What is a Circus tree?
The Circus Trees were originally grown and created by Axel Erlandson, born in 1884 to Swedish parents. This botanical adventure began in Hilmar, CA a little before Axel’s daughter, Wilma, was born in 1928. The “Four-Legged Giant”, four Sycamore saplings grafted into a 6 foot square cupola, was his first major project.
Who was Axel Erlandson and why he was famous for trees?
Axel Erlandson was the creator of these tree trunk topiaries. He was born in 1884, the son of Swedish immigrants. In the early 1900’s his family moved from Minnesota to a farm in central California. Erlandson was a bean and alfalfa farmer who started grafting and shaping tree trunks as a hobby.
How do you train a tree to shape?
One of the main techniques is grafting or joining 2 pieces of living plant material together so that they grow into a single plant. The technique allows new material to join the main trunk and create specific curves or angles.
Where is the circus tree located?
One original tree still remains in its original Scotts Valley location, though it isn’t as spectactular looking as the specimens that were moved, and two Circus Trees are located at the recently developed Tree Circus Center on Scotts Valley Drive.
Where is the circus tree?
Gardens
Circus Trees at Gilroy Gardens, Gilroy, California.
What are hornbeam trees?
Hornbeam trees make wonderful stately ornamental trees in rural and urban settings, with the deciduous autumn-coloured leaves often holding on as a feature through winter. The dense foliage provides a refuge for wildlife and makes Hornbeam trees suited to screening, hedging and avenue planting.
What did Gilroy Gardens used to be called?
Bonfante Gardens
Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park (formerly known as Bonfante Gardens) is a garden themed family theme park in Gilroy, California, United States. The park has 40+ rides and attractions.
Does plant grafting work?
Genetically identical clones and intra-species plants have a high success rate for grafting. Grafting between species of the same genus is sometimes successful. Grafting has a low success rate when performed with plants in the same family but in different genera. And grafting between different families is rare.
What does hornbeam tree look like?
It is smooth, like the Beech, but is patterned with distinctive silver-grey vertical lines. Male catkins appear in spring and the bracts that held the fruit hang on the tree through winter. A mature Common Hornbeam in August. The leaf has a very fine point at the end which is sometimes twisted over.
Who is the creator of the circus trees?
The Circus Trees were originally grown and created by Axel Erlandson, born in 1884 to Swedish parents. During his early years he grew up in Minnesota but by age 17 his family had moved to the Hilmar Colony near Turlock, CA. Erlandson taught himself land surveying, among other skills.
How many circus trees are still alive at Gilroy Gardens?
More than 20 municipal, county and state agencies were involved in the permitting process and the ultimate move to their final home at Bonfante Gardens Theme Park, now known as Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park. There are 25 Circus Trees still alive today.
Where did Axel Erlandson make the circus trees?
Erlandson taught himself land surveying, among other skills. If he had continued with this line of work, the Circus Trees may have never existed. This botanical adventure began in Hilmar, CA a little before Axel’s daughter, Wilma, was born in 1928.
How big does a Cercis siliquastrum tree get?
Genus Cercis are deciduous shrubs or small trees with heart-shaped leaves and clusters of bright pink pea-flowers opening before or with the leaves, followed by flattened, deep purple pods Details C. siliquastrum is a bushy, deciduous small tree. Leaves to 10cm in width, broadly heart-shaped.