New addition - Hawthorn

[Matt S]

I was lucky enough to pick up a few trees yesterday from an old friend who’s selling most of her collection. This one is a pink flowering Hawthorn that’s 23 years old. Later in the year I’ll pick a better pot and I’ll reduce the height, by t I’m happy to hear of any other ideas that others have, including anything out of left field.

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Cheers,
Matt

[Watto]

Congratulations Matt, everyone should have a Hawthorn (and a plum), and getting a pink flowering one is super.
I would cut at the first branch. That would give an improved trunk width to tree height ratio and I think would also improve the taper. It will probably shoot back on old wood and if you want it, most likely where you cut.
I'm sure there are plenty of other ideas out there though.

[TimS]

Lovely hawthorn, i'd love to add one to my collection but i only ever see them on rubbish grafts sadly!

[MJL]

Oh to be so lucky! Lovely pick up Matt.


Bonsai teaches me patience.
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[melbrackstone]

I love this tree's elegance, but can see that compressing it would help get it into the "correct proportions."

Do you know if it back buds well?

[Jake fowler]

I recently got a hawthorn as well Matt. Do you have any info on ramification? I am thinking it needs to be cut back hard to start ramification. Any tips would be great. Cheers

[Matt S]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Watto - I was also thinking of cutting to the first branch although the thought of cutting off all those flowering spurs is heartbreaking! I have a couple of hawthorns and they've never flowered, so I'll leave the apex on this tree over spring at least. I also picked up a crab apple and a pear, and when I was putting them in the car I thought "Watto would love these".

Do you know if it back buds well?

Mel, They'll back bud easily if you prune hard over winter.

Jake - that's a great trunk on your hawthorn. If it were mine I'd start on the ramification at the apex but I'd leave the lower branches to grow really long so they thicken up. Creating ramification on hawthorns isn't complex - over winter you could cut all the growth on the apex back to 2 buds, then after bud burst let all the new shoots grow until the first couple of leaves at the base of each shoot hardens off (usually the shoot will produce 6 to 10 leaves before this happens), prune back to 2 leaves and repeat. You'll need to cut back the strong shoots at the top of the tree and at the ends of the branches often, and over summer regularly remove some of the larger leaves to let in air and light. Start a progression thread with your tree, we'd all like to see how it goes.

Matt.

[Jake fowler]

Sweet thanks for the info mate!