Conquering Reverse Taper In Hokkaido Elm And Other Plants

Jon Kypros

Hokkaido Elms develop some bad reverse taper but I found a way to fix it. Turns out H. Elms can have almost a half of an inch of this moist potato consistency like layer between the bark and the hard heart wood. So I removed sections of that pulp layer like a plant surgeon and then tied it down thus removing the reverse taper! Works extremely well.

I am not sure if this would work with many other plants as most do not have a large pulpy layer. (it was not rotted the plant just does this!)

I also found out why H. Elms brake so easily. It is their main way of reproducing. They root from anywhere on the tree. If you just get a little moisture around the trunk a root will pop out threw the thickest of the cork bark (maybe it has something to do with that pulpy layer)
Just thought I would share

Picture of surgery

Attached Images

rvrstprhe.jpg (23.3 KB, 121 views)

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Adam_MA

Do you have any pictures of the tree before and after?

Adam

Jon Kypros

I wish I did so bad but I used all my film taking ebay pictures a few days ago and I don't have a digi cam yet. I will take pictures of the after and I have one more H. Elm that I will be operating on so I'll be sure to hold off on that one until I have a cam.

Thanks for the interest!