GardenBanter.co.uk - [IBC] When is a Sport a Sport?

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[IBC] When is a Sport a Sport?

Hi all,

I've been pondering mutations in conifers recently...I know really
exciting stuff. Anyway...

On my walk to my car from work there is a Thuja cultivar that has what
appears to be a sport growing out of it. The planting is a group of
three very compact dwarf Thuja. They haven't been pruned in while and
they are planted in front of an office building. The one in the front
of the arrangment has a non dwarf Thuja growing from the middle of it
about 10 inches off the ground. Is this a sport / witches broom random
mutation, or is it a revert back to the plain species? Is there a way
to tell?

Secondly there is an Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea Glauca Conica IIRC)
near my house that has a differnt looking spruce growing right out of
the side. It looks non-drawf and fast growing. The needles resemble
it's parent in texture and density but the shoot growth and iternode
distance are considerably more coarse. I supose this could be
reverting to species from a cultivar too, again how do you tell if it
is has mutated and isn't reverting?

thanks a bunch,
-Ethan

--
Ethan Smith, Columbus, Ohio
USDA Zone 6, Sunset 35 & 41
but wait around, it may feel more like zone 2 or even 9?

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I agree with Billy.

The usual gardening practise is to trim away any signs of reversion to
preserve the variety. Bonsai folk may want to consider the usefulness of a
faster growing, more vigorous reversion to the species. These could be a
good source of cuttings or something that you could do preliminary training
on, while still attached, and air-layer off later. You might even consider
lifting the whole thing, as it is, next spring and trimming off all of the
small growth to retain only the new, vigorous leader.

There are always lots of options to think about. :-)

Cheers

Kev Bailey
North Wales, UK, Zone 9

From: "Billy M. Rhodes"
Reply-To:
To:
Subject: [IBC] When is a Sport a Sport?
Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 16:42:56 EDT

In a message dated 9/8/2005 3:04:20 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:

I've been pondering mutations in conifers recently

If the original tree planted was a cultivar (and in this case it would
appear both are) then the variant growth is a revert to the species.
Frequently
cultivars will revert for no apparent reason, but sometimes it can
attributed
to stress of some sort.
Extra low temps, physical damage, drought, or just poor care.
Billy on the Florida Space Coast

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************************************************* *******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I don't know about the Thuja, but a Dwarf Alberta Spruce reversion to Picea
glauca isn't all that uncommon. It happened to one in my front yard a few
years ago (I cut it off), and there is one in a yard about a mile from me
that has had the reversion growing undisturbed for many years. The owner
just ignores it, and it is now quite a bit taller than the main plant; it
looks really bad.

Here is a link to a picture of a typical reversion:
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/piglc3.htm

Regards,
Roger Snipes
Spokane, WA. Zone 5-ish

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ethan Smith"

Hi all,

I've been pondering mutations in conifers recently...I know really
exciting stuff. Anyway...

Secondly there is an Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea Glauca Conica IIRC)
near my house that has a differnt looking spruce growing right out of
the side. It looks non-drawf and fast growing. The needles resemble
it's parent in texture and density but the shoot growth and iternode
distance are considerably more coarse.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Bob Pastorio++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Thanks for the picure Roger, and that is exactly what it looks like.

thanks,

-Ethan

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Bob Pastorio++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++