# cambistat growth regulator



## dkt316 (Nov 4, 2005)

anyone have experience with cambistat from Rainbow treecare? I just recieved a packet off info from them--it almost sounds too good to be true.
I've never used a growth regulator--but have a couple of properties in mind that have specimans i think would benefit--as they are close to outgrowing their space--under power lines.
Any info on cambistat or other regulators would be greatly appreciated.
Thanx--dkt316


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## alanarbor (Nov 8, 2005)

As far as I'm concerned, cambistat rocks!

It shows excellent results on everything I've used it on so far. I have not used it to try and do size control of trees, and I would say that it would most likely be more effective on the more sensistive species, such as maple and sweet gum.


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## dkt316 (Nov 9, 2005)

thanx alan for the response--if not for growth regulation, what did you use it for? Did you have a stressed speciman--aging tree that was in need of root growth stimulation?
How hard has it been to market with your clients? I'm relatively new to working with ckients of my own, as I have just branched out to doing my own side work. I'm not new to tree care or our industry, but I am when it comes to sales, marketing, and being the one to confidently sell a client on new or even proper treatmant of their trees.
Any tips would be surely appreciatted---DKT


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## Zac (Nov 10, 2005)

*growth regulator*

I don't think cambistat would be good for a growth regulator. After 3 years of building healthy leaves and strong roots I think the treated tree would just shoot up, unless you plan on using cambistat every 3 years, until the end of eternity.


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## Tree Wizard (Nov 14, 2005)

To control growth for an extended length of time - the growth regulator treatment must be repeated at some specified interval. As far as I know, there is no non-terminal growth regulator that is a one time treatment for life.


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## arbordoctor (Nov 17, 2005)

alanarbor said:


> As far as I'm concerned, cambistat rocks!
> 
> It shows excellent results on everything I've used it on so far. I have not used it to try and do size control of trees, and I would say that it would most likely be more effective on the more sensistive species, such as maple and sweet gum.



Reply:

According to a talk on the subject at the TCIA expo, Cambistat will triple the size of gumballs on sweet gum so, unless you want to turn sweet gums into osage oranges, avoid them!!!!!!!!


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## arbordoctor (Nov 18, 2005)

*More On Cambistat*

At the TCIA expo, they seemed to recommend Cambistat as a growth regulator with re-application rates of once every 3 years. If a person has a river birch, pear, or other tree planted too close to a house, what is wrong with such a growth regulator program (from now to whenever) if it works and the customer wants to go that route. Does anyone have experience with this? How do you price it?


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## ranchjn (Nov 22, 2005)

maybe i should start a new thread for this question, but i am looking for a good growth inhibitor to use on a relatively large stand of redwood trees (20+). All are currently less than 15', and i want them to stay that way. would cambistat do the trick? i guess i will speak to my forester tomorrow, but i just wanted to know if anyone has used cambistat on redwoods... thanks in advance and take care!


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## Urban Forester (Nov 29, 2005)

We have done over 300 trees with Cambistat. IT IS NOT THE SUPER CURE THAT IT IS MADE OUT TO BE. Following the dose and species chart to the letter we have had some devastating results with this product. Dogwoods, Reduds, Sweet Gums react very badly. We have also had problems with some Norway Maples. In discussions with an independent expert on growth regulation, he stated that those species(ex. Norway Maples) should not be on a list to regulate, but they are on the rainbow list. We are very concerned that this 'list' was 'rushed' into use w/o proper R+D done. To be fair we have had good results on the large 'naturals' i.e. Oaks, etc.


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## ranchjn (Nov 29, 2005)

> Following the dose and species chart to the letter we have had some devastating results with this product.


how do you define devistating?  

Do you have any clue how a coast redwood might react?


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## Urban Forester (Nov 30, 2005)

Sorry... 'devastating' is pretty vague. The trees reacted in three ways. One, sections of trees did not leaf out at all, stem tissue appeared viable. Two, trees leafed out, but only produced leaves the size of a dime, this was the way most dogwoods(Florida) reacted. Three, on some trees(notably Norway Maple, Red Maple) the tree leafed out fine but regulation was VERY spotty, sometimes the lower canopy showed internode reduction and not the top, sometimes one side not the other, sometimes leaf size varied greatly. We have GREATLY reduced the amount tree species we do, sticking mainly to the large 'naturals', Crabapples, Ornamental Pears and Beeches. The results on these trees has been good. As far as Redwoods, they are on the species list, however I have not done one yet. One thing that may help you, we have begun dropping back one grouping as far as active material goes. Example: There are 6 'groups' of dosing, A-F, Redwood is a group F tree (meaning the highest dose per inch) we now drop group F's to E. ALL recent trantsplants are HALF-rated. Hope this helps...


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Nov 30, 2005)

Our most common unsatisfactory result has has been little or no reaction to the treatment.


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## tprosser (Nov 30, 2005)

*Cambistat - Issues*

As the person who developed Cambistat I can tell you it was not rushed to market. The rates have been very carefully established through many trials on many trees. There are 10's of thousands of trees treated annually and we have had very few negative results - i.e. over regulation. 

Cambistat is a powerful growth regulator and the few negative results we have heard about are almost always on catagory A and Catagory B trees that are smaller in size (under 8" DBH). Although the trees do not die - they become "over regulated" This shows up as small leaves - sometimes tiny leaves and little or no growth on the tree. The trees will come out of it if left alone after a few years, but there are things that can be done to get them to grow more normally more quickly. 

Dogwoods which are an A catagory seem to be the most sensitive with sweetgums being a close second. We took dogwoods off the list of recommend trees to be treated because we got 12 reports of over application - mostly from Michigan, until we can figure out why. Our company has always stressed caution when using this material on smaller A, B or C catagory trees because over application can be so easily done. The larger trees and the D, E, and F catagory trees do not have the small margin of error and we have never heard of any issues with these trees nor have we seen problems. Hundreds of companies are very successfully using Cambistat with excellent results and high praise.

If you are having any issues with Cambistat - we need to know. We are committed to making this product safe and not recommending it for any species or situations that are innappropriate. If you have a bad reaction with a tree we need to find out what happened and why. Keeping good records can help figure these things out should they happen. Please contact me at [email protected] or 952-252-0560.
Tom Prosser


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