Crooked tree

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MichaelZ Portland, OR(Zone 8a) Jun 13, 2009

I'm a rank amateur. Got this guy as a sapling and pretty much just stuck it in a pot. It is bending at the joint where the green tie is. This spot is flexible. Can I train it straight by putting some kind of splint on it? Any other suggestions? It is an American Redbud.

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MichaelZ Portland, OR(Zone 8a) Jun 13, 2009

Another view.

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KayJones Lee's Summit, MO(Zone 6a) Jun 13, 2009

Just put a bamboo stake in the pot next to the stem and use the green gardening tape to tape it up to the stake - it will soon straighten up.

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Jun 13, 2009

Also, it's not a redbud--I'm not sure what it is but the leaves are the wrong shape for redbud. I'm sure someone here can tell you what it is, or if not then post it in the ID forum and someone there will know for sure.

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Jun 13, 2009

Koelreuteria paniculata

Resin

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ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Jun 14, 2009

That's definitely a Golden Rain Tree, as Resin notes, and not a Redbud (Cercis canadensis).

Let me guess: did you get it from the National Arbor Day Foundation?

Around here, Golden Rain Tree grows perfectly well but tends to start seeding itself in - so I wouldn't recommend this species in the midwest. I don't know how it behaves in the Pacific northwest climes of Oregon, but you ought to research that some before setting it loose in your landscape (especially if you were really wanting a Redbud).

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snapple45 Holland, OH(Zone 5b) Jun 14, 2009

KayJones advice makes the most sense. But, there is an alternative that sometimes makes for an interesting landscape specimen. Plant the tree (or repot) by placing the root ball on such an angle that the top is straight. You'll have a permanent bend in the trunk and kind of a windswept look. To see if you like that look place wedges under the pot on one side until top is straight. It could look great or terrible. Depends on how much of an angle you get.

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Jun 14, 2009

It'll also get considerably larger than the redbud you thought it was, so if you were planning to plant it in the yard somewhere you may want to doublecheck that the location you were thinking of will still work for a much larger tree.

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MichaelZ Portland, OR(Zone 8a) Jun 14, 2009

Thanks for the advice. Yes I did get it through a contribution to Arborday. I kinda lost track of which was which. I had three of six trees survive. For me that is a good survival rate in the garden. I'm not sure what I will eventually do with this one. For now I will just try to keep it happy.

Viburnum, what does "seeding itself in" mean? Like I said, I am an amateur.

Thanks again all.

Z

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Jun 14, 2009

Quoting:
Viburnum, what does "seeding itself in" mean?

Becomes invasive - once it is old enough to flower and produce seeds, the seeds then start sprouting all over the place and become nuisance weeds. I'd say that's unlikely to happen in the PNW climate, as it is a species which prefers the heat/humidity combination found in the eastern USA.

Resin

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