Today I went out in hopes of collecting some bald cypress. The water was up, however, so I had to fall back to Plan B. I ended up with some yaupons, huckleberries and even a pine. But the best find of the day was this tree, a truly great American hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana.
This one checks all the boxes. The flaring root base and radial roots are terrific, the trunk has very nice muscling and movement, and the taper is great.
I’m thinking this view shows off everything better. What do you think?
And here it is, after I dusted the cut ends of the roots and potted it up. Notice how the roots are buried, to ensure they stay moist. And of course the trunk chop is sealed to prevent it drying out.
The base on this specimen is 4.5″, and it’s 24″ to the chop. I would expect the final height of this tree will be about 32-34″. The plan for this year is to let it grow out to get established in its nursery container. I’ll wire the primary branch structure sometime in late April. And of course there will be a new leader that will be allowed to run in order to produce a tapering transition from where the chop is into the new apex.
I should know in March whether I was successful with this one.
Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you.
haven’t seen any updates – did it make it?? great find!
This tree still scratches green but hasn’t pushed buds yet. Waiting and watching.
We don’t have the same forests as you’se do so we have to buy our stock.
Understood. A nursery “hunt” is almost as tough as a forest hunt sometimes.
That is an awesome truck…..I am totally jealous. I dug a privet and sent it home with my son. Do you have any nice yaupon holly where you are? I would like to dug a nice one. 14″-24″ with a nice base.
Enjoy all your post.
We do have plenty of yaupon around here. I collected a few yesterday. You have to spend some time when looking for native yaupon in order to find a good trunk, because they typically don’t grow with any taper.
Nice piece Zach! I really like the angle its sitting in the second pic. Do you wait to decide on a potting angle? I found a honey hole of hornbeam but I don’t wanna collect to early. February and march in NJ can be hell. Also I lost a really big one last year after collection. Not sure why but I gues you gotta take the losses with the wins in bonsai… I’m really excited and getting antsy!
Thanks, Tim. Sometimes I know the potting angle right away, sometimes not. It’s typically a quick decision at collecting time, as I don’t have the luxury of pondering. And yes, you do have to take the losses with the wins in bonsai, no way around it.
Wow what a bitchin tree! Your right it has it all, I hope it survives I would like to see how it buds out.
Nice tree!….Trunk anyway. It will be good to see what happens with new buds this year.
I cannot understand why my Hornbeam collecting does not produce buds off the trunk. Must be a local tree habit. I’m going to try again this spring….in a few weeks. Best to wait for bud swell first?
I wouldn’t wait for bud swell, John. Hornbeams don’t seem to like being collected once they start moving sap. That’s been my experience, anyway.