Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

and here is the red majestic the same day.

Your 'Red Majestic' is almost as nice as a weeping purple beech! I'm going to have to get me one! Definitely an attractive shrub. I think it helps to keep it "open" by thinning out little congested branches and twigs. It would be even more interesting during the winter months too, I would imagine.

Did you mail order yours, wha?

no both were home depot purchases - the green one has a couple suckers that just shot up this fall -need to trim them out - the red M. has had some green branches that i trim off - if you can find the real mccoy get it - not a big deal cutting the shoots though

It's amazing what the big box stores are getting in for their gardening departments these days. Although they have a l-o-n-g way to go regarding finer points of taking care of their plants, the selection is not only expanding most home gardeners' opportunities, but also their education. It's unfortunate that traditional garden centers face sometimes "unfair" pricing from big box stores, but it has forced them to rethink ways of doing business. This could be a good topic for another thread. Anyone want to start the conversation?

yes - although i noticed hd has outsourced thier garden center and the pricing went up considerably last year.

Wanted to add a note about the Bayer systemic. The Imiclorid, the active ingredient also works on killing/preventing Bronze Birch Borer and Emerald Green Ash Borer. It is the active ingredient in the Bayer Tree and Shrub. My Crimson Frost Birch had the borer as did a couple of my Ash trees. The Birch made a great recovery (Still a very small tree) and I'm waiting to see the results on my Ash.

Just a side note, but worth pointing out.

HG, I just looked up the 'Red Majestic' in Plantfiles and there isn't much info. There's also no pic of it. Do you have any pics to add to it? It's a really nice plant (and is now on my "want list").

I don't know if you ever started that thread about garden stores and big box stores but I'd be interested. Please let me know where it is or where it will be. I'll be there.

velnita: I don't have a photo, but I hope wha adds it with some info to Plant Files. I'm on the lookout for it too! I just read a longer article about the big box stores and their plant policy with their suppliers in which the suppliers are paid only for the plants that actually sell, not that the stores order. So, there is no motivation for them (the stores) to take care of the plants as the ones that have this policy actually don't have to pay the vendor for those they don't sell, or let die! I hope to copy this article and post it soon. I've been very busy cleaning up my gardens lately, enjoying the spring weather!

HG = mine is definitely a graft tree - i had to cut out suckers from both of them last week - really not a big deal though done in a minute for each tree if that long.

never posted anything on plant files - maybe have to do the shirazz too :)

Here is my HLWS that I planted back in mid-80. This pix was taken 3/10/09:

I'm so sorry for mixing up names. Oops. I'll try to do better this time.

HG, I'd like to read that article. I'm more likely to shop at a nursery than a big box store but I've shopped everywhere. On my local radio station last week we have a gardening show. One of the topics was to shop local nurseries. The gardener was pretty pushy about it. There was an old lady who called in to ask a question about pruning her roses and the guy asked her where she bought them. When she named a big box store he told her to ask them. Very rude.

I like our nurseries but honestly, sometimes they are worse than the big box stores. When I bought my HLWS standard, I asked the nurseryman what the root stock was. He said "I don't know". I asked if it suckered and he didn't know that either.At another nursery I bought a gallon size annual and asked what it was (no tag) and the woman told me "It's some kind of daisy". The year before I bought a rose and some beautyberries. When I asked about the brown spots on the leaves they told me it was just due to their water. The beautyberries died and the rose didn't turn out to be what was on the tag.

So, I've had both positive and negative from both nurseries and big box stores. The guy on the radio was also against mail order. But many times what I want is not offered locally. I try to buy locally but I can't always do it.

Wha, please post pics in Plantfiles. It's such a pretty plant but no pics and very little information about it. I've never posted anything in Plantfiles either. So I guess I'm asking you to do something that I've never done. Pretty please?

Lily love, nice HLWS!

Lily Love, Your HLWS is stunning! Guess it will be a while before mine looks like that! I'm seeing a little life on mine along with suckers shooting up around it. I don't understand grafting yet but realize mine must have been if it has the straight shoots coming up. Can anyone explain what that means? Grafted with what?

Be glad to! HLWS is a cultivar of the European Filbert (or Cobnut), Corylus avellana 'Contorta'. It was discovered in 1863 in Frocester, Glouscestershire, England in a hedgerow. It's possible to purchase plants that have been vegetatively propagated by rooted cuttings, but it commercially faster and easier (i.e, cheaper) to graft. What propagators do is take cuttings from the parent plant of a HLWS, then graft (fasten it) it on a rootstock (small rooted plant) of common filbert. They do this by a few different techniques of grafting, but all of them involve matching the inner tissue layers of the cutting and the rootstock, which then "meld" (grow) together after a few weeks or months. The growing portion of the common filbert is then cut off, leaving the HLWS to grow on. The rootstock is more vigorous than would be the comparatively small root system of a rooted cutting the same age. However, the downside to grafting is that the rootstock will sometimes send up shoots, or suckers, that of course are common filbert! A rooted cutting, by contrast, would never send up anything but true HLWS shoots. It's worth the effort to find HLWS on "their own roots", but difficult.

