Puzzled

10 years ago

We have two 'Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb Gold' cultivars here.

Both are grown in the same micro-climate. Good loam soil and drainage with 8 hours of sun. Both are well cared for.

This one shown is the ACS conifer of the year 2007. It has grown 1 1/2 inches in the 6 years since planted. A 1/4 inch or less each year. No health issues. Just continues to do its thing.
#1.

This one a normal growth habit 1-1 1/2 inches a year. As you can see a more robust specimen.
#2. {{gwi:673721}}

So what are the issues here for the lack of a better word.

Both the same cultivar but one with the growth habit of a miniature and the other dwarf in growing habit.

#1. I can't tell you who the grower was for the ACS conifer of the year in 2007. Is anyone else growing this ACS conifer of the year? Is yours any different then mine?

#2. Purchased from Iseli. THis conifer speaks for itself as being fairly normal and what you would purchase if buying. I have had this one 3 years. Purchased as a back up for the one that was not preforming.

Dave

Comments (9)

coniferjoy
10 years ago
Dave, as a nurseryman I can tell you that all matters what quality of understock and or scion was used.

It's clear that the first one has a lack of one or maybe both...
jinxz5
10 years ago
Dave, I have seen several Tom Thumb Gold in gardens we have visited that were coty from ACS and they have appeared as your second photo. As you know sometimes it is just a puzzle! Jay
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
if you get some inkling to shovel prune it.. SHOVE IT IN A BOX and send it to me...

ken

This post was edited by ken_adrian on Fri, Aug 9, 13 at 18:39
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
10 years ago
I'd say likely in the roots. As in, that first one may have a J root or circling roots or some such issue.

tj
coniferjoy
10 years ago
Bad roots are part of a bad understock.
Also the understock could be way too thin or the scion way to small with no energy in it to grow out into a nice specimen.
A bad understock is more worse then a bad scion...
davidrt28 (zone 7)
10 years ago
Darnit. I was hoping for a picture of a monkey at the base of an Araucaria araucana, staring upward.
outback63 Dennison
Original Author
10 years ago
If I was growing it sure as hell would be dead in my Z 5 Ks.

A monkey in my conifer garden. Not going to happen either.

Where and what you been drinking? LOL I would join you if you weren't so far away then we both could hope for a lot of impossible things. Been known to do that.

Dave
outback63 Dennison
Original Author
10 years ago
All kidding aside davidt. Sometimes we say things all in fun.

@ tj and Edwin, when planted it had good rootstock and went into the ground accordingly. Same for exposed rootstock. Nothing unusual there either. The only thing unusual was the scion foliage which was quite miniature and still is. I would think it would have been size wise the same as # 2. photo. Also graft was OK and plant was quite healthy and still is.

@ Ken, no I am going to keep it. Even though a runt or last of the litter it is unusual. I will tuck it into a concave area of a big rock and let it show its stuff there. It has value and I will make the most of it.

Something is amiss here but the rootstock and graft look good.

.It would be unusual if I am growing to only miniature 'Tom Thumb Gold' but that is dreaming and we all know better.

It would be nice if the grower would come forward but I suspect that's not going to happen.

THanks to all who chimed in.

Dave
Sara Malone Zone 9b
10 years ago
Dave good chance that the grower has no idea that this thread exists. Why not post on the new discussion area of the ACS website, where one of the ACS members might know about the 2007 program (it was run by a different person than the guy running it now) and might know who the grower is?

Sara

Here is a link that might be useful: ACS website