Bent Trunk Maple Seedling - Can it Ever Recover?

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Last year, I took several maple tree sprouts from my uncle's yard. I thought that it would be kind of cool to say that I have a tree in my yard that I grew from a seedling. I have this one that I'm not sure if I should continue spending my time on. I picked it out from under a bush, so the trunk had to maneuver around the branches of that bush. The bottom of the trunk makes a sharp turn sideways before shooting right up. Is there any way of using this tree besides making it into a bonsai?

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Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis

11 years ago

Typing on the cell so it will come out short and blunt. I bet if u snip dow to an inch from the groundnit will resprout. I also figure if you let it grow it will figure things out and by the time it has a decade of girth added on you won't notice it much.

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Comments (10)

wisconsitom
11 years ago
Yes, quite a bend t'is true, but even that, if left to grow, will probably surprise you with how much it straightens itself out over time, and this with no use of bamboo sticks, etc. Just normal phototropism, normal gravity, normal normal!

+oM
James Smith thanked wisconsitom
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
is there any reason.. you cant get more from uncle??? if so ... just get another ..

for the sake of learning.. and experimenting.. grow this one on ... see what happens.. by leaving it alone ... when its two feet thick.. and 60 feet tall ... do you really think this will matter ... i doubt it ....

you can do a lot better on media.. for a tree in a pot ...

ken
James Smith thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
duluthinbloomz4
11 years ago
I agree to let nature take its course. I have an Austrian Pine that the 10 1/2 feet of snow during the 2013-14 winter season bent over so far the leader touched the ground. And it was a hard bend that would have made trying to stake difficult without snapping even though it was perhaps only 5-6 feet tall. It started to right itself pretty quickly after being freed of its snowy bonds. It looks good as new today.

Yours might take a little longer, but it would be interesting to watch... especially since you indicated this is just one of several seedlings you had taken.
James Smith thanked duluthinbloomz4
James Smith
Original Author
11 years ago
I guess I wasn't thinking about it clearly. Trees grow upwards from their top, not from the middle or bottom. The trunk will only grow wider. I feel more optimistic about this one now. I have a few others, but this one is the tallest. I'll have to do more research now on how to care for tree seedlings. Thanks everyone!
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
uhmmm ... research where ... you can start a new post here ... you make it sound like you havent found a good place to start ..

e.g. .. a title like ... WHAT IS A GOOD MEDIA FOR A TREE IN A POT

ken
j0nd03
11 years ago
I'd say in 4-5 years that kink won't be visible. You won't have to wait decades.
James Smith thanked j0nd03
longtee81 (Zone 5a)
11 years ago
I will start a new post since I have sone question so on pot media, timing, etc...
Nick Wahrer
4 years ago
I found this old thread and have a currently similar problem. I would be interested in a 7-year update if the OP is still around and has one.
Nick Wahrer
4 years ago
Found this old post and have the same problem. I would be interested in a 7 year update if the OP has one.