the way you want, but....

sometimes you just have to get one of those and make the best you can with what you can get your hands on.

I'm a sucker for anything 'contorta' and I always wanted one of these Harry Lauder Walking Sticks. I fell into this biggy at a nursery that was closing out of business and was able to get it within my meager budget, pennies on the dollar.

It was a weak and sickly tree, struggling to live in a nursery that was semi shut down, the first two pics are the back end of a pickup load I picked up that day. It was quite large and this size is pretty spendy, pint sized ones are a hundred bucks!

This was 2011. I cleaned up the dead wood and let it recup for a year. Last year I reduced it to one main trunk and a few branches as you can barely see in the last two pics. As soon as the sun is off it I will take a pic this morning in full leaf.

That's interesting about the airlayering. Mine does sucker alot, very basally dominant. Quite a bit of dieback of the upper twigs this winter and most of the regrowth is around the bottom portion of the tree.

Probably why you don't see alot or any of these as bonsai and I may in the end give this one a place in the landscape. Thanks for sharing and best of luck with yours. BTW What a nice way to recieve a tree! Sincerly, Rick

PS: I have a new 'contorta' I got last spring. It's a Crataegus monogyna Flexuosa, commonly called Snakethorn. I was suprized to see flowers just like a Pauls Scarlet on it this spring.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Certainly looks like you found a cool contorted! And could be an air layer but more likely a single stem planting which does not develop suckers.

Grimmy

Thanks Gimmy, the nursery said they had it a few years and its never suckered for them. Not being a graft is huge when having one of these. They are also to be more hardier on their own roots. Less risk of problems. (So I've read on several sites.) There is a mature one in town that resembles the base of this one. I will keep it as a shrub in hopes of it maturing into something similar of that shrub...I do not wish for a single branched tree. The grafted ones look like single branched trees that I have seen. I prefer the full twisted look from base up.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Very cool tree. I would have grabbed it myself!

It need a bit cleaning (removal of the lowest branches) but that would be a gorgeous tree fast!

Happy Mother's day!

Thanks! Since it is staying a landscape shrub...I wish to keep it a shrub. Not a single trunk tree. (At least that is where I think I wish to take it) But one branch does seem to maybe need to come off. Its straight a bit before contorting.

Did the Mothers Day thing with parents Saturday...so Sunday after a fun Mothers Day craft with 17 children at church. (Which I found rewarding.) I got to enjoy the day with my boys.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Hi, first to answer your last question, whenever choosing any tree I always look for the same characteristics I'm looking for in selecting bonsai material. I use the same techniques to trim and prune my yard trees and it's good to start with a tree that's going the way you want, but....

sometimes you just have to get one of those and make the best you can with what you can get your hands on.

I'm a sucker for anything 'contorta' and I always wanted one of these Harry Lauder Walking Sticks. I fell into this biggy at a nursery that was closing out of business and was able to get it within my meager budget, pennies on the dollar.

It was a weak and sickly tree, struggling to live in a nursery that was semi shut down, the first two pics are the back end of a pickup load I picked up that day. It was quite large and this size is pretty spendy, pint sized ones are a hundred bucks!

This was 2011. I cleaned up the dead wood and let it recup for a year. Last year I reduced it to one main trunk and a few branches as you can barely see in the last two pics. As soon as the sun is off it I will take a pic this morning in full leaf.

That's interesting about the airlayering. Mine does sucker alot, very basally dominant. Quite a bit of dieback of the upper twigs this winter and most of the regrowth is around the bottom portion of the tree.

Probably why you don't see alot or any of these as bonsai and I may in the end give this one a place in the landscape. Thanks for sharing and best of luck with yours. BTW What a nice way to recieve a tree! Sincerly, Rick

PS: I have a new 'contorta' I got last spring. It's a Crataegus monogyna Flexuosa, commonly called Snakethorn. I was suprized to see flowers just like a Pauls Scarlet on it this spring.

I've read a lot about their air layering this variety...to eliminate suckers. Curious if you could go that route if your heart is set on a bonsai of this tree variety. The base of this tree...I thought bonsai...but to be honest...I have wanted one for my yard for years. After seeing this one...and knowing it's base resembles the one I have admired for years in town. I highly doubt I will find another with this much character for the yard. The base of their Harry Lauder is as interesting as the top part of it. Where after years of looking for one that wasn't grafted...and finding it so interesting. It will go in my yard. Though...this flowering contorted tree you mention...curious if it can be a bonsai. Something to look into...I would love to see yours when in bloom.