With just about everything starting to push buds now, collecting season has come to an end. Yesterday I was able to lift some more Cedar elms, including this nice specimen. I should know fairly soon if I was successful.
Here’s another nice specimen, “barky” and with some branching that can probably be used in the design. Great character.
This one is fairly tall, but it’s got loads of character and the entire trunk is complete including the apex. It won’t take long to finish out this design.
I found a couple of nice Sweetgums also. This one’s a natural twin-trunk, with some branching already in place.
Finally, I though it might be worth giving this species a try. It’s a Sassafras (S. albidum). It’s my understanding that they’re not easy to maintain in pot culture, so that could make the experiment short-lived. But you don’t know if you don’t try.
Let me know what you think of these trees.
Zach, I love the bark on #2. The branches seem to indicate it may be a Winged Elm. If not, how do you distinguish this type of Elm from a Winged Elm? Having lived my entire adult life in Florida I am still having difficulty identifying northern trees.
Thank you, Doug. Both Winged and Cedar elm produce corky wings on the young branches and directly on the trunk when fairly young. There are some subtle differences in the leaf shape, but very subtle. Based on my research, the most definitive way to tell the difference is when they bloom – Winged elm leads off in spring with its flowers, Cedar elm blooms in late summer or early fall. Cedar elm is the most common elm in Texas, which is where I collected these. So I figure they are most likely Cedar elm.
Really nice yamadori. I’m sure you put in a lot of hours scouting good prospects. Good luck.
Thanks, Bill.