Carpinus orientalis

 

Carpinus orientalis

With some of my trees I have feeling I'm not getting anywhere. Time to time I'm frustrated by development of this oriental hornbeam to be honest. And time to time I have feeling I found out what a tree want to be. My latest flash I had when I was looking at this picture. I Have to edit it in spring and then still result will be 10 years away. No worries, I have enough time. 

Carpinus orientalis

Oriental hornbeam after second trimming this year. 

Carpinus orientalis

When I was young kid we used to play ice hockey on our street. Actually, it was only hockey, without ice. We were pretending real hockey on asphalt with old tennis ball. All members of the team were pretending they are somebody else, some former or present Czechoslovak hockey stars. I recall just few, but I will not bother you with names. Due to my level of hockey skill I could chose somebody from second line, tough.

In bonsai art trees pretend a lot, also. They pretend they are older than its actual age mainly, among other things. And many acers and hornbeams pretend they are aged pines, unfortunately.

April 2015 after restyling

This oriental hornbeam was restyled in April this year. It is collected yamadori tree and from design point of view I consider it to be quite challenging. Even after last styling I was not quite sure where we are heading. As tree grow through spring I left it untouched. Time to remove wire was approaching in late May. I removed them and I was planing to cut back fresh growth. As tree was standing on the shelf during late spring, with overgrown shoots, I was looking at it daily.

When asking for help on club meeting have you ever get recommendation to wait “and tree will tell you”? I used it few times, as joke mostly. Trees will not tell you, usually.

As I keep looking on this tree, I stared to have feeling it is trying to tell me something. I had feeling it keep telling me it does not want to be pine. And it was whispering me it wants to be weeping willow. Strange isn't it?

And we are back at pretending. If dozens of acers can pretend they are perfect pines, can my hornbeam pretend it is weeping willow? As it was standing on turntable, after I removed all wires, I had feeling it will be the best option for the tree. Idea is little bit unusual, I know. I'll keep listening what tree will tell me during next seasons and I will see.

I shortened shoots on tree anyway to work on fine ramification. You can see result on the picture.

Carpinus orientalis restyling

I was not happy with structure of the tree. So I made some major redesign. Apex was removed and tree will be shorter in the future. Few branches were also removed. Whole tree was wired. Now it will shoot new leaves in few days. Top part of the crown must be developed in next few years. I will work on dead wood soon. Challenging tree I would say. 

Now after styling

Recently just before restyling

November 2014

June 2011 after first major styling

In August 2010 just after arriving into my garden from my visit at Walter Pall garden. 

Carpinus orinentalis No.1

This is oriental hornbeam which was part of trade with Walter Pall in 2010. One of my trees traveled with WP to his garden from his workshop in Slovakia and during my trip on Late summer meeting this oriental hornbeam traveled back to my garden.

It is good species and horticulturaly it seems to be fine for our climate, it survived successfully 2 winters in my place already and conditions was harsh, temperatures fell below -20°C in both winters.  Tree is growing nicely, creating nice little leaves. From design point of view this particular tree is not easy for me. Fortunately Walter helped me with it when I was making decisions about basic structures in sumer 2011 during his visit at my place in Spring 2011. Some branches where then shorten and clearly unnecessary parts where removed. During this winter tree was wired almost completely. It is now growing happily so it was time today to cutback this year growth. Tree was than feed with dose of Osmocote and with bat guano.

Tento stromček je Cartpinus orientalis a dostal sa ku mne od Waltera Palla v roku 2010. Vtedy sa jeden z mojích  hrabov vrátil spolu s WP do jeho záhrady z akcie ktorá sa u nás konala a tento orientalis zasa cestoval so mnou z Waltrovej záhrady keď sme sa boli pozrieť na Late summer meeting.

Carpinus orientalis sa z pestovateľského hľadiska zatiaľ ukazuje ako dobrý druh. U mňa v záhrade prežil zazimovaný pod pilinami dve zimy kedy teploty padli pod -20°C. Strom rastie pekne a vytvára krásne malé lístky a jemné konáriky. Čo sa týka tvarovania tohto konkrétneho stromu tak to pre mňa nie je celkom jednoduché. Našťastie mi s ním pomohol Walter keď bol na návšteve minulého roku. Vtedy sme skrátili niektoré konáre a tie úplne zbytočné sa odstránili. Počas zimy som strom takmer celý nadrôtoval a tento víkend som ostrihal tohtoročné konáriky ktoré už boli príliš dlhé. Keď už som ho mal pod rukami tak som ho nahnojil dávkou Osmocote a netopierím guánom.

5/2012

5/2012 with my lovely helper / máj 2012 spolu s mojou pomocníčkou

6/2011

6/2011

8/2010

8/2010

8/2010

8/2010 just after arrival from Walters garden/ August 2010 po prinesení od Waltra

Bat guano from my catholic friends who can take me to church towers/ Netopierie guano od mojich katolíckych priateľov ktorý ma pustili do kostolnej veže