AusBonsai

I was just given tis corked bark chinese elm today. Its a bit of a shambles but I reckon there is a nice tree in there. It has not been potted for years so is going to be full of good root cuttings as well. Its quite a big tree which the pic doesn't show up.
Would be great to get some style ideas
Craigw

Its a ripper and the pot looks nice too. I would consider taking the right hand and central trunk out and growing it as a small twin using the lower branch.

Should be fun for you to play with!

Jarrod That low branch on the left is an add on that was put into the pot at some stage, you will probably have to come up and have a look at it. My inclination was to take off the 2 big branches and drastically shorten the main trunk which would give the tree some pretty serious taper. Its a question of whether I layer the big pieces off or just cut, do I need more trees ?
Craigw

G,day Craig this is nice material, very nice I like your thinking as to those heavy branches,and the shortening of the trunk for more taper. Watch the moss it ruins the bark.
Why not more tree's, trade or sell at later dates, even raffle prizes. That is what I tell my self each time I do another cutting or airlayer.
As has been pointed out to me many times by Mrs Pup.You do not need any more trees, as we wonder the native nursery's

Enjoy the tree Craig and keep us posted.
Cheers Pup

Hi Craig,
It has a fairly nice trunk and obvious age to it and should be a nice tree once you remove the heavy branches and correct the inverse taper on the upper trunk. You could probably grow 3-4 decent little tree from cuttings of the excess wood. Look forward to seing you grow it a new set of branches, you should do a progression, a lot of people would be terrified to rebuild a tree from a bare trunk.

Cheers,
Mojo

Why will you brush the tree with vinegar?

Hi Craig,
I think you need to re build all the main branches, the trunk is sensational. Here is some inspiration

G'day Pup. the branches which need to come off have very little to recommend them I have been looking at it all afternoon as I work in the nursery, it would probably be quicker to grow a new tree than to get taper into those branches.
Hi Waltron, the trunk is so covered with moss and lichen you can't see the bark, a brush with vinegar will clean all that up.
Mojo, I will do a progression as Gerard says it need a new set of branches, I think the engish elm you posted Gerard would be a great model.
By the way Gerard I read on another post you were in the hills and you didn't call in ??? you are always welcome.
Craigw

Hi Craigw,
A few suggestions.
Regards Ray

Thanks Ray, You are about right with regards to the cutting but I am not going to layer the branches they are too boring to fiddle around with
Craigw

I have scrubbed the section of the trunk which I think is useful, there was about a 3cm layer of moss and grime. There was also a nasty surprise hidden under the moss at the back of the tree

I can't see a future for the side branches either. They are too gross and shapeless and too heavy for the trunk. They have done their bit to thicken the trunk. To my mind a chop is the thing leaving just the main trunk. I kinda feel you are going to get what I got when I bought an ultra bargain elm with lovely tiny foliage. I cut it back hard since it was far too tall for the thickness of the trunk and naturally root pruned and repotted it in quality soil. The small solid green leaf elm I thought I had turned out to be a large leaf silver edged elm that had hidden its true nature by starvation and responded well to root room and food and water. This neglected elm could respond much the same way but the trunk size is more than sufficient to carry a larger leaf.

It looks much better cleaned up. You have inspired me to get the vinegar, toothbrush and casuarina and remove the moss crawling up the trunk.

G'day Craig,

Is there any value in swapping front for back then using the ugly wound as a feature by carving it out more?

Regards,
Steven

Hi Mel, I have just been outside splitting fire wood we are supposed to get snow tonight and its starting to feel cold enough.
I think the tree is a genuine chinese elm the original owner was a highly respected nurseryman in Vic. and it was his son who gave me the tree, anyway once it gets some fresh growing medium and ferts I will soon find out. I really like your description of the branches (gross ) sums them up in one word.
Hi Steven there is merit in that idea and I will look at the tree with that in mind once the freezing cold front has passed.
Craigw