Kate M's American Hornbeam

[KateM]

An american hornbeam I collected on April 9, 2023 in our back woods. Starting a thread for it to document the progress.
First collected

Potted with an angle change

It did well in the summer and grew a lot of new branches. Did not take pics, but here is a current pic. Pot is "attached" to the ground.

Here is my inspiration tree for it - @BobbyLane

Planning on chopping it in the spring


Opinions and suggestions welcome.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I would consider chopping your trunk back much further...

 

[lieuz]

Damn, I wish I found cool stuff in my backwoods. This is a great start! I really love American hornbeams and their very sensual-looking trunks.

 

[Dabbler]

I have a monster american hornbeam there really fun tree's. That's a really nice one and has a lot of potential!

 

[BobbyLane]

I like it, I can see what you want to do with the changes of direction. I personally would keep the right trunk and I like the area where it changes direction also, so I would try to find something above your red line for the right trunk. Think there is also some potential for an informal broom type tree.

 

[OTown]

I would consider chopping your trunk back much further...

View attachment 526947

I know Bonsai Nut has been doing this a long time and my have different results. That said, in my experience, chopping back that far has lead to dieback into the trunk on hornbeams.

 

[Bonsai Forest]

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I know Bonsai Nut has been doing this a long time and my have different results. That said, in my experience, chopping back that far has lead to dieback into the trunk on hornbeams.

It is certainly a concern - particularly if you don't seal the cut. However I don't see a path forward with that long upper straight section of trunk. Even if you DO cut it back to my marks, and you get some die-back, you always have options to hollow parts of the trunk and you are still left with a nice base and great taper.

But as you said - it is simply my opinion This is one of those great examples of "prove me wrong" Since it is free piece of field-grown material, I would tend to move aggressively

 

[Darth Masiah]

i would try to get buds popping from the straight section by cutting below the reverse tapered curve, but not going too far down to try to avoid a big die back.

 

[OTown]

i would try to get buds popping from the straight section by cutting below the reverse tapered curve, but not going too far down to try to avoid a big die back.

View attachment 527881

Same here. Then I would go back into the woods and find a few more!

Dam...I wish I had some woods behind my house for hunting grounds. Sigh....

 

[Cajunrider]

An american hornbeam I collected on April 9, 2023 in our back woods. Starting a thread for it to document the progress.
First collected
View attachment 526938View attachment 526939
Potted with an angle change
View attachment 526942View attachment 526943
It did well in the summer and grew a lot of new branches. Did not take pics, but here is a current pic. Pot is "attached" to the ground.
View attachment 526944
Here is my inspiration tree for it - @BobbyLane
View attachment 526945
Planning on chopping it in the spring
View attachment 526946

Opinions and suggestions welcome.

Great find.

 

[MMJNICE]

Update?

 

[KateM]

I did the cut the back. On the left on the original line and on the right a bit higher over the forward poking branch. It grew well and I am waiting for the leaves to fall to take a good pic.
Basically I did not do anything, but let it grow. Roots escaped in the ground and I can't turn the pot around.
Big plans for next spring.

 

[MMJNICE]

I'd genuinely be interested in how much growth you got on your new leader to the left side. im digging up one of my hornbeam I've had in the ground for last 3 years next spring and will be making fairly large chops on it. My other question would be are you planning on keeping it in the same pot next spring? I feel like I set one of my larger hornbeam back a little bit by repotting two years in a row from nursery stock material. These tree's seem like they can put on a lot of roots in one year but if it's not completely full of roots I think I'll let them stay in the same pots for two years next time around.

 

[KateM]

I'd genuinely be interested in how much growth you got on your new leader to the left side. im digging up one of my hornbeam I've had in the ground for last 3 years next spring and will be making fairly large chops on it. My other question would be are you planning on keeping it in the same pot next spring? I feel like I set one of my larger hornbeam back a little bit by repotting two years in a row from nursery stock material. These tree's seem like they can put on a lot of roots in one year but if it's not completely full of roots I think I'll let them stay in the same pots for two years next time around.

I'li measure whn I get home

 

[KateM]

Well, here it is. We can tell by how big it is now in comparison to the main trunk that it grew a lot in girth and the top of it is over 6' over the ground level where the pot sits.
Now

And then

 

[KateM]

As of repotting plans I am not sure yet.
I think I need at least cut it off the ground, I can't turn the pot to look at the other side right now.
That's probably the reason it's growing well, roots have escaped in the ground.

 

[19Mateo83]

Well, here it is. We can tell by how big it is now in comparison to the main trunk that it grew a lot in girth and the top of it is over 6' over the ground level where the pot sits.
Now
View attachment 565295
And then
View attachment 565305

You got fantastic growth out of that one!

 

[MMJNICE]

Well, here it is. We can tell by how big it is now in comparison to the main trunk that it grew a lot in girth and the top of it is over 6' over the ground level where the pot sits.
Now
View attachment 565295
And then
View attachment 565305

Holy moly! That baby really put on some thickness this year.. yea it's definitely stuck to the ground hehehehe...wouldn't think you could get that kinda size in one year in a pot that small. Yea just seeing the size of the branches down the trunk would tell me it's basically growing in the ground. They are almost too thick to start building branches for a bonsai pot. I bet the trunk thicken up a lot too. Was this part of your plan for the tree?

 

[KateM]

Well, I am a beginner and my plan was to keep it alive and growing. I am fairly good with taking care of plants and the hornbeam is participating fully.
I think I need to come up with a development plan now.