All named varieties of apples and other fruits are grafted, as are hybrid roses ('Knock Out' roses being an exception), which is why you don't get a 'Jonathan' apple tree if you plant seeds from a 'Jonathan' apple. It's why when roses die back too far over the winter, the rootstock (which is usually a vigorous multifloral rose) will send up huge arching canes that disappoint with little white blossoms. Japanese maples are also grafted, and their seeds produce a wide variety of seedlings ...but that can be fun, and you might even get a new variety! Etc. Etc.

I hope this makes sense. If you Google "grafting" you will find all sorts of good info, with diagrams.

P.S. I had a relative who had an apple tree grafted with five different varieties of apple, all on the same tree! I also once saw a dogwood that was half white and half pink, but that could have happened when the white rootstock sent up a sucker that grew alongside the pink graft.

HG, terrific easy to understand explaination. Thanks.

Just found this thread, wha your Red Majestic is beautiful! I just happened to be at Lowes last spring picking up some supplies and was fortunate to find one there. Normally I take my time deciding whether or not I really want to spend $60.00 on a tree at Lowes, but I'm a sucker for burgundy foliage, love HLWS and they only had a few of them on display so I couldn't resist! Mine isn't as nicely shaped as yours but I still think I got a good deal. I had been searching for this HLWS and the prices online weren't any cheaper, some even more, and I definitely wouldn't have received as large a plant :)

rcn48: I think you got a good deal on you 'Red Majestic' HLWS. I've never seen them anywhere advertised for much less, if not more. Now, I'm on the hunt for one. You'll have to post a photo when it leafs out!

Yes, please post photos. This is quickly becoming my next "gotta have" plant.

Will you also think about adding information and pix to plantfiles?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/157514/

thx RCN and good luck with yours!

Hoosier Green,
Thank you very much for the explanation on grafting and information on the HLWS. I cut the suckers on mine yesterday and see some signs of life coming to the tree.

I would like mine to look like Lily Love's but guess it'll take a few years!

I found a 'Red Majestic' at Meijer's last weekend. I had to have it, although it's small and cost $50. I should have gotten the one on a standard I saw last fall, but.... It's just leafing out. I'll post a photo of it when it does.

Great, would love to see it. It is a hard thing to resist! Mine is coming to life....slowly. I look forward to seeing your pics!

Have had this thread tagged for some time. Does anyone know where to purchase a HLWS on its own root stock? The local nurseries around here tell me there is no such thing, as they try to sell me a grated one. I know better because I've listened to you guys! BuggCrazy used to sell them, but it appears she is sold out. Any more ideas? Thank you.

I thought HLWS can have problems with stem/root rot with splitting, etc if not on a rootstock.

Could very well be, I don't know. The suckers from grafted stock are more than I can handle though.

I agree. They can be very irritating. Maybe make sure the soil is good drainage and there isn't any winter water pooling when you plant it. I remember visiting a grower who had a field of HLWS and they were randomly dying due to rot in winter as the rootstock was too short and field too wet. My mothers old tree produces some nice suckers that are half-way between and do well in vases/decor stuff.

I am positive that it is possible to buy an ungrafted HLWS. I'll keep my eyes open.

Meanwhile, for those who have a grafted plant, you can uncover the graft so you can spread some good quality weed fabric right up to the trunk. Then spread any rock mulch or gravel around the trunk, out to about a foot. That'll keep suckers from coming through. Every few years, check to be sure the plant has "breathing" room at the base. You might have to slit the fabric every few years.

I've never had any problem with suckers.

This message was edited Aug 4, 2010 6:53 PM

Lucky you, Lynnie6868! I would bet that you have an ungrafted plant, although it looks from the photo that there is a swollen base which would suggest otherwise. Either way, be glad you don't have to deal with suckers!

thanks, I'm really not sure but I've had it a few years. I have to move it soon, my Dh got it for me before I had a place for it and it's in the foundation bed! LOL I have a new home all ready for it this Spring.

forget the HLWS - i like the boudler!

thanks wha, it's decorative and functional (keep people from brushing against my HLWS & breaking branches off it). It was a bear to place.

Yes, you can purchase HLWS on its own roots. They are difficult to root and that is why most of the plants sold are grafted plants.

I purchased my own-root HLWS from Heronswood many years ago. I know that Klehm's Song Sparrow nursery sells own-root HLWS, but they are not offered this season. You might be able to call them to see if they have one they could sell you. They might have a few, but not enough to list in the catalog.

I think I saw another place that had own-root HLWS, but I can't recall the place that had them. I will see if I can remember and post the site here if I remember.
Mike