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Weeping Katsura Tree

14 years ago

I am in the process of creating an outdoor space. I am getting very excited about the landscaping possibilities. I will have an open flagstone patio and I am trying to figure out a beautiful small tree to use as a backbone near the patio. I am in zone 6. I have a weeping Katsura that I bought from Wayside Gardens about 4 years ago. It is planted on a slope and I think it is not very happy there. It is probably only about 5 feet tall. I don't know the cultivar and I am not sure how to tell. However, I was wondering if it might be a very pretty specimen up by the patio where the ground is flatter and it will get more water. Any thoughts?

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Comments (3)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
14 years ago
Weeping katsura is not necessarily a small tree :-) Various weeping forms of katsura can all reach 20+ feet in height and equally as wide if not wider. Site accordingly.

{{gwi:330147}}

For a small weeping tree to locate close to a patio, you might want to think about a laceleaf maple, if zone appropriate.
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doonie
Original Author
14 years ago
gardengal, thanks for the photo of a more mature tree. When I ordered this tree from Wayside, they indicated it would be a larger tree, but I sure wish I had saved the info so I would know what the cultivar is.

I think I will need to move my Katsura from it's present site anyway. Our yard is fairly good sized. I guess I am attempting to kill 2 birds with one stone. I might be able to move it furter away from the patio as a backdrop to a smaller tree like the laceleaf maple you mentioned. That would allow us even more privacy from our patio to the neighbors.
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Is there a reason you feel you need to prune? In general, pruning of established trees is limited to the removal of dead or diseased wood, to direct or restrict wayward growth or to enhance growth habit, flowering or fruiting. Depending on the species, thinning or lifting of the canopy may be appropriate as well. If one of these issues is motivating your need to prune, then by all means address them, but at the proper time of year for the species. It is much harder to make a viable case for pruning to control size or artificially shape a tree unless you are working with bonsai. FWIW, my 12 y.o. weeping katsura ('Pendula', not C. magnificum) has never been pruned. It has a long graceful cascade of branches to the ground, which I believe to be its intended form. It also tends to less fall color than the species (plain old yellow, no apricot or orange) and I have never detected the classic burnt sugar/cotton candy scent from its fall leaf drop that one encounters with the standard forms.
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thanks- these pics are mainly from the front yard. the large tree in the first pic is a Colorado blue spruce, surrounding by smaller green giants mostly. The second pic is a norway spruce in full bloom. The last pic is a fat albert spruce- again surrounded by green giants, and a norway spruce peeking in the pic on the right. I have a few bloodgood japanese maples too to pop in some red color. Hope this helps. I know I am not up on all the latin names and such and don't claim to know as much as alot of other people here- but I enjoy doing it. Much of this hobby is trial and error. So it pays to research stuff before you pay for anything. I've lost alot of stuff too.
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i have a friend who grows dwarf weeping japanese maples in pots, in fairly deep shade. she waters them frequently. they seem to do ok. she gets them from a nursery in atlanta. or, you could just grow hibiscus acetosella. it looks just like a japanese maple, only better, since it bears really very subtle but beautiful wine-colored flowers. i have several i could give you -- they have some motility, but in a good way. only drawback, like most hibiscuses, they have crappy root systems that tend to blow over in heavy wind and rain. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/63750/
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Cercidiphyllum seem to be more prone to their bark cracking than many other trees. I have half a dozen or so and the ones in full sun have bark that looks like yours. Complete with the fungus. I subsequently planted others in shadier locations, and especially made sure that they would not be hit by low winter sun (when the trees have no leaves to shield the bark). They are doing much better with no signs of bark cracking. The only reason that the two that look like yours are still there is that I've not managed to get around to removing them. As gg notes, they are doomed...
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doonie
Original Author
14 years ago
After further investigation, I realize that my tree is the "Pendulum" cultivar. I am bummed. Maybe moving it isn't even worth the effort since it sounds like it will remain short and dumpy. Big Bummer.

I am going to have top put on my landscape design hat and think...
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