Trees for Today and Tomorrow

[A Random User]

In light of some recent events, I felt it was the perfect time to start posting pictures of my trees again, Today is a good day!!! and I have been extremely busy as of lately working on trees, so thought I would share! Thanks!


Campeche Logwood
(Haematoxylum campechianum)
Styled in a Weeping Fashion.
With foliage as of today, and without, after it's new styling earlier this spring. Tree has been regularly fertilized and has put on a substantial amount of new growth, which has kept me quite busy wiring down and into place. I did manage to loose quite a few smaller branches in the process of styling earlier this year, mainly due to the fact that they were already of some caliber, and are extremely hard to bend without breaking... Often damage is not apparent, until leaves either don't come in or turn brown and die. No worries though... as one can see, the tree clearly made up for them, with a ton of new ones!





Here are some side profiles of the tree with foliage as well...

 

[A Random User]

Buttonwood
(Conocarpus erectus)
Styled in a Cascading Fashion.
Have had this Yamadori going on a year and a half now and have done a substantial bit of work on it since first obtaining it. Unfortunately, I can't seem to locate any of the pictures from when I first received it, sorry... The biggest change so far that I have done, has been the complete over hall, of the original styling, through choosing to turn the tree quite literally on it's side, changing it into the cascade that it is now. First picture is it as of today. I am currently in the process of designing the apex which it along with the lower portion of the tree did not exist before I got it. Second picture is me feeling European, and deciding to put myself into the picture... trying with all my might to keep an actual straight face and not burst out laughing!!! Figured it was good for scale... I dedicate this photo to my long term buddy "Smoke"... who inspired me today to start posting again!







These two pictures were taken last summer... the first is after I had heavily fertilized and grown out the tree, establishing some new branches to be able to work with. It is one of the few pictures I can find with the original planting, and it's angle... sorry it isn't better! Second photo is from the day the tree was defoliated, and repotted at it's new angle, this past summer. Which will give one an idea of how far the tree and it's style has come in such a matter of less than a year. Currently working on a new design for the pot, that will be custom made... that will mimic a wave braking, against the shore, around the base of the tree.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

I have seen you post both of these before on here. They are both worth a second look! I did not realize the size of the buttonwood. Nice trees.

 

[qwade]

Wow
They are some very nice trees. Not all that familiar with those tropicals. However you obviously did a great job with them. And here I thought you never contribute anything but rancor and venom. Seriously though, great job on those trees.

 

[A Random User]

Bougainvillea
(Bougainvillea glabra)
Style, Informal Upright

This tree has been a little slow to develop do to the fact I have spent the last several years trying to establish branches in the right locations on the trunk. Problem with this, is that in order to try and push out new growth on the trunk, I have had to be quite regimental about cutting back existing branches. For the most part I now have everything where I want it, so I can now start working on thickening up the branches.
I will be working on ramification at the same time, so will be choosing to allow secondary sacrifice branches to grow to preform this function.

Been also going back and forth on the planting angle... I just last week repoted in it's new pot and adjusted to the angle that best suits the tree. At that time it was defoliated and rewired. Starting to kick out new buds all over. This tree also, slowed down somewhat, due to the fact that it began to get root bound, Bougies grow so fast and really need to be repotted every year. Last year, I was unable to do this do to life... so, hopefully the new repotting will send it on it's way!

First picture is today, second me being European again ( my Montage to my buddy Smoke), for scale. Third and forth pictures were last year.

Also, didn't get a side picture, but the new planting angle has a wicked kick forward! Really leaning the tree out towards the viewer. Very happy about it!

 

[Vin]

I see the Buttonwood is still propped up. Do you think it will reach a point where it can stand on its own? I like the Campeche naked even though it's a tropical.

 

[A Random User]

Wow
They are some very nice trees. Not all that familiar with those tropicals. However you obviously did a great job with them. And here I thought you never contribute anything but rancor and venom. Seriously though, great job on those trees.

Thanks I appreciate it! Have a ton more comming!

 

[LanceMac10]

Really great looking trees.....though I have that third species on "Ignore"....wink...they don't ever "like" me! Nice work.

 

[A Random User]

I see the Buttonwood is still propped up. Do you think it will reach a point where it can stand on its own? I like the Campeche naked even though it's a tropical.

Thanks for the reply!
The new pot I am designing for it, will be very organic, and will allow for me to be able to take up this space. As mentioned, I am wanting a pot that mimics a wave, or multiple wave slowly crashing against the shore... The following picture will give one an idea of what I plan to create.

