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Paperbark maple - train to multiple trunks

18 years ago

In a recently posted thread, one poster mentioned training a paperbark maple so that it would have multiple trunks to show off the bark. Can anyone tell me how to do this? I just bought a young tree and it has a few low branches.

I love this little tree. I couldn't believe I found one - I've been looking for a month with no success until yesterday. I hope it's not too late for it to establish before the winter...

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Comments (7)

scross4
18 years ago
Acer Griseum is a naturally upright grower and rarely if ever forms a multi-trunk tree. There has been a trend for some nurseries to sell multiple saplings that have been grown together to look like a multi-trunk tree. My suggetion would be to keep the low branches to replicate it as much as possible.
ron48
18 years ago
I agree with with scross4, I know some one else said they topped their tree and it suckered from the base. I have grow hundreds of griseum, if it happened, its a very rare occurrence. And that's why they pot up multiple seedlings.

Ron
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Konnichiwa Hi-san to momiji Horeichio (Japanese for hello Mr/Ms Fire and Horatio-the-maple) (FWIW it is pronounced: koh-nee-chee-wah hee-sahn toh moh-mee-jee hoh-ray-chee-oh) If Horatio is one tree - then your style is Sokan - twin trunk style (the smallest possible multiple trunk style). Soju is the style where two separate trees are trained together (a mini-clump so to speak). If they fuse over time, then it could be considered a Sokan. I have seen all sorts of ingenious devices used to train branches - fishing weights, bread twistems and a bamboo pole, twine in a guy wire fashion, clamps etc. Use your imagination, but be cautious about damaging bark and cutting off the sap flow when placing and removing these devices.
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From my experience your placement of the paperbark will be fine. The serbian spruce, once established, may have a faster growth rate that the paperbark. The other question would be what selection of serbian spruce do you have as the term pendula for serbian spruces can be generic. In fact the nursery plants that I have seen listed as pendula can look very similar to the species. If you are looking for something that will stay smaller or be more narrow than a species serbian spruce post a question in the conifer forum for advise in sebian spruce( Picea omorika) selections.
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These are notoriously known to be trained as multi-trunked specimens for a shrub-effect and more peeling bark as a result at a persons eye level, etc - I beg to differ. Most maples species have what is termed a decurrent growth habit - they tend not to develop a strong central leader, but develop scaffold branching relatively low on the trunk. This will ultimately result in a more rounded and evenly spreading canopy as they mature and often, depending on the location of the initial scaffold branching, in a more a shrub-like or multi-trunked appearance. But where those primary scaffold branches develop is determined by nature, not by man. You can't "paste" a scaffold branch below where it naturally occurs nor can you easily train or encourage even a sapling into generating a scaffold branch at any specific location. And often the development of very low scaffold branching brings with it its own set of problems regarding crotch angles, included growth and lack of structural integrity. Some maple species will tend to display an excurrent growth habit - the development of a vertically growing central leader - when young, only to mature into a more spreading, decurrent habit as they age. Acer griseum typically follows this pattern, which is why you will often find them in nurseries as gawky, scrawny, narrow but somewhat tall young trees with a single clear trunk and the appearance of a central leader. It is not until they are established and have a few years on them that they begin to display a more rounded and evenly spreading canopy common to the decurrent habit. Some will display this more characteristic growth habit at a much earlier age and these are the ones that will appear as more shrub-like in form or have the appearance of multiple trunks, as they have developed lower scaffold branching. FWIW, the appearance of the exfoliating bark can vary considerably, sometimes appearing at a very early age - we have 3' saplings at the nursery that already show evidence of this trait - and others not developing this feature until more mature. And its pretty hard to ignore regardless of growth habit or so-called "training", since it begins from the ground up. And since the presence of low scaffold branching also brings with it foliage, very low branching or the multi-trunked effect tends to obscure this effect rather than enhance it with a clear span of trunk. Dax, if you have any sources that indicate how this training into a multi-trunked form is accomplished, I'd be very interesting in reading them, as the bulk of the lietrature - aside from coppicing practices, which are entirely separate - focuses on training how to avoid less structurally sound, multi-trunked trees rather than encouraging or somehow training to create them.
