We’re “enjoying” our second rainy day in a row. As bad as this might sound, there is some positive to it. If I had to pick the ideal conditions for collecting trees during late fall/winter it would be cool but not cold temperatures and a light drizzle. With these conditions, I know any tree I collect is not going to be moving sap. This almost guarantees I won’t lose the tree from drying out through a chop point. I also know the root zone is going to be moist if not outright wet. The soil is easier to penetrate, and once the tree is lifted the roots are not going to dry out before I can water them. So the bottom line is, though I may not be as comfortable as I’d like the trees will be much more so during their transition from the ground to my benches.
Blackgum, aka Tupelo, aka Black Tupelo, aka Pepperidge (Nyssa sylvatica) is a primary tree that can reach heights up to 100 feet. It has a very broad range, from the Deep South all the way to Ontario, Canada. It features furrowed bark similar to Sweetgum, elliptical or oblong leaves that turn a fiery red even way down here, and blue-black berries. Blackgum belongs to the Dogwood family, Cornaceae.
I’ve been wanting to grow Blackgum for bonsai for many years. Though we do have the cousin Swamp Tupelo down here, they aren’t easy to collect. About four years ago I got hold of a handful of seedlings so I could try my hand at the species. I potted up one, which didn’t survive its first winter, and planted out the others in order to thicken them up. At this point in time, I have two left. So the challenge is pretty obvious.
Today I decided to push the envelope again, and lift one of these specimens. Why not? We learn by doing.
Here’s the tree after it was lifted and the roots washed. The growth has been excellent. The trunk base is 2.5″ just above the root crown, and I chopped it at 20″.
Now, there was no way to keep all that root base – the tree wouldn’t fit right in a bonsai pot – so I sawed away most of it.
And the final two steps: the tree is direct-potted into this unglazed Chuck Iker round; and I chopped the trunk back to make the tree about 16″ tall. I envision a final height of about 26″ or so, and the tree may actually end up being a formal upright specimen. Formal upright is possibly the most difficult style of bonsai to get right – so keep your fingers crossed for me.
Finally, I have no idea how well this is going to work. I haven’t worked with Blackgum before, though I’ve wanted to for years. I don’t know how well they take to pot culture. But I figure it’s worth a try, given the positive qualities of the species.
How about you? Have you ever grown Blackgum? I’d love to hear of any experiences out there.
This is to ask for an update, especially with a photo…
A tupelo (likely swamp tupelo) in my neighbor’s uncleared lot had to come down. Since, it seems to be sending shoots – little clumps – from surface roots. I have not yet tried one as bonsai, but your 2016 article sparks me to do so. As you said, Why not?
-thx
Very, very tough to containerize, but why not try?
I was doing some research on this species and ran across your blog. Any updates / did this tree make it?
No, it’s one of the toughest species to containerize.
Thanks Zach.
Hey Zach, I dug out a double trunked Blackgum in North Jersey this past weekend, each trunk measures 3/4″ dia. It had an amazing root mass because it was growing on top of a flat rock. I left about 10″ of trunk height. It’s potted in native soil for now, not sure if I should clean the roots and use bonsai soil… I’ll post a pic if it stays alive, beautiful species with nice small leaves.
Good luck with your Blackgum, Eric. It’s a difficult species to collect successfully. By all means send me a photo if it makes it.
Looks like some life in the Blackgum!
I think I see tiny buds on the trunk, but there’s also a 1″ healthy looking sucker growing out of the root. Is conventional bonsai wisdom to let the sucker grow to add energy to the whole tree or cut it to conserve energy for trunk budding?
Thanks again!
…or do I let the sucker grow until life is confirmed in the main trunk, that way at least I have something.
Let the sucker grow till the trunk buds push some, then remove it.
I have two growing next to each other here on our property. 30-40’ trees. In NE TX. Yes-beautiful fall color! From what I’m hearing about the roots not liking activity, does air-layering sound like a good option? I could get thumb-size trunk and radial roots. No tap root to harass.
Yes you can air layer them. It’s not too late to do it now in the northern hemisphere.
Hey Zach,
Any update on this project? Just collected a smaller specimen with multiple trunks. Any updates or advice would be appreciates.
Unfortunately this tree did not make it. Blackgum appears to be one of the more difficult species to grow as bonsai. Haven’t cracked the code yet.
I live in coastal southeastern NC and have a few bald cypress trees that I planted as saplings.
They have developed a fairly good girth and was wondering if this a good time of the year to reduce their height to a foot or so.
Thanks for any information.
Owen
Owen, you can reduce them now if you want but I frankly don’t see any advantage over doing it next year just prior to the buds swelling.
Thanks
I’ve not yet worked with black gum but had spotted a fairly large one in a nursery (potted and all) that I will have delivered in February. I do not like to mess with roots of anything this time of the year since experience has shown me that it’s not a reliable season for tearing into a root system.
Nice choice, though! pk
I’d love it if you kept me posted on your work with this tree, Pierre. Send photos too, if you can.
Yikes!…….Now that’s a root pruning. I’m probably a bit reluctant to cut roots back that far. I should do that…..but perhaps I’m missing the confidence and knowledge to perform that type of pruning. I also need to be more aggressive on cutting back branches. Thanks for this post….I hope to see excellent results for your work. I’m also interested in seeing how the top develops and what steps are taken in creating the new top.
Yes it’s drastic, but I’ve learned from long experience to just go ahead and whack ’em hard. I don’t have any experience with Blackgum, so whether it lives or dies I won’t really know if I did the right thing from a survival perspective. That will take more victims. So we’ll see what comes of this one, if anything.
I’ve named this time of year for bonsai because I find myself experimenting a lot do to nothing to do on my bonsai! I call it
“I’m bored,need something to kill season”
Only because it seems 8 out of 10 times what ever I try now ends up dead!
LOL. Boredom kills?