Species Study - Taxodium distichum

[Cajunrider]

I was planning to collect some BCs this Friday for a forest. It may be difficult given the weather that morning. A heavy cold front is supposed to come through right at that time. I don't mind the wet weather. It's the lightning often comes with the front that concerns me.
I was planning to get a couple of 3" trunk and then about a dozen smaller ones for a BC forest.

 

[August44]

I was planning to collect some BCs this Friday for a forest. It may be difficult given the weather that morning. A heavy cold front is supposed to come through right at that time. I don't mind the wet weather. It's the lightning often comes with the front that concerns me.
I was planning to get a couple of 3" trunk and then about a dozen smaller ones for a BC forest.

Ya, I sure wouldn't go out there in a thunder and lightning storm. Be safe and show us the haul when you get home PLs

 

[Cajunrider]

So I sent a collected BC stump with roots in damp pine bark to a friend out west. If it survive that would prove it as doable. If not I will compensate him with another tree.

 

[Joe Dupre']

So I sent a collected BC stump with roots in damp pine bark to a friend out west. If it survive that would prove it as doable. If not I will compensate him with another tree.

I don't foresee any problem with that set-up. You could probably grow a BC in pure pine bark successfully for years.

 

[Cajunrider]

Walking around a century old pond and observing BCs that are in various water conditions made me think about the many places where I have seen BC grow and the many articles and research papers I've read. I consolidate them into one thought when it comes to BC knees. I believe my best chance of developing knees are not total submersion of tree but to keep the water level just below the surface base of the trees. I walked around this large pond that has a very steady water level. The areas that have huge concentrations of knees are right at the water edge. The trees in the water have fewer knees and the same happen with the BCs growing in higher levee around the pond. I am going to test my postulate with a bunch of my BCs to see how things go. As soon as my collected BCs develop good roots and are thriving, they will be moved into tubs with the drain holes right at the soil level.

 

[August44]

Walking around a century old pond and observing BCs that are in various water conditions made me think about the many places where I have seen BC grow and the many articles and research papers I've read. I consolidate them into one thought when it comes to BC knees. I believe my best chance of developing knees are not total submersion of tree but to keep the water level just below the surface base of the trees. I walked around this large pond that has a very steady water level. The areas that have huge concentrations of knees are right at the water edge. The trees in the water have fewer knees and the same happen with the BCs growing in higher levee around the pond. I am going to test my postulate with a bunch of my BCs to see how things go. As soon as my collected BCs develop good roots and are thriving, they will be moved into tubs with the drain holes right at the soil level.

When you say "right at soil level" are you saying the soil at the bottom of the tree in the pot or at the base of the trunk?

 

[Cajunrider]

When you say "right at soil level" are you saying the soil at the bottom of the tree in the pot or at the base of the trunk?

Base of the trunk.

 

[Cajunrider]

Bald Cypress from Root Cuttings?

Is anyone able to confirm if Bald Cypress will propagate via root cuttings (the way you can with Elm Malus other species)? I just repotted a BC and have a few cool root cuttings that I'd love to try growing out, if it's possible with BC.

www.bonsainut.com

 

[ghildt]

What you say reminded me the Randy Bennett's articles on cypress knees. Your progression will be interesting.

Base of the trunk.

 

[Cajunrider]

What you say reminded me the Randy Bennett's articles on cypress knees. Your progression will be interesting.

His articles were a good part of my thinking about the knees. BTW some of my friends who have BC bonsai with knees told me that the knees in bonsai die after long periods where the trees are in well drained bonsai soil. They now keep their BC bonsai partially dunked for a good portion of the year and only take them out when they want to show the trees to their friends.

It appears scrubbing the outside of the pots before showing my BCs will be in my future

 

[ghildt]

I wanna post a small little problem from today

Context:

A week ago I reduced the thickness of the bark of my BC, removing the sheets with the hands.
Then brushed the surface with a toothbrush. And, since the late summer sun (South America) seemed a bit intense for the newly exposed bark, I covered the area with pumpkin leaves.

Today approx. a week later, I remove the remains of leaves and find the area completely rough and full of "lenticels".
Have I made a mistake?, and wanting to get a smooth crust, I ended up starting a layer...

 

[Cajunrider]

I wanna post a small little problem from today

Context:

A week ago I reduced the thickness of the bark of my BC, removing the sheets with the hands.
Then brushed the surface with a toothbrush. And, since the late summer sun (South America) seemed a bit intense for the newly exposed bark, I covered the area with pumpkin leaves.

Today approx. a week later, I remove the remains of leaves and find the area completely rough and full of "lenticels".
Have I made a mistake?, and wanting to get a smooth crust, I ended up starting a layer...

Had it been me, I would have removed the pumpkin leaves and let the tree grow back out and not started a layer. Can't build up the flare if we keep taking the root base out. Can't build up the tree if we keep air layering it.

 

[ghildt]

oohhh!! sorry...
I didn't started a airlayer, it was just a manner of speaking.

Just remove the leaves and let it dry.

 

[Cajunrider]

oohhh!! sorry...
I didn't started a airlayer, it was just a manner of speaking.

Just remove the leaves and let it dry.

BC is tricky in a sense that it can readily form roots wherever the bark come into contact with proper soil conditions. Look at my Borat BC thread and you see a BC pushed down by hurricanes. The side of the trunk touched the swamp bank and formed a clump of roots 6-8" up the trunk. If we are not careful, we wind up with multiple tiers of roots in a BC that makes it difficult to put into a bonsai pot.

 

[Cajunrider]

So far I have put two large 6+” BC into no drain bus tub. In each case the soil was already saturated when they were transferred into the no drain tub. Each time I filled the tub with water to 1/2” above the soil. Within 5 minutes, the water was drawn down to below the soil. I had to add 1/2 gallon into the tub to bring water up to top of soil level.

Trees are growing fast in these tubs. I will report when the knees appear.

 

[Cajunrider]

All the white roots you see are new roots that grow out of the cut ends of the roots 7 weeks after tree collection from the swamp.

 

[19Mateo83]

I am attempting bald cypress cuttings. They have been in straight DE. The pot is sitting in another tub to keep the water up to the level of the bottom of the cuttings. It has been about a month and I already have one putting off roots. Cuttings are about 1/2 inch thick. They are inside under grow lights.

 

[Cajunrider]

All the white roots you see are new roots that grow out of the cut ends of the roots 7 weeks after tree collection from the swamp.
View attachment 480403

@Maiden69
Let me know how the roots fare the trip. I figured I'll try the lightest shipping given the short distance.

 

[Cajunrider]

I am attempting bald cypress cuttings. They have been in straight DE. The pot is sitting in another tub to keep the water up to the level of the bottom of the cuttings. It has been about a month and I already have one putting off roots. Cuttings are about 1/2 inch thick. They are inside under grow lights.
View attachment 480416

I was able to keep some BC cuttings alive for a couple years before so it is definitely doable. Mine died through neglect

 

[Maiden69]

@Maiden69
Let me know how the roots fare the trip. I figured I'll try the lightest shipping given the short distance.

Will do, UPS is showing it as on the way, but not yet out for delivery. Delivery date on the website says today so hopefully it will be home this afternoon. Already have a bag and soil waiting at home.