Cornelian Cherry (cornus mas)

[zxcvbob]

I bought a 3' bare-root tree this spring, and it has just now really started growing. It has probably been growing roots all this time, because it didn't have many when I bought it. The most vigorous growth is near the bottom. It has little branches coming out all over the trunk. I want this to be a small specimen tree, not a shrub, but multi-trunked like an river birch might be nice. I definitely want it open at the bottom and not all twiggy.

Do I need to leave all these new twigs for now and then start trimming it next year? I'm hesitant to remove any leaves this late in the season. I'm in the southern part of zone 4, which is pretty far north for this tree.

If I let it grow 2 or 3 trunks, will these be from suckers that come up from the ground next year, or this year's new twigs that are right at the ground level?

Thanks, regards, Bob

[davidpmayer]

Hi Bob

that this species has the ability to have a s> I bought a 3' bare-root tree this spring, and it has just now really

[craterr]

Re the Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas) I have grown C mas for many years and have four trees in my yard. I do not feel that they are a single trunk tree. All nurserymen that I have talked to say that it is a multi trunked tree. I know some people that have tried to keep it pruned to one trunk and it is a constant pruning job. Also as you prune out of season you have wounds that can get infected. My point is not that you can't keep it pruned to a single stem but it is more beautiful in most cases when you let it bush out and has more flowers in early spring. I call it my ChristMAS dogwood because of the C. mas and it blooms here in late January or early Feb. It is a beautiful tree to be covered in yellow blooms that time of the year when other things are not blooming. Good luck in trying to make it a single trunk Neb

[zxcvbob]

Can you keep it a multi-trunk tree without constant pruning, or is it always trying to revert to a giant shrub? (like an old-fashioned lilac) All the pix I've seen have been a ball-shape that branches all the way to the ground. I don't want to try to force it into an unnatural form.

I'm not going to remove any of the new twigs coming off the trunk this fall (don't want to remove any leaves), but I may pinch the growing tips out to divert energy to the upper growth. I will thin the lower growth this winter, or maybe remove all of it.

Bob

[Joseph S. Larson]