Pruning Dawn Redwood and Bald Cypress

16 years ago

I thought I'd post this question for some advise from the experts. I have two conifers that I know grow fast (and big)--Bald cypress and Dawn Redwood. I recently planted smaller relatively small ones about three away from a fence. I was wondering if I could keep them shapely, and healthy but also somewhat dwarfed by doing annual pruning. I am not talking about bonsai-sized (just not massive for a suburban

landscape). Thanks for any input.

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Comments (6)

mdvaden_of_oregon
16 years ago
In other words, would you mean like a two tree hedge?

Almost any tree can be kept small with yearly pruning.

There might be a point in the future where that system won't work anymore.

Most trees pruned like that need to get a teeny bit taller each year, even if it's just an inch or two.

Doesn't seem that they would end up being very "shapely" though as far as remaining attractive.

When the needles frall off, what remains to look at for the fall and winter months, might not be too appealing.

M. D. Vaden of Oregon
User
Original Author
16 years ago
No, no, no, not that small! More like 15 feet or so. As for the deciduous nature of both, that's one of the things I actually love about them (that and their prehistoric past). I have enough evergreen magnolias, rhododendrons, bamboo, and holly shrubs to get me through the winter.
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you know what the moral of this story is....' there is really never any hurry to deal with a tree ... think about it.. watch it ... but you can always come back later and take care of it ... but you cant staple them back on.. if you make a bad decision ... and really .. 90% of the time.. the tree can take care of itself .... my only goal.. BESIDES DAMAGE REPAIR ... is lifting the canopy high enough that i can walk under them.. w/o having my hat or glasses knocked off .... there is no tree ... that can not.. sort itself out.. and re-establish a leader ... ken
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Bald cypress' autumn foliage assumes a rusty-brown color at best. Tamaracks (larches, Larix spp.) are another deciduous conifer that does have yellow fall color. Young tamaracks are similar in appearance to bald cypress and dawn redwood. Being someone in a colder climate, I can't speak for dawn redwood; it isn't hardy here in Minnesota. But bald cypress does just fine. I planted mine ten years ago as a six foot tree in a backyard ditch. It is now 30-35 feet tall and starting to srow those knobs in the surrounding soil. And I'm delighted by the butressed trunk, too. Bald cypress is one of my favorite trees.
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The DR is younger than the BC. I'm guessing it is just over half the age of the BC. The trunk diameter on the BC is easily twice that of the DR, yet both trees are nearly the same height as you can see in the picture. As you guessed, it looks like the DR is out growing the BC!
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Argh. No way to edit posts, is there? Anyway, I took it up for a bit tonight to check out the roots. It was pretty root bound, but most of the roots were either thick, spongy, and pliable, or fibrous. I'd actually say the majority were fibrous. There were some thicker, woodier roots, but not all that many, and only a few had started wrapping around the pot from what I could tell. Some were at oddish angles, but growing mostly normally. As for the ones that were wrapping, I cut those back to where it looked like they were straigtening out, which wasn't too far. Other than that, I just used the guidelines about making one-inch cuts down the side of the rootball, then tried to shake stuff loose a bit. Don't know how much it'll help or hurt, really. From what I could tell, it didn't look like there were any thick, wrapping roots growing near the trunk, in any case.
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noki
16 years ago
As far as vertical height, you could mutilate the trees and they may live, but this doesnt sound like a great idea. One of the main features of these trees is their straight tall central leaders.

Bald Cypress does have a dwarf columnar cultivar called 'Peve Minaret'
scotjute Z8
16 years ago
There are 2 bald cypress outside my office planted on hard upland caliche with maybe 6" of questionable topsoil that grow so slowly that in 5 years they still look the same. Surprised they are still alive. So don't water them, that would be one way to slow their growth, depending on your rainfall of course.
gottagarden
16 years ago
How would you prune at 15 feet? That's awfully high for annual pruning.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
oh .. gotta beat me to it ...

i am 5 8".... and have a 6 foot ladder .... that puts me safely to about 10 feet while being safe ... including at least one other person to hold the ladder ...

i have an extension pole saw/pruner ... and though it may extend to great distance.. i find i cant hold it aloft and actuate the thing.. probably about 10 foot limit again ...

unless you are part monkey .. or part squirrel.. or happen to have a bucket truck available...

i just dont see how you will 'maintain' a tree at 15 feet ...

ken

Pruning Dawn Redwood and Bald Cypress

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mdvaden_of_oregon

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Pruning Dawn Redwood and Bald Cypress

Comments (6)

mdvaden_of_oregon

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noki

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gottagarden

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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