Prunus Mume

[LanceMac10]

Vanna, I'd like to buy a "U"...... Teasing!!
It's nice when a season's worth of effort and great horticultural care provide the payoff!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Peak...

 

[William N. Valavanis]

Peak...
View attachment 128947

Thanks! Beautiful.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Magnificient, Brian!

 

[Mihai]

Wow! That is... Just wow! How long do the flowers last on ume?

 

[LanceMac10]

Oooh......looks great on my screen saver.....that's not illegal is it?

Great photography.

 

[bonhe]

Very beautiful! Your tree will encourage the people to get the ume for their collection!
Bonhe

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Updating a few threads. Here are a few shots from this growing season.
In April, I removed the proximal leaf on every shoot, then let it grow freely until May. Then it was cut back hard to leave the first 3 nodes on each shoot; one bare (produces foliage buds) and 2 with leaves (produces flower buds):

July:

 

[leatherback]

So.. Many.. Flowers.. Next.. Year..

 

[drew33998]

Looks super healthy this year. Cant wait until jan 18!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Leaves dropping like flies...

 

[just.wing.it]

Wow, what an awesome tree!

 

[Giga]

Very nice, Now that I have ume, the fall leaves arn't really nice. Just droop and fall off lol

 

[Adair M]

Very nice, Now that I have ume, the fall leaves arn't really nice. Just droop and fall off lol

The uglier the leaves, the prettier the blooms! Lol!!!

 

[fredtruck]

This ume has come a very long way, Brian. The carving is a lot better, for one thing and I see some ramification. All good!

 

[Nybonsai12]

I second fred's sentiments on the ramification. quite the photo history in this thread. The carving is aging nicely. Silly question: the carved section near the bend...will the two live portions on each side ever grown enough to touch at that section?

Nice work BVF.

 

[barrosinc]

Th carving is a lot better

do you have a before carving pic? The first posts are already carved

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I second fred's sentiments on the ramification. quite the photo history in this thread. The carving is aging nicely. Silly question: the carved section near the bend...will the two live portions on each side ever grown enough to touch at that section?

Nice work BVF.

Thanks Brian. I’ve been watching the Shari shrink over the last few years, and will open it up again before the two sides grow together.

Max, Here is a way-before photo from early 2011. It was smooth and shiny on that side, with a couple scars, so connecting them as a big old rotten gash really made the tree look older.

 

[barrosinc]

Wow! Even better progression looking at the first pic.
It used to look like two straight sections of the tree and hard to look away. The carving makes it less apparent and takes your eyes to follow to the top.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Leafless...so now we wait.