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California arrow woods and pruning and coppicing questions

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SixRabbit:
My favorite arrow wood is hazel. Dogwood works next best in my experience. I don't have any experience with ocean spray but others say it is good. I have a bunch of oso berry shoots drying, too. I would like to coppice(prune to the ground) hazel bushes. Will they more reliably produce straight shoots this way? I would also like to try coppicing with dogwood, chokecherry, serviceberry and wild rose. I am curious if anyone knows about coppicing and suitability  with these species. Also, if you have any experience with wax myrtle(myrica) and buckeye(aesculus californica) salmonberry and elderberry, I'd love to hear.  I've seen straight shoots from these plants. Can I prune side branches from straight shoots to grow a straight knot free trunk for bows too? Thanks

Pat B:
In the wild you can cut shrubs to the ground and in many cases they will produce straight shoots. I wouldn't do thin in a landscape because it is unattractive. For the landscape cut out crossing shoots, damaged shoots and the older shoots. This will keep the plant looking nice and is actually better for the plant. Spring, when buds begin to swell is the best time for this.   Plants in the shade or shaded areas are more likely to send up straighter shoots.

loefflerchuck:
Elderberry was a mistake made by historians and since quoted many times. I even read some elderberry arrows were self arrows with no fore-shaft. Just try to find one elderberry arrow shaft and you'll see what I mean.

DC:
The Elderberry around here is much like celery(except round) until it gets to be around 3/4" in diameter. It really doesn't harden up until it's almost bow size.

loefflerchuck:
DC- it's like that everywhere in the west

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