Noticed this witch's Broom coming off of an unidentified pine tree. It was approximately 20 feet above me.
Witch's Broom
- Thread starter Cascading-Echinocactus
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Woocash
Omono
Cool. Are they any use as a bonsai or cultivated?
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Witches broom is a term for abnormal growth from a normal tree. There are a number of causes but the abnormal growth is permanent in that section so it can be propagated. A number of dwarf and tight growing cultivars started out as witches brooms that had some desirable traits.
As this is a pine it is unlikely to be able to be grown as cuttings so it would need to be grafted onto a pine root stock but the result should be a tree with similar characteristics.
Is it good for bonsai? Maybe.
As this is a pine it is unlikely to be able to be grown as cuttings so it would need to be grafted onto a pine root stock but the result should be a tree with similar characteristics.
Is it good for bonsai? Maybe.
Arizona bonsai
Shohin
Start an air layer with a 20 foot ladder? LOL!
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Very cool!
I'm sure I could get up there. Depending on what species of pine this is: I'd like to air layer a few sections in addition to cutting off a few scions. I'm unsure of the best way to approach this with the owner of the house. I'd need to explain what this is and why I'm interested in it. To the average person, this request is pretty strange, and while the people in this neihborhood are generally very friendly, this could arouse suspicion. And with what's going on in the country they may not even want a stranger coming near there house. "Is it worth the effort?"
NOZZLE HEAD
Shohin
As far as worth the effort.
Many commercial dwarf cultivars come from collected “witches brooms”, so if it makes a nice bonsai/landscape plant it could be quite lucrative, assuming you patent and sell the new cultivar.
Many commercial dwarf cultivars come from collected “witches brooms”, so if it makes a nice bonsai/landscape plant it could be quite lucrative, assuming you patent and sell the new cultivar.
Woocash
Omono
Good info that, thanks. I had suspicions that was the case as far as propagation etc goes.
This whole situation will blow over at some point and that witch’s broom will still be there so patience young padawan!
Break out the climbing gear! Its time for Extreme bonsai!
But in all seriousness, yeah that may be worth the hassle. Picture can be misleading but that does appear to be rather high up, please don't kill yourself over this.
-edit- just read you dont own access to this and need to ask permission, do that...but maybe leave out the words "for bonsai" people get dollar signs in their eyes sometimes when they think what they have may be worth money, and I wouldnt be climbing someones tree doing limb work AND paying them to do it.
But in all seriousness, yeah that may be worth the hassle. Picture can be misleading but that does appear to be rather high up, please don't kill yourself over this.
-edit- just read you dont own access to this and need to ask permission, do that...but maybe leave out the words "for bonsai" people get dollar signs in their eyes sometimes when they think what they have may be worth money, and I wouldnt be climbing someones tree doing limb work AND paying them to do it.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Step !. - identify what species of tree the parent tree is. In the process, measure the length of the normal tree's needles. This will figure into whether the species is worth messing around with for bonsai purposes. Generally, if needles are longer than 4 inches, it is not really worth the effort to turn it into bonsai.
Step 2, - get some needles from the witches broom and measure their length. If the needles are not less than the "normal tree" and or not less than 4 inches, it is really not that good for bonsai.
Step 3 - if the needles of the broom are less than 4 inches, it might very well be good for bonsai. Next step would be harvesting scions for grafting and or doing an air layer. Note: I would assume air layer has a very low probability of working. But you never know. Get permission. Climb in tree to the witches broom. Or if that does not work. Common redneck way to harvest witches broom is a shotgun blast to the supporting branch. Do this in middle to late winter. The whole broom can be knocked out of the tree in one blast from a 4-10. The scions harvested can be wrapped in moist sphagnum and stored in the refrigerator until ideal time for grafting in late winter, early spring. Ideal is understock has just begun growing for spring, and scion wood is still dormant. Choose your understock by what pines grow well in your area. Scots pine, P. sylvestris is one of the "universal understocks" but others could be used, JBP, P. nigra, P. taeda, what ever you want. You can use seedlings of the normal form of the species since you identified it in step 1. Make at least 10 to 20 grafted trees with the witches broom. This way you can evaluate them more effectively. And you have some to spread around should you choose to share.
Step 4. observe the growth habit of the your witches brooms. Come up with a description of how the broom compares and differs from the normal form of the species.
Step 5 - if your broom turns out to be really different, stable as a broom long term, and worthy of mass production, now it is time to name it, and register it as a new variety. The American Conifer Society can help you with the registration. THen you can patent it and trademark it.
Step 2, - get some needles from the witches broom and measure their length. If the needles are not less than the "normal tree" and or not less than 4 inches, it is really not that good for bonsai.
Step 3 - if the needles of the broom are less than 4 inches, it might very well be good for bonsai. Next step would be harvesting scions for grafting and or doing an air layer. Note: I would assume air layer has a very low probability of working. But you never know. Get permission. Climb in tree to the witches broom. Or if that does not work. Common redneck way to harvest witches broom is a shotgun blast to the supporting branch. Do this in middle to late winter. The whole broom can be knocked out of the tree in one blast from a 4-10. The scions harvested can be wrapped in moist sphagnum and stored in the refrigerator until ideal time for grafting in late winter, early spring. Ideal is understock has just begun growing for spring, and scion wood is still dormant. Choose your understock by what pines grow well in your area. Scots pine, P. sylvestris is one of the "universal understocks" but others could be used, JBP, P. nigra, P. taeda, what ever you want. You can use seedlings of the normal form of the species since you identified it in step 1. Make at least 10 to 20 grafted trees with the witches broom. This way you can evaluate them more effectively. And you have some to spread around should you choose to share.
Step 4. observe the growth habit of the your witches brooms. Come up with a description of how the broom compares and differs from the normal form of the species.
Step 5 - if your broom turns out to be really different, stable as a broom long term, and worthy of mass production, now it is time to name it, and register it as a new variety. The American Conifer Society can help you with the registration. THen you can patent it and trademark it.
Iowa newbie
Mame
I could see you doing this, I'd probably encourage it too lol
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
I'd get a ladder. Is it really 20' up?
I was using a 14' step ladder the other day....I dont know how big step ladders get, but 14'er gets you way up there.
I was using a 14' step ladder the other day....I dont know how big step ladders get, but 14'er gets you way up there.
augustine
Chumono
My very knowledgable friend skinned a similar cat, grafting was required.
I had a bad experience once when I was younger. I was driving through a town about 30 minutes from where I live, at one house I noticed sarracenia growing in a built in bog I'm the front yard, some species I couldn't identify. Curious to know what they were, I walked up to the front door and knocked. The man who lived there answered, and upon seeing me, immediately reached for the pistol at his hip, aimed it at me, and gestured that I should go back the way I came. Since then I am overly cautious when considering even walking up to a strangers front door. More than likely everything would work out fine, however it could just happen to be the one unstable person who feels like shooting me.
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