Trident maple in early stages of development

[luvinthemountains]

Starting a thread for this trident maple I am developing from field-grown stock. Last year, I removed three large subtrunks and potted it in this shallow 18" patio pot for growing out. It grew very well in potting soil (a bit of an experiment) and reached a height of about eight feet.

Last month, I performed a flat cut on the trunk near a well-placed branch, which will form the next trunk section. The lower, heavier branch I will likely cut back very hard after the spring growth hardens off.



I know that the large scar in the front will take years to close over. There are two more on the back! C'est la vie. I may put it back in the ground for a while this fall, after we move, and that should speed the process. And yes, I can see that fungus starting to set in. I expect to be hitting that with an application of sulfur this weekend.

 

[BobbyLane]

I like that you have a plan and a direction with the material. just so you know, this isnt the type of fungus that will be of detriment to the tree like you see in other acer species or the green variety. Tridents are tough and ive never seen them succumb to a little fungus in the trunk. this is the type of fungus that sets in the heartwood and can cause some rotting but not to the detriment of the live areas of the tree. quite a bit of scaremongering goes on. here's a trident with an old hollow where the rot has set in and the trunk is now fully hollow. but the tree is healthy i bought it a few months ago and sold it on. you could allow it to heal over or have it as a feature. it looks man made now because its a flat cut. deepening of the hollow with carving tools will serve two purposes, the wound will look more natural, or should prefer to heal it over, the callus will roll in deeper and you will get less swelling. folk always assume that we carve trees only to make them look old or to add character.

 

[luvinthemountains]

this is the type of fungus that sets in the heartwood and can cause some rotting but not to the detriment of the live areas of the tree. quite a bit of scaremongering goes on.

Well that is information from what I consider a good source, then, and a relief to me. I do like your idea of carving a bit of a hollow. I don't necessarily want to make a permanent feature, but more so that I have been worrying about the callous causing an unsightly bulge. I have been itching to get me a good set of carbide burrs for the die grinder, so maybe this gives me a good excuse!

 

[Shibui]

My experience is similar to @BobbyLane I have kept several tridents with hollow trunks. One had a hole clear through the trunk and out the opposite side where 2 scars opposite rotted out. That hole goes right down through the roots so it is open at the bottom for drainage but the rest of the tree was still solid.


If you want a scar to heal over it is important to keep the wood solid so the new cambium has something to grow on. I now treat the dead wood with lime sulphur a couple of times each year to slow rotting until the new callus has closed. Beware of hollowing the wood too much if the aim is for the scar to close. Having a low part of the trunk after healing is just as bad as ending up with a lump. I think closed scars actually give tridents more character rather than a totally pristine smooth trunk.

Still a few years of development for your tree but it is off to a great start.

 

[BobbyLane]

Well that is information from what I consider a good source, then, and a relief to me. I do like your idea of carving a bit of a hollow. I don't necessarily want to make a permanent feature, but more so that I have been worrying about the callous causing an unsightly bulge. I have been itching to get me a good set of carbide burrs for the die grinder, so maybe this gives me a good excuse!

Yeh you dont need tp go very deep or too heavy, i use this ball on a dremel for these jobs

you could possibly go as deep until you get to the live heartwood or where it changes from dead to white wood as a guide. then treat and seal.

 

[luvinthemountains]

Here is a pic of a wound on the other side that I carved out a bit with a gouge last year.

 

[Shibui]

Looks quite good for it to heal well.
I have found that tridents close over much faster when the wounds are covered - wound sealer. I know not all agree but my trials show marked increase in closure with wound sealer.

The photo shows how much quicker healing is where there is good sap flow (left side) as opposed to very little sap flow toward the right side.

 

[luvinthemountains]

The photo shows how much quicker healing is where there is good sap flow (left side) as opposed to very little sap flow toward the right side.

Good observation! If I remember right, there was a thick sprout between those two trunks there, or I would have left the bark connected. I have seen a method used on ficus where people graft a whip across both sides of a scar to induce cambium growth. I wonder if that would work (and look OK) with a trident maple?

And I know you are right about the sealer. I will recarve this year and then seal.