Holly (Ilex cornuta- I think) Styling advice please.

[Raging Bull]

Hi All,
At the QBS annual show & sale I couldn't help myself and bought a few plants One of them is a holly, I think it's an Ilex cornuta. It was pot-bound with a lot of convoluted roots which I initially thought of untangling somewhat and make the tree a root over rock...... not possible the way I imagined it after I got it home. But for $8 I'm not complaining. I bare-rooted it and cut off sections of the roots, leaving the main tree and four suckers growing from sections of root. I've potted the four suckers and the tree, which I also pruned fairly hard. That left me with a trunk with a T at the top. As I don't know much, OK to be honest, nothing, about holly I didn't want to go the whole way yet and do a radical trunk chop.
Can anyone tell me how well holly back-buds? If I cut it back to just above the second bend is there a good chance of survival for the tree? If not, does anyone have suggestions about dealing with the ugly T bar, apart from throwing it in the bin. If binning it is the best solution I can always keep the other four suckers, which all have good healthy roots. Thanks, Frank.

[Watto]

I think some time now to let the tree do its thing. As it is spring, growth should be rampant over the next few weeks and you will soon see if it does throw shoots lower down on the trunk and branches.

[shibui]

I think most holly should bud on bare wood but I haven't tried it. I think the pruning you have given it should stimulate some lower buds if the tree is able to so you'll soon know.
As for the T top: wire it properly and bend one of those up as a continuation of the trunk and the problem will no longer be there. I can't see the point of the wire you have put on

[Raging Bull]

Thanks Watto and shibui. I'll just let it be for now and see how well it back-buds. If it back-buds well I'll trunk chop it and go from there. The T bar branch and the trunk below it are too hard and stiff to bend, that's why I put the wire on, as the branches above it went straight up. Failing all that, I've got four prickly babies to do something with.
Cheers, Frank.

[shibui]

The T bar branch and the trunk below it are too hard and stiff to bend, that's why I put the wire on,

If those areas are too stiff to bend then there is no point in putting wire on It seems that some people think that to be a bonsai a tree must have some wire. In reality, wire is only used to make changes. If you can't make changes there's no point.
However, I doubt that those branches are too stiff to bend. They may not move with that tiny bit of thin wire but with decent wire I'm sure I could make some changes of direction. There are also plenty of other bending techniques that can help if a branch is really too stiff to bend.

[robb63]

Hi Frank
I have been playing with an Ilex [Chinese holly] for last year or so and found it tough and heat tolerant.
Mine was repotted about this time too and back budding was very good
Once it settles in you should have plenty of buds to choose from all over judging from your picture.
The only issue with mine so far is no new buds shooting on old wood with bark.
You trunk has not developed bark yet so should [theoretically] shoot out like a porcupine.
I lost one branch by pruning back hard and not leaving a single leaf so won't do that again.
My holly lives in full sun[no shade at all] about 10 hrs/day and loves it.
This summer however it will be going under shade cloth because I can't be watering more than once a day.
Looks like you'll have a few to play around with. Hope they thrive and love the heat up your way.
cheers

[Raging Bull]

Thanks Robb,
If it does back-bud well I'll be getting rid of that T bar branch. The heat up here in summer is not too great, it just feels hotter because of the humidity.
Cheers, Frank.