Twisted Trunk

Johnathan

Johnathan

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Okay guys so I finally got my wire starter pack from Julian Adams (pleasure to work with and a really nice guy by the way) and I was considering styles and ideas and the possibility of a "twisted trunk"...

Just wondering how would this be accomplished in a controlled environment (in grow out pot) I've read a few different techniques including a seedling with "too heavy" wire allowed to cut into it... multiple seedlings twisted in raffia allowed to fuse...

Just wondering what are some of the SUCCESSFUL techniques you guys have tried or seen?
 
Depends on what specific species you choose to work with. No one answer.

Generally the wire being allowed to grow into the trunk is a bad idea, with a few exceptions.

Fusion bonsai only works with certain rapidly growing species, Ficus, Trident maples, and a a few others, but not everything.

Old fashioned wire, let grow, remove wire, wire again, let grow, etc is the main way to get twisted trunks.

So name the species you want to do this to.
 
Ficus or Pitch Pine or Juniper lol I have all those in a size small enough... Just really gathering info more than actually have something in mind in particular
 
LanceMac10 said:
https://bonsaial.wordpress.com//



@Smoke blog....might be some info there on twisting up some Junipers. Or it might be a thread here, somewhere.....:confused::D:D:D:D:D
some real lusty progression sequences on other species as well.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I've seen @Smoke blog mentioned other places and have been wanting to take a look at it. Thanks again!
 
This is an interesting activity. Though you can see this in some species it is most common in conifers. What kind of tree are you contemplating twisting. You migh want to look into the situation and see what is said about twisted trunks and what causes them and on what kind of trees. Here is a little piece of information I discovered: Most twisted trunks are twisted from left to right.
 
What's a Thread without an argument of semantics!

Well....its Not really....

I call those Smoke J's...

Spiraled...

Twisted is twisted.

I got a wire trick to twist...

Wanna See it?

Sorce
 
You want the true look of twisted grain? Such as the first picture of the dead trunk here:

http://www.goldenarrowbonsai.com/goldenarrowbonsai.com/Pg1_Trees_files/IMG_0236.jpg

There was that guy who used a bunch of maple saplings, and in essence, each sapling became a single increment of the "grain":

https://fusionbonsai.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/trident-1.jpg

It's not really an environmental thing, i.e., it's not the wind continuing to blow it in circles or whatever. It's super slow growth which emphasizes the counter clockwise tendency in which the grain is typically laid down. Naturally, I mean.

Then again, I've seen some suburban maples which a healthy twist. And I know silver maples don't grow slowly, so...not sure about every factor at play.

I personally haven't seen anything better than fusing saplings.
 
Last edited:
Johnathan said:
elaborate
Click to expand...

I call this twisted...20170514_121833.jpg
The grain is twisted....
So a live vein will spiral.

But a spiraled trunk is a different look.

Twisted and spiraled different still.

As long as the base is anchored....
You can do this to a whole trunk.20170514_122240.jpg
20170514_122322.jpg

Twist it...hold it with this guy wire at a fork...

Then you could wire the whole branch traditionally if you needed. Carefully of course . 2 people better.

This is how I turn all my spruce branches upside down...

And why I don't think mindlessly cutting off up and down growing foliage is good teaching.

Sorce
 
sorce said:
I call this twisted...View attachment 145603
The grain is twisted....
So a live vein will spiral.

But a spiraled trunk is a different look.

Twisted and spiraled different still.

As long as the base is anchored....
You can do this to a whole trunk.View attachment 145604
View attachment 145605

Twist it...hold it with this guy wire at a fork...

Then you could wire the whole branch traditionally if you needed. Carefully of course . 2 people better.

This is how I turn all my spruce branches upside down...

And why I don't think mindlessly cutting off up and down growing foliage is good teaching.

Sorce
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, you seem to be explaining one thing and demonstrating something entirely different. Could you explain please.
 
Vance Wood said:
I'm sorry, you seem to be explaining one thing and demonstrating something entirely different. Could you explain please.
Click to expand...

aviary-image-1494831932809.jpeg

It's really only the shape of the guy wire that matters. To hold the tension that wants to unspin.

You can't get a branch/trunk to twist more than about 1/2 while traditionally wired.

Unwired..
You can twist it as many times as it'll twist without breaking, and use this guy wire to hold the twist.

Take this 3ft Ulmus Whip for example!lol
aviary-image-1494833085629.jpeg

You can anchor the wire to a wall...
And just spin the pot!

It's only the shape of the guy wire.

I'm not responsible for the...
Off the wall...
Uses you come up with for it!

Sorce
 
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