Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

Does anyone know the growth rate of these trees? I planted one about 2 years ago and it's not much bigger than when I planted it. Far as I know it's in a good location with good soil etc. Just wandering if anyone knew.

Thanks
Dave

Well, mine doesn't seem to be doing too well, but then I guess one of the attributes is that it always looks sick.

I got one for $59 at Home Depot, of all places. It is in a 5 gallon container, and is this size.

I bought mine mine 2 years ago on clearance at Lowe's for dare I say ... $10 for a 5 gal size. I was a happy camper! I've always liked them, but I am to cheap to pony up much cash. It wasn't perfect, a bit lopsided, but I just faced that side to the back and you'd never know. It's about 5 feet tall now, I'm thinking of moving it this fall as it has filled out in the back some and it's just to cool to have stuck off in the back corner of the yard.

I heard they are slow growers. Maybe yours is in year 2 of sleep-creep-leap...

If kept fed and watered and it's happy, you'll eventually get growth. If you straighted out the twists and turns it'd probably look like it's grown more.
Yeah, they sure like to charge the $$ for these plants whether mail order or local nurseries. I got mine via mailorder several years ago. Forget who and how much but it wasn't very big. SInce I started mulching heavily with shredded leaves in the fall, the growth has picked up. Probably because the moisture stays more consistent and the leaves breaking down into compost every year.

Davart, What conditions do you have it growing in? Full sun, good/bad soil, etc?

The soil is good soil very rich, it's in partial shade, direct sun maybe 4 hours a day.

Dave

I planted my Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, Corylus contorta, in 1995. It is now about 6 ft X 6 ft. I really haven't done much of anything with it. Occasionaly cut out a branch. No bugs or other problems. I just noticed that this year at least first time I noticed it has a nut on it. I tend to plant things too close so it is rather congested in that area now. Gets sun until about 2:00 pm. Great branches for flower arrangments. DonnaS

And here is a photo in the sun of the filbert.nut DonnaS

It is beautiful! How big was it when you planted it? Somehow I don't think mine will grow as fast because it will have to winter over.

Zarebeth, I think it was a 1 gal. about 18". You are of course a little colder wintertime than here in my zone 5 area. I really have about 3 or 4 zones in my garden. There is a 50ft or so slope to the north west of my house. I have planted a windbreak of evergreen and deciduous trees part way up the slope and there is a solid redwood fence all around my irrigated garden area, and in that location on the hillside, the fence isabout 75 feet north of the house, so the fence and windbreak makes at least 10 or more degrees difference in temp.

And from the south the fence also makes a temp. difference plus I have planted lots of trees which are now making quite a difference. They range in age from 11 years downward. the Harry Lauders is protected from winter winds by the house and a couple of large rocks to the north of it.

Hope yours does well for you. DonnaS

I guess you don't have japanese beetles. They pretty much destroy the foliage on mine and make it look terrible. Almost worth cutting it down it looks so bad after they're done! :(

We have a few, but they tend to destroy my roses and leave the Harry Lauder alone, at least this season. It looks ill when it has leaves anyway, so if they want to chew on it and leave my roses alone I am all for it. I mainly got it for winter interest - goodness knows it seems like it is mostly winter here!

I've tried to find out when Wayside will ship mine but no answer yet. I want to make it the focal point of a new rock garden smack dab in the middle of my front lawn and still need to do a lot of prep work. I think if I plant it in a small raised area initially I shouldn't disburb it when I'm working on completing the rest of the bed.

Hi Zarebeth. I agree with 8ftbed. Check where the graft is. When I worked in floriculture one grower planted a field and lost some of the trees as the graft was sitting in very wet soil under the surface and the grafts developed problems.

I planted a tree many years ago in my parents yard and it is easily 15'. It takes a while to prune it right but my mother just sheers it which I feel takes away from the appearance. I try and prune it before she does and give away the branches. They don't like hot sunny/dry conditions but rather moist rich soil with drainage that remains relatively moist. Small white Xmas lights wound on the branches has an amazing winter affect. Mike

I have extremely sandy soil, which I heavily amended for a couple of feet out from the tree, so I hope that it will be enough to sustain it. $100 hole and all that! It is also in partial shade. I couldn't find the graft without removing a lot of the soil so it either isn't grafted or it is buried fairly deeply.

I will keep the white lights in mind when it gets a little larger - that does sound pretty!

This message was edited Sep 5, 2005 7:51 PM