Tree ID and care

13 years ago

Hello, Could someone please tell me what this is and if there is anything I could do at this point to trim it way down so it isn't so tall. It looks very odd and out of place being this tall and skinny. I'm thinking my only option is to cut it down.

Thanks in advance!

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Comments (8)

Iris GW
13 years ago
A close up of a leaf would help. Are you sure it is not a tree with a vine rather than just a single plant?
diy_rook
Original Author
13 years ago
Sure thing - here is a closeup od a leaf. It isn't a vine and it appears to be one tree with branches that droop in a major way.
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Yes - it is a Columnea, I am not such a ace in Columneas to tell you what species or hybrid it is - reminds me of Columnea purpusii to some extent. I think you have it really well grown. If you increase the light - it will bloom more for you. Just keep moving it closer to the window. If it gets too much - you will see some bleaching on the leaves - midafternoon sun is better to avoid, morning and evening is good. My understanding - they are epiphytes in nature - the birds deposit seeds in nooks and crannies of the trees filled with leaf debris - to give Columneas a niche to grow and prosper. So - they like loose soil - AV soil with perlite added - and shallow pot - seems that you got it right. Fertilizer - AV - 1/2 dose. They make good hanging baskets - so try if the window is right. When Columnea gets old - the older part of the stems get defoliated and becomes unattractive. It is easier just to restart it - harvest a bunch of tip cuttings, stick them in a pot with a barely humid soil and keep them covered for 10 days. Usually that's enough.
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diy_rook
Original Author
13 years ago
Here is a better pic of the tree as well.
Dzitmoidonc
13 years ago
Copper Beech, Fagus sylvatica, some form of a weeping fastigate variety? BTW, not native to North America.

This post was edited by Dzitmoidonc on Tue, Jul 16, 13 at 18:07
lycopus
13 years ago
And here I was thinking it was bigfoot
diy_rook
Original Author
13 years ago
That's it! Thanks a lot. Now - what to do with it....
wisconsitom
13 years ago
Topping the tree is a good way to ruin it. Perhaps you can change your own mindset and learn to appreciate the growth form, which is completely normal for this type of tree. It can be a hard lesson for some gardeners to learn-that sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. Meanwhile, the plant can continue to grow and develop. It's not going to remain exactly as you see it now.

+oM
diy_rook
Original Author
13 years ago
I decided to leave it alone after identifying what it is. Now that I know it is supposed to look like that, I'm ok with it. Thanks for the help.

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