Semi cascade cork bark elm

[davetree]

This tree was started from an old piece of root - a root cutting. I let it get healthy and grow some roots of its own, and today I wired all the branches to move in the same direction. Not really styling, but setting the table. A lot of this growth will be cut way back, but I wanted to keep everything for now to speed up the growth and keep the tree healthy. I am going to put it into a modified training pot so I can point the branches up towards the sun and then I will let it grow strongly for a few years, maybe 4 or 5 even, to get some corking on the branches. Then I can begin to really style a cascade or semi cascade elm, something I have always wanted to do. I like this potential bonsai because of the nice knobby trunk which looks like a dragon's back up close. If anyone has suggestions on cascade elms I would appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[mcpesq817]

Nice start. I've seen some good chinese elms of the non-cork bark variety that were trained as cascades, but never a cork bark one. Should be a fun project. The elms I've seen were pretty sizable trees that spent a lot of time in training. They look like they were grown out that way from the beginning, probably grown similarly to the very twisted mall-sai you see (just done a lot better).

I don't know the best way to start cascades. It strikes me that you want to first develop the initial upright section along with nebari, and then work the cascade portion. I'm working on a couple of cedars and possibly a black pine in that style. I'm growing them out as a slant with a strong upright leader off the upright portion of the cascade, and keeping a strong lower branch that will be the eventual cascade. When the base portion of the cascade is the caliper I want, I'll cut off the strong leader, and then start growing out the cascade branch. Hopefully as the cascade branch puts on growth and size, it can help heal the chop site of the sacrifice leader. Not sure if this is the way to do it, but I figured I would try it.

On the cork barks that I own, you don't really have to worry about getting strong upright leaders. I would think that you could train one off the back side of your cascade branch to plump it up.

 

[davetree]

Thanks for the advice. I really want to bulk up the next part of the tree, so everything stays on. I need to grow it as fast as I can to get cork on the leader and branches.

 

[mcpesq817]

They grow very quickly with lots of water, sun and fertilizer in my experience. You should be able to fatten it up pretty quickly. I've gotten away with putting them in relatively large containers (like anderson flats) with fast draining soil to get rapid growth. You could always try putting them in a cut in half anderson flat perhaps.

Not that you probably want to put it in the ground, but I put a 1.5" caliper cork bark in the ground 2-3 years ago. It grew out to about 15' in height and 4" in caliper at the base. I trunk chopped it last year and it's backbudded like crazy. Will probably be able to dig it up next year.

 

[davetree]

Yeah not hardy in this state. But I will put it in a bigger pot this year and pump it up.

 

[jk_lewis]

Sounds like a fun project, but why that big looping top branch?

 

[davetree]

I guess it might be an apex if I go more semi cascade than cascade. I may lose it either way. Thanks.