Got one of these from QVC and they call it the "Harry Lauder Walking Stick Tree". Was wondering about it's growth pattern. I got a bare root one, planted it 3 months ago and it looks the same as when I planted it -- little tiny buds, no height growth. How do I know if it is supposed to be this way or if it is DEAD? I am in Southern California with brown thumb.
Should have leafed out. Maybe it didn't come through the bare-rooting well, or was allowed to get too dry at some point afterward.
Hi, I have one of these, have had it for about 7 years, It grew moderately to about 4 feet and now hardly grows at all but is gorgeous especially when the leaves are off in the fall and winter. I agree it should have leafed-out by now also, once covered in leaves it kind of looks like a green mound. I would snip a tiny piece off of a limb and see if it's green or dead and brittle. I hope yours grows well for you or if it is dead they will replace it. Once it settles in they really require no special care. I watered mine well 1-2 times a week over the spring and summer for the first year and after that it survived on rain water alone :-) (the pix is of mine, weird angle because my bamboo is all around it, covered in ice)
Thanks for your response. Mine is only 21 inches tall. It maybe grew an inch or so when I first planted it but seems to have stopped. There really aren't any "branches" to snip one and check. My plan now, started a few days ago, is to give it a gallon of water a day. The little buds that are on it do look a little green but they sure aren't leaves. Is a gallon a day too much water? Yours looks really great. Is it still about 4 feet tall?
Hi, Aww... I think a gallon a day is okay- I know when mine was first planted we watered it 4 times or more a week with the hose, so it was probably more than a gallon at a time, if it looks at all green don't give up hope. Mine is probably a little over that, a few inches or so I think, it tends now to grow wider and more coiled branches rather than growing much in height. I ran out and snapped a photo of it for you :) It looks kinda like a green bush or something, you can't see the bended and twisted branches with all the leaves- but the beetles haven't gotten it yet, Japanese Beetles LOVE this tree, they chomp it up every year. Hope yours makes it :) Thanks for writing me, Gail
I, too, got one of these from QVC this spring. It was a little odd looking as the main (?) trunk measured about 6" straight up and then it branched out to the right about 12"....... It had about 4 buds on both stems....... I planted it and watered the heck out of it...... 2 weeks later I was rewarded with some leaves..... this of course after I talked to it 5 times a day..... and now - mid-July- it has a lot of leaves and appears to be thriving. My question is - to those of you that have one - is there any pruning to be done or shall I just leave it go until the spring and re-evaluate???? I planted this by my mailbox because I wanted something different in the 'hood..... right now it's surrounded by stellas, bee balm and a clematis...... I'm thinking it's doing ok but am concerned about its shape....... any answers will be greatly appreciated!!!
I have one of these that is over 20 years old..it was hear when I moved in in 1989. Lately the suckers have been taking over. Every year I take them off and every year they grow back more and more plentiful. Is there any thing I can do to stopp these from growing so profusely? Or should I just keep on cutting them off?
I have one of these also. Mine is about 6 years old and until this year it was only about 8 foot tall, however, this year with all the rain we had it grew and grew until now it is about 20 to 21 foot tall and about 10 foot in diameter. It is beautiful. We live in North GA and we have a black rat snake that has decided it likes it for his home which is fine with us as he eats all the copperheads that come around. I wasn't really sure how to prune the Walking Stick Tree before but now it would be impossible for me to do alone so I have contacted a certified arborist to come look at it as well as some of my other trees and shrubs that grew like crazy through the spring season.