Ulmus Americana (American Elm) #71

[Orion_metalhead]

Tree is three or four years old. Just starting to look like something. Needs a repot next year.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

End of this year. Never got it repotted. Next year a grow box is likely.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Repotted today. Will get end photos later. Nothing much to report. Not a great root base but not too bad. Was able to get into a training pot.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Still alive. Pruned it once. Probably slow due to repot. Letting it be the rest of the year.

Any styling thoughts?

 

[Gabler]

Let it grow.

 

[Wood]

Those leaves and buds look incredibly beech-like, not elm-like. I thought elm leaves were flatter, with serrations, and the buds were much smaller?

 

[Tieball]

I don’t know the name of the tree specifically for sure. But my American Elm leaves are different than the leaves on your tree. The buds on your tree are a classic cigar shape which resembles the Beech tree family. American Elm buds are smaller and rounded.

 

[Tieball]

Those leaves and buds look incredibly beech-like, not elm-like. I thought elm leaves were flatter, with serrations, and the buds were much smaller?

I would agree with your observation. And your thoughts are correct.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Well!!! Beech it may be then! Which is great, because Ive wanted a beech.

Will definitely check my field guides!!

Thanks guys! Always great to get the knowledge and expertise of others here.

 

[Hartinez]

I agree with the beech assessment.

 

[Tieball]

So Beech. Your question still lingers though. You asked “Any styling thoughts?”
My first thought is to let it grow. It needs more trunk diameter and more branching. And dimensional development for all around viewing.

And as it grows develop buds to produce a more bush-like branch ramification appearance. It’s been a long time since I worked on Beech trees but I’m confident that Beech articles still exist. One of the highlights I recall is how to prune back Beech branches to force out more budding and branches. I recall several bonsai publications I kept for years that had lengthy advice articles dedicated to Beech bonsai growth, pruning and development.

 

[Cmd5235]

Yeah let’s talk beech! Bonsai4me used to have a great article on beech pruning, but it’s no longer connected to the species guide. The big thing with beech pruning is that you MUST leave a bud on the branch- you can prune back hard, but if you don’t leave at least one bud, it will drop the branch entirely. In my experience, if I leave two buds behind, the tree will push a lot of new growth at the farthest bud from the trunk on the branch, so I really cut back hard. If you don’t, you get great budding on the branch tip, but then have to wait an entire year to cut back again- lots of time and energy wasted. I also usually only prune them back hard in late winter for this reason- if it’s a very cold year, I can expect slight dieback of some branch tips. If I cut back hard, there’s a chance that the one bud I leave will die off, meaning I lose the branch. By waiting until the threat of very cold weather has passed, I can selectively prune with relative safety. It’s similar to what I do with hackberry.

The two best things about mature beech are the silvery, smooth bark and the golden leaves in the fall. I feel that beech are suited to either an informal broom or informal upright, but still with a mostly straight trunk. At least where I am, beech dominated forests have grand, nature trees with spreading canopies and well defined foliage pads in lower branches. You don’t have to have a fat, squat trunk to make a nice tree- in fact, you can achieve a good look with a somewhat thinner trunk, you just have to have an appropriate and slightly larger size.

I don’t know how much space you have, but I would put that tree in a 5 gallon pot or larger, and place it on a tile or piece of wood for the nebari. Personally, I would wire that left leader into a more vertical position so you don’t end up with a slingshot look, and let the tree grow for a few years, increasing the finished height by maybe a foot. Then start pruning it back hard to increase the number of branches to fill in the voids and ramification. I think you could end up with a reasonably realistic tree in a few years.

Option b- cut that tree back to the second branch (currently angled to the left), wire that as the new vertical leader, and then let it grow for a few years. That may be more reasonable, if slightly slower, to get rid of that big area devoid of branches in the middle trunk. Now that I really look at it, that’s what I’d do. Plus, the first right branch will be in a good position to be wired, and it will be the thickest- otherwise, you might end up with a thin first branch and thicker ones above.

 

[Gabler]

If an American beech tree is growing vigorously, you can chop it back and expect a flush of growth from the exposed cambium at the chop site. I don't know know if that holds true for Eastern Hemisphere beech species.

 

[Tieball]

@Cmd5235 well explained and advised. Mighty fine plan suggested for the tree.

I’m way to cautious perhaps. I’d keep all the current branches and follow a plan of pruning to try and force new buds on the branches and on the trunk to fill-in the tree. You’re absolutely correct on leaving a good bud at the tip of a branch. This is what I experienced on a Beech tree.

 

[Gabler]

Here you go. Found a photo. The chop is about two inches across. This is from a tree that was just collected and severely root pruned. I would expect a more energetic response from a tree with an intact root ball.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Thanks guys. Definitely will think about the future plan for this tree.

How many flushes should I expect each year?

 

[Tieball]

One. That’s how my Beech trees performed anyway. Once and done until the next season. I have a short growing window in my area of 5 sometimes maybe 6 months of growing….then it’s back to winter temperatures. Others may experience multiple flushes.

 

[Gabler]

When I pinch my American beeches early enough, I can get two to three flushes. If left to their own devices, they'll flush once per year.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Starting to show the coppery fall color.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

End of year on the beech. Going to try some of the above mentioned pruning next year and see how it does.

Before:

Apex wired slightly:


Some closeups of specific areas.. may let the lower branch run for thickness and reign in the left branch.


Considering removing some of the apex also: