New tree for free! From BIB retiree
- Thread starter Trenthany
- Start date
Trenthany
Chumono
That was his last tree and it had just been left in the ground for the last 5 years. He’s going back to Michigan to see family before coming back a little further south next year he thinks. He’s had a rough few years from what he told me. I was so excited to meet someone in person beyond the Wigart’s who was into bonsai but sadly he no longer is. Maybe he’ll get the bug again when he gets back.
barrosinc
Masterpiece
Definitely use the first branch as the leader
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
OK, do something intelligent with this. You will not wire the foliage. It has spines, -needles. That's why it's called, "Dwarf SPINY Black Olive"...
jaco94
Chumono
Exactly what I will have done, shorten the tree to the level of the first branch which looks very pretty 
Trenthany
Chumono
This definitely seems to be the consensus!
Trenthany
Chumono
I wouldn’t necessarily say I won’t wire it. But the branches have so much movement I don’t think I’ll need to if I clip and grow carefully. Wiring will be minimal though that’s for sure! Maybe at the base of a section to flare it away from the others. I’ll get some shots of that one branch top down and from closer in and see what it would look like as a canopy. I’m liking the movement for sure though. Does anyone have ideas for further? Should I develop it taller or hold it where it is? I’m thinking do I want a leader or just build off what is there?
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
- Messages
- 11,427
- Reaction score
- 23,608
- USDA Zone
- 5b
I'm not at home, so I'm not going to make virtual. The one thought I have is Bucida are slow growing. Once you cut off height, it will take a long time to replace it. I would take my time deciding what to do, just growing it for a year before pruning might allow you the time to see multiple options.
True from the photos, the "first branch" seems like the obvious choice. It will work. But take your time, see if you can use more of the tree.
Besides, it's possible that in 5 to 7 days you will be dealing with a hurricane. No rush to style, find secure places to batten down your trees and canoes.
Trenthany
Chumono
I’m definitely waiting. I’m a wuss about big cuts. Wild stuff and yardadori I don’t care about I’ll hack on. Stuff I like I want to make sure it’s where I want to go. I’ll also wait... because I’ve got no cut paste right now!
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
I think you should air layer off just above what you want to keep. In the years to come you can get several more!
Mike Westervelt
Chumono
Yep!
Trenthany
Chumono
Definitely when I have the option I’m always layering instead of chopping. Next spring all my nursery trees will be sporting tinfoil! In case anyone is curious it’s a Florida thing learned from citrus Grafters and layerers because it keeps the layer cooler. I’m using it after checking layers and finding precallous but no roots and extremely hot sphagnum.
I almost forgot pics as phone was dying so I plugged it in after work and took an unplanned nap. I went and took some top down of the lower branches just now but they’re low light mode so I make no promises lol.
and somesideways of just the bottom with the help of a flashlight right before it started raining again lol
not to bad actually for the circumstances.
Trenthany
Chumono
Thank you so much for the concern.
Buuuut an introduction to Florida life. I had no clue a hurricane was possible in a week. I’ll have to look into that. The weather people here aren’t panicking yet so I’m not too worried. Lol. If it’s that close they should have already started. I’m thinking it’s gonna hit but not be anything for us to stress over. If it starts looking bad it only takes about 1-2 days to hurricane prep and if it’s a wicked bad storm I’d have had a lot more warning as despite my previous jokes we do take them somewhat seriously but realistically here in FL. People from other states start in on the evacuation routes and such for Cat 2 storms. I’m usually out that night during a Cat 2 storm because they aren’t that bad. Cat 3 you stay home but don’t stress power might go for a couple days. Cat 4 dammit now we got problems. Cat 5 €#%¥ now it’s getting real. Maybe we should evacuate. Nah. We’ll see what happens and leave after. Although the worst part Of any 3+ is branch cleanup, the river flooding, and/or no power because FP&L won’t build with hurricanes in mind. Ever driven over transmission lines? They go down sometimes in a 4 and pretty often in a 5. That’s a whole new level of pucker factor right there! Lol you can’t budge em with a stick or anything either to see if they’re live. Just report em and move on. The ones across from mom’s house blocked her driveway though for a month. We drove over them although that first time was nerve wracking. Will?! He?! Live?! (In a game show announcer voice) the day after Hurricane Charley some idiot drove up with a kayak on his roof parked next to the down lines when I couldn't get my Jeep another 20 feet in from there because there were entire trees uprooted and had the nerve to ask if we were open. The Jeep is parked with one wheel 3 ft in the air on a form of a branch and I’m standing 6 feet in the air on others assessing and he asks if we’re open. I said you know there was a hurricane and you’re parked next to a possibly live transmission line laying on the ground? He said yeah so? I said you see all these trees and branches in the parking lot here? Where you can’t park? So are you saying you aren’t open? Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying. What is wrong with you! He left pissed off for some reason. Any guesses where he was from? It definitely wasn’t Florida!
My tree prep will be a new experience. I’m thinking I’ll bring them all in with me to prevent defoliation although most tropicals will handle the defoliation fine. They get it as a species every couple years or so somewhere in the tropics. I think that’s part of why they’re so fast growing or resilient. Strip my leaves off? Ok I’ll grow new ones. Bend me flat? I’ll grow 4 new trunks heads back upwards faster than the neighbor. Or you get trees like cypress, live oaks, mangroves and the spiny olive that are like 70 mph winds. No you cannot have my leaves.100 mph. Ha try harder. 150... ok ok you can have them! But I’m staying right here and screw your winds. That’s when you know a hurricane is bad when the mangroves and old oaks are destroyed I’m convinced nothing wind related will kill an olive or maybe defoliate it even. I was gonna bag this one and Jim was like no don’t worry so I stressed the whole way home and at 75 mph freshly potted it barely blinked. Lmao. Tough trees amaze me.
Similar threads