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You all have good taste . I dig them all and have them all . Everyone has good points . I got my original 'Joe Witt' from Heronswood . It is around 40" and still in a pot after 3 years . I am now in the mood to start planting more . If you want it to have more of a multi stem appearance try leaning it to one side to encourage newer growth to come from down low .That might work , but that is not its nature to be multi stem . I never really see them that much , because most people don't even know what it is . I have two 6' tall A. penn. 'Erythrocladum' and they are gorgeous . The striations are better than A. c. 'Phoenix' , but 'Phoenix' is just brilliant . The one to get is 'Bump' by far more white than anything out there. It makes 'Joe Witt' look tan . No one ever has any for sale . I have two 6-7' that will make you drool . 'Silver Vein' is a clean purple . Most growers are taking as much scion wood as possible due to the demand and difficulty . I hear A. penn. 'Erythrocladum'is about as easy as trying to put a diaper on a wolverine . Wedge grafts tend to look better as long as they are not side wedge grafts . I see growers putting two scions on one rootstock . To answer your question , I would plant more than one like MJH said . That would be cool to have two different colors . Acer negundo 'Winter Lightning' looks so dang good right now , especially with low afternoon sun . The original tree was spotted on I-24 near Chattanooga some years ago by Pat McCracken . He actually tried several times to get it going . Then finally during a rain storm , his umbrella got hit by lightning , hence the name . Cool! I would say close but I don't have a machine that measures DNA .thanks
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flowerfan2
18 years ago
I have a paperbark maple seedling that is a year old. I pinched the top out this summer and it produced two nice trunks instead of the single. It is growing well and is now almost 3' tall. I think this will enhance the appearance of the tree as the bark is the main appeal. I am happy with the appearance. I don't know how big your tree is yet, but with a seedling it was easy to turn it into a multistemmed tree.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
18 years ago
Many trees are upright growers by nature, but can easily be induced to form multiple trunks. It is a common bonsai practice & referred to as a trunk-chop. Once the tree is well established, feed it particularly heavily after the initial spring growth push ends. In August, stop nitrogen applications & apply 0-10-10. The following spring, before buds move, make a diagonal cut with a very sharp saw or lopper a few inches above the basal flare. This will activate dormant buds & multiple new branches will begin growing. Select your new trunks from those growing in appropriate places, and remove the rest as they occur. The wound will quickly heal. Painting the wound with waterproof Elmer's Glue, being sure to seal the exposed cambium, will help keep the cambium in the wound area moist, prevent the wound from drying, and die-back of cambium in the wound area. This isn't to hasten healing per se, but to allow new buds to activate nearer the cut. In the case of trunk chops, it does, in the end, allow the wound to close faster.

Al
SUNR1SE
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks everyone. My tree is not quite a sapling. I would guess it is a couple years old. It's about 6 feet tall and the trunk is about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. But there are a few young branches very low on the trunk. I will prune them off unless I can somehow train those to look like an additional trunk.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
18 years ago
You can utilize existing branches by securing them to the trunk with something that will not damage the cambium. I have used strips of old towels or sweatshirts to do this. The branches may need to be raised to vertical in more than one increment to allow small fissures in cambium to heal and prevent branch breakage. Best time to do this is in late winter or early spring before sap begins to rise. If you do it now, the cracks in the cambium will not have time to heal & branches could dry out & die over winter. How many trunks are you envisioning? Compositions with 1, 2, 3, or 5 trunks look best.

The tree will appear more natural as a "clump" if you chop according to my initial outline, though.

Al
Ron_B
18 years ago
Brickell/Joyce, 'Pruning & Training' has 3 diagrams showing "Pruning to form a multistemmed tree on a low trunk" over a 3 year period in their section on maples (pp. 52-53). The specimen drawn by the artist starts at about the height yours is now, is cut down to about 20". It is exactly the procedure you are asking about.

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