Ponderosa Pine Styling Question

mushashi

Hi,

I just picked up this collected Ponderosa Pine a few days ago. It was collected in the Colorado mountains. It is somewhere between 10-30 years old I think.....

I was wondering if I might get some feedback for potential styling. I think it has some pretty good potential but time will tell. Thanks for your comments....

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bwaynef

I question the statement that this tree is 10-30 years old. Dirr puts this tree's growth at 12-18" per year after establishment. I doubt it takes 5 years to establish (as this tree is planted for lumber), but given that and mid-range growth we have 75" of growth by the time its 10 years old.

Am I way off on the ponderosa growth rate?

Wayne F.

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mushashi

I would think that it depends on how harsh the conditions were where the tree was collected. Strange things can happen at altitude and weather conditions.

The reason this age was postulated is because, a couple of other trees the same size were collected in the same area and a couple did not survive. The trunks were cut, and the rings counted one had about 10-11 the other had about 28. Maybe not the most scientific but close enough...

Besides how can you tell the hieight of the tree from the pix, without any reference, which by the way is about 10-11"? Also, what the heck does that have to do with my original question in the first place?

I am not really that concerned with the age of this tree anyway, more the potential styling...

Misspeled_Name

Well, I can't really see anything in it. You could put it in the ground for several years, get a little more branches that way.

- Misspeled_Name

mushashi

I guess that is a possibility or at least a larger container or training box...

Vonsgardens

Well,
I wouldn't let a little negativity get you down. These are extremely flexible, tough little trees. If it have been in the container for a while you can start styling, taking it down to a form that you can lock it into. These trees bark up very quickly so gain an aura of age quickly. One thing to remember, in the mountains Iand many other places, trees can have two cycles of growth and "quiescence" per year- not all but many, so you might want to back the ages- between 5 and 20 years of age, and so on.

I am attaching a picture from a tree I worked on with Marc Noelanders during his Texas tour- fun little trees. John

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	ponderosa little 1.jpg (30.4 KB, 80 views)
	Ponderosa little 2.jpg (48.2 KB, 98 views)

Vance Wood

There is a difference between being realistic and being negative. In this case it is kind of difficult when you can count all of the branches, primary, secondary and tertiary; include the trunk and apex and still have fingers left on one hand, to give any kind of advise other than let the thing grow in the ground. About the only thin you can do with this tree, as it is now, is kill it trying to make it into something it can not become with the branching it has.

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Craig Cowing

I'll second Vance's sentiment. This tree is too young and undeveloped to style. Maybe he could wire the trunk into a shape for future styling, but that's about it.

Craig Cowing

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I'm not finished yet, neither are my trees.

mushashi

Okay that works for me, I am in no rush with this little guy...Thanks.