American Elm Advice.

Elm237

Well I finally have some pictures,I know that the tree is in bad shape but I hope you can give me some advice on the tree.Any advice on how to attain the classic shape that is shown in the thread I posted called New or Rare Style {not sure how too link it}. Most people know the classic vase shape with dropping branches. I wanted to know if anyone had any ideas on how to straighten that unsighly cure in the lower trunk especially though any other help is good also.I have more recent pictures that I will have put on a CD. I know that these are blurry because they were taken with a old camera.I love advice good or bad.I do know though my tree has years to go before it earns the great title of a bonsai.Thanks

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Elm237

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Elm237

Heres 1.

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Elm237

Elm237

Heres 2

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Elm237

Elm237

Come on guy's, you can make fun of it! I am excited to here what you would do with it or how to bend the trunk -anything. Thanks

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Elm237

rockm

Um,

I guess the first question is--why collect this specimen at all? It offers none of the characteristics needed for styling. It won't be able to be styled into a credible broom for years. It's simply too small, as the huge leaf suggests...

American elm is a fast growing species. The basis for any broom styled tree is a sturdy-looking trunk. This trunk won't be visually "sturdy" unless you chop it down to about an inch. That would leave the huge leaves as another problem. They won't reduce that much.


I would plant this one out for five more years and then do a trunk chop.

Elm237

Thanks rockm for being honest. I don't think that the leaves will be a problem though {not knocking your advice} I have had another American Elm that was about the same size it did the same thing,sent out one shoot at the beginning of the year. The leaves got big on the shoot because: {this is a theory only} it couldn't send out a another shoot with more leaves it made the leaves huge on the one shoot that it sent out first to make up for it.When the leaves on the other shoot did come out they were 1/2 that size.Tell me if that doesn't make sense because I am having difficulty wording it. I choose this tree because I wanted a tree that could take a good pruning and is hardy,and that could be worked on for years.Do you at least think it is possible to get the bend out of the trunk?? Well thanks for the advice.I was thinking adout what you said about putting it in the ground preforming a trunk chop and making it into a large bonsai.

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Elm237

rockm

The issue with this trunk is it's really too small to work into much of anything, regardless of the kink. You're thinking too small.

American elm is such a hardy tree and a fast growing, easily collected one, at that. Like bald cypress, small ones with little character in them aren't worth the effort really. You can easily get better by looking around for a larger trunk. I'd think 2 inches in diameter is minimum with such species.

Working on this one won't get you very far. Containerization slows trunk development. You will not get an appreciably larger trunk while pruning the top and roots to keep it in a container.

I would simply plant this one out and look for a larger one. I've worked American elm and collected other native elms. They are easily dug in the spring and will readily accept 95 percent root reduction and trunk chop at the same time. They come back like wildfire in a season.