Broom Critique

veblen

Hi,

I will attach a couple images. One is a close up and the other will attept to show the shape.

One photo is a little dark.

I procured this tree last fall. It has grown a lot this year. I have had to prune the tree 3 times. I have recently wired a branch. You will see the wired branch in the closeup image.

The tree is 26" in height and the first branch is at the 11" mark. The main trunk is 22" in height and the canopy is 22" in diameter at the widest. My plan for the tree is to be 27"-30" in height. Presently the trunk base is approx. 0.5" - a little less than this, but not much.

My plan is to ramify and give the tree 10-20 years to mature while maintaining a broom style.

I live in zone 7b. I will experience 90 to 100 degrees in humid conditions until September. The temperature will then have highs in the 90's and lower as highs. Usually a frost will not occur until December.

Questions:

1. What genus and species is this tree? It appears to be an elm. I have a lot of elms on my property. On the closeup you will see the leaves are serrated and alternate. Perhaps the bark will help with identity.

2. The petioles are not very long, but seemingly appropriate. Given the information provided may I defoliate this tree? Will the petioles when the leaves are removed bifurcate? I was thinking of fertilizing the tree, which I have not been doing until the end of July or August and then defoliate. August is a horrid month - dry, hot and humid.

3. How old is this tree and should one defoliate a tree this approx. age?

I appreciate your thoughts and observations. I am still learning and encouraged by this tree. Advice and suggestions would be nice.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

V.

Attached Images

broom b.talk.jpg (23.9 KB, 210 views)

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veblen

Hi,

Here is a closeup of the wiring, the bark and leaves.

I would appreciate any thoughts, direction to be taken and overall impression.

Thanks again,

V.

veblen

:-)

V.

Attached Images

broom closeup.jpg (25.9 KB, 211 views)

TreeBay

Hi veblen,

Here is a link to the Broom style in our dictionary. At the bottom is a link that will take you to pictures of Broom style bonsai.

I can't help you out with the species. It doesn't resemble the American Elm we have here, though.

If you do have a 20 year plan in mind for this tree, I would plan to let it grow freely for at least the first 5 years in the ground (or a training box). Thereafter, you should have a trunk that's 4 or five inches across at the base and be ready for shaping its trunk for the next five years in a training box.

If you grow it in a container like this, after 20 years you might expect that it will only be 3 inches or so at the end of that time.

Regards,

Matt

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GaryS

It looks like a Native cherry (Prunus) of some sort.

I don't know much about training this species in the broom style but I would follow Matt's advice about letting it grow in a training box for a while. I wouldn't defoliate it at this time. Just let it grow and pinch it accordingly.

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GaryS

discobassoonist

Veblen,

Go with the suggestions that have been posted up so far. Putting it in the ground will speed up your process a bit, and give a lot more to work with at the end of the day.
Also, at that time, your idea of the broom style might have changed, and so you might see a formal upright, or whatever. I do think that at the moment there is a good broom skeleton in there, but let's see how well it grows first.
Take care,
Dane