Liquidambar Styraciflua

ozzerbon

G'day folks,

Anybody growing a Liquidambar styraciflua [Sweet Gum] as a 1. bonsai and 2. a Shohin bonsai.

About to take delivery of two specimens, one of which I shall make Formal upright [I think] and the 2nd into a shohin.

Would appreciate any advice or other input.

Greetings....Nigel

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Brent

Nigel

I would forget about Liquidambar as shohin. Eventhough you can eventually reduce the leaves, getting good ramification is nearly impossible. I find it suitable for larger bonsai only. Most people don't find it suitable at all, but I think this is because they haven't found the proper techniques. I have 2 fairly nice trees that are about 20 inches tall and one monster with about 6 inch caliper in the works.

Here is an old post I wrote on training techniques:

I remove all of the terminal buds each spring on Liquidambar as they begin
to swell (you could do it earlier). Be careful not to damage the two
smaller buds on either side of the terminal bud, these are ones you want to
stimulate.

This will stop the gigantic vertical shoots that you get from these large
terminals. Growth will be delayed slightly, but it when it comes, it will
be much smaller and more refined with closer internodes. After about a
month the tree will start putting out strong growth again that will have to
be pinched aggressively.

Like Jim, I too defoliate twice a season as well as removing the overly
large leaves periodically. I also keep them quite root bound, repotting the
larger ones about every five years.

I find them quite rewarding and not too much work using these techniques. I
think they are perfect for a group and will have to try one. I have several
that aren't really good enough for specimen, but would make a nice large
size group.

Another species that is more manageable is Liquidambar orientalis. The
leaves are naturally smaller and leaf reduction is more easily achieved.
The foliage is darker and more lobed than L. styraciflua, and the bark is a
wonderfully dark thick scaly texture. I have a hollow trunked one that is
about eight inches caliper, fourteen inches tall that is coming along very
nicely. The fall color is clear yellow.

Brent

ozzerbon

Thank you Brent, do you have any pics of your Liquidambars, I think that I'm able post a pic of the two that I'm getting, so watch this space.

Nigel

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FredL

Great commentary, Brent.

I have woderful childhood memories of this tree (I grew up at "14 Gumwood Drive"). It is true that it is not the most ideal species for Bonsai, but it is usable and it is nice to hear ways to optimize it's potential, however limited it is. I tried it in the past, found it to be OK, but far from great, and didn't take it up again this time. I think I may give it another try. There is a tree in the neighbohood that drops lots of seeds in the Fall and the seeds are very easy to grow from.

And, oh yes, I like how it smells!

Fred

ozzerbon

Yep, here they are the two trees, their allocations as marked.

Nigel

Attached Images

2 liquidambars.jpg (63.1 KB, 158 views)

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spookybonsai

Hi Ozzerbon,

Was wondering if you still had your Liquidambar trees, and how you were wintering them? I just bought a liquidambar at my club's show a few weeks ago, and already the leaves have turned brown and curled. There's very little info on liquidambar's around, so I'm not sure if this is simply autumn, winter behaviour for these trees?

cheers,

Shane
And I just noticed you're in Amsterdam. D'oh.

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ozzerbon

So the lovely Liquidambars, are still being considered, well since my original posting, one of the original two is growing like mad, Informal upright style, another 2years shall do it, the other is still with the dealer that I bought it from, so about that one I cannot say, but, since then I have been given a very nice small SMALL, dwarfed variety: LIQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA - "Gumball". Definitely one to look out for, and this one shall make a pleasing shohin, which is at present 12 1/2 inches tall, and will be pruned down in the coming weeks.

As to winter, like all my trees they're left outside and must fend for themselves, in other words my trees do not get moddlecoddled [spelling ?],
but I'm up on the fourth floor, and do NOT get frost, if I was at ground level then that would be an entirely different story.

Best....Nigel

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spookybonsai

Hmm...Same advice I just got from Roboku also. Ok, so no mollycoddling for the liquidambars. I feel better now.
cheers,

Shane

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jersanct

Very helpful Brent, thank you. Please pardon an amateurish question, though: should these bud-pinching techniques be followed for younger trees planted for more rapid development in the ground or in grow boxes, as well, or will this only hinder their development unnecessarily? I think it does sound like you're suggesting that these techniques should be followed even early in development.

I suppose the same question goes for the twice-per-season defoliation. Should I be worrying about this at an early stage of development, or should I hold off on this until the tree gets closer to the time for final styling?

I've recently purchased a lovely little specimen around 6" tall that probably isn't too far off a decent smaller-sized tree, but I've never worked with one of these before and want to consider all of my possibilities. Your tips on training are great.