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monkeytreeboy15

New witch's broom discovery

monkeytreeboy15
11 years ago

Not my find, exactly, but I was accompanying one of our Oregonian conifer friends when he exclaimed, "Look at that!" pointing excitedly to the witch's broom.

Enjoy!
{{gwi:644556}}

-Sam

Comments (17)

  • coniferjoy
    11 years ago

    Very nice find!
    It looks like a fast growing broom of Abies pinsapo...

  • maple_grove_gw
    11 years ago

    Nice find! I wonder if it will retain that globose shape on propagation...

    Is the mother plant a species pinsapo or is it a cultivar (and, which one)? The branch tips appear to have a golden hue - is the same true of the rest of the tree?

    Alex

  • mirek_l
    11 years ago

    Beautiful !!!!!

  • monkeytreeboy15
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The original tree is an Abies pinsapo 'Kellaris'.
    The broom appears to be about 4-5 years old.

    -Sam

  • coniferjoy
    11 years ago

    'Kelleriis'... ;0)

  • monkeytreeboy15
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks, Edwin.

    If it were in my collection, I would no doubt know the proper spelling: It won't happen again. ;-)

    -Sam

  • treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY
    11 years ago

    Awesome find! I wish I could reliably grow A. pinsapo here in WNY. I may try an A. pinsapo 'glauca' grafted onto A. firma just for fun this summer. We'll see how long it survives.

    Isn't A. pinsapo 'Kelleriis' supposed to be more cold hardy than the straight species? What are the chances this broom will share the same trait?

  • gardener365
    11 years ago

    Cool, interesting bud mutation. Foliage looks same size as species and is growing quick for a new mutation, however the culitvar 'Kelleriis' appears glaucous on Google images. Here it's definitely a golden color mutation and not a combination of mutations overlying from the original. I'd call this a sport, indeed.

    Dax

  • gardener365
    11 years ago

    If more hardy a cultivar which I don't know Evan, you know more than I do, surely the new mutation also carries those genetic traits.

    Dax

  • Ruslan.Hupov
    11 years ago

    yes it is a miracle! I sure have something very nice!)))

  • firefightergardener
    11 years ago

    Dax I don't think it's a gold WB, I think the gold coloration is from stress. The rest of the needles(older ones) appear more blue or normal color.

    Great find though, Abies pinsapo brooms are pretty rare!

    -Will

  • gardener365
    11 years ago

    I don't think it's a wb's at all. Wb's have shorter needles than its host.

    Dax

  • treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY
    11 years ago

    Dax, is that really part of the definition of a WB? The WB I found on P. sylvestris 'fastigiata' ('Bailey's Upright') had needles that were full length. Would that make it a sport instead of a WB? (sorry to go off topic)

  • gardener365
    11 years ago

    Yes, the needles are shorter. Did you measure the needles of your wb with the needles of the tree it was found on?

    I've never seen a wb with the same needle length as the host. wb's on wb's also have shorter needles on the newly formed wb.

    Dax

  • coniferjoy
    11 years ago

    The needles of an Abies pinsapo are pretty short by itselve, so needles of a witches' broom of this species can't be more shorter.

    To me this is a witches' broom, all branches started on from one point...

    Sam, is it grafted by now?

  • monkeytreeboy15
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    No, it hasn't yet been propagated.

    Perhaps I'll get a few scions...
    Thanks for your interest, everyone.

    -Sam

  • treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY
    11 years ago

    Hey Dax,

    I did not measure the needles on either. Based on a rough guess, they're about the same size though. I will be visiting Ithaca this summer and will have to measure the needle length on the tree and its witch's broom!