 

[Vin]

Thanks for the reply!
The new pot I am designing for it, will be very organic, and will allow for me to be able to take up this space. As mentioned, I am wanting a pot that mimics a wave, or multiple wave slowly crashing against the shore... The following picture will give one an idea of what I plan to create.

I didn't know you threw pots as well. I can visualize it in a pot as you describe it. Should be cool!

 

[A Random User]

Juniper Parsoni
(Juniperus chinensis)
Style, Informal Upright

This tree sadly has taken a step backwards! which is a real shame cause I really liked where it was heading. It was knocked off the bench due to one of my feline friends, who claim the yard as theirs. In the process I lost the two lower right branches, which really bummed me out! But that's what happens... in the process, the tree then started shooting out a whole bunch of juvenile foliage, so for now it is just back to the drawing board with it. Immediate future plans, are next spring I want to get it out of the nursery soil it is still in. That will help with the juvenile foliage. Other than that, just start growing out new branches.

First picture is today, second picture, earlier this spring.

 

[A Random User]

I didn't know you threw pots as well. I can visualize it in a pot as you describe it. Should be cool!

I don't, mainly due to time... if I did, it would never actually get them done? I have way to many things I do now as it is.
Have thrown pots before, but the lady I got the tree from does, and when I asked she said she would be more than willing to help.
Have a felling that it could get quite complicated, making sure everything works, so probably more of a collaboration?

 

[A Random User]

Really great looking trees.....though I have that third species on "Ignore"....wink...they don't ever "like" me! Nice work.

Bougies don't really like anyone! Over the years of working with them or anything else that has thorns you just learn to live with it and ignore them...
My wife on the other hand hates having to dig the puss filled splinters out of my hands!

 

[Giga]

Dude those are nice, a lot bigger then the pictures first allude

 

[A Random User]

Buttonwood
(Conocarpus erectus)
Style: Literati

This tree has been an awesome learning tool, in so far as one learning how to maintain a small, but powerful silhouette. That matches the long thin lines of the trunk, and predominate deadwood, yet at the same time balancing the health and strength of the tree... The following pictures were taken over a couple of years. The forth image was shortly after receiving the tree, shortly after I begun the wiring process for the tree's initial styling. The third photo is after the initial style. This image most closely resembles the final image of the tree as I see it. The second image was taken at the beginning of last summer, and the first tonight.

So, with this tree I will always be balancing how to keep it healthy and allow for it to grow, and at the same time maintain the intial shape and style of the first styling... So, the game here is all about growing out and removing. Replacing with newer branches to then allow to grow back out again to maintain the silhouette.

Earlier this spring, the tree had half of it's branches removed, and was rewired. In the process, I did move the lower branch to the left a bit... which now looking at the initial pictures, I feel needs to go back where it was. Not only does this shorten the length of the trunk visually, but it also lessons the feel of just a mound on top of a stick.

Immediate plans for this tree are that it is to be repotted this summer... so soon. The tree still retains a lot of the organic nursery soil, so this will be removed. Buttonwoods do very well in regular nursery soil, so much so that, often they will just be left to remain in it, in the bonsai pot. However, when one really wants to work on establishing finer branches, and greatly reducing foliage size, you will need to transfer the tree into a Bonsai soil.
Pot will be more of a bunjin style. at the time this was the best option I had for growing tree out. Now it is time to slow the tree down.

 

[A Random User]

Dude those are nice, a lot bigger then the pictures first allude

Thanks for the compliment! This is the hardest thing about large bonsai and in my own person opinion, the hardest thing to get right, and where most people fail...
Making a giant tree, look very small! Far to often branches and trunks are left way too long! All about getting the most compact package as possible... and when one thinks they got it... start figuring out how to compact even more! Compact tree = Power!

 

[zelk]

Amazing trees and fantastic progress. I especially love the first tree you posted. Keep up the great work!

 

[A Random User]

Amazing trees and fantastic progress. I especially love the first tree you posted. Keep up the great work!

Thanks I appreciate it!
I have a ton more I will be posting tonight and tomorrow and the next day! So come back and check them out!

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I like that Campeche a lot with or without leaves.

 

[MaverickLancer]

Sad to hear about the parsoni. The movement you were creating with the lower right branches really reminded me of someone stretching and waking up from a long night's rest. I'd be interested to see a side view, as I can't quite tell what the top branch is doing. Very cool trees.

I was also sad to see you stop posting your practice trees. Those were quite inspirational for us newbies.