Advice on Serissa

[Jmontee]

So I purchased this little gem at none other than the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival. I usually never get anything at these kinds of things because they are usually overpriced sticks in a pot. I was rummaging through all of those and I came upon this serissa with a greater than 1" trunk, nice movement and lots of potential branches to work with.

There are currently two main "trunks" but they split way to high for a good double trunk bonsai so I have decided that one will be removed. There are also several medium branches but these are not well placed so I am going to remove all but one. Here is a pic of it's current state:




Here is a closer look at the tree:



I plan on jinning the smaller of the two trunks and then following with a shari down the side of the trunk. If it works well then I may be able to carve more and increase the taper. That is if I don't kill it in the process. The final height should be around 10in. Here is a crude virt I put together for the final idea I have for this tree:




Any ideas and or advice would be welcome.

 

[Poink88]

Hard to tell with all the foliage but I (sorry) do not like your design vision for this. You have a potentially nice & believable tree with little work. I would look hard for ways to incorporate the 2nd branch to the design before cutting it.

This is your tree though so do as you please.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I think your final height is a bit too tall given the size of the trunk. The tree in your virt lacks taper and IMO, looks too tall. It's got a nice little trunk though.

 

[Bill S]

Forget the jin and shari, the wood is soft and won't hold up unless you put hardener in it soon after making it.

I would from a cursory look build the canopy around what is there, looks like a typical diciduous tree.

 

[rockm]

DO NOT JIN this tree. It will look strange with the design you're aiming at.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

I have tried jin on serissa, it will not last, even with preservative, so I would not do it. It has nice movement for a serissa. The second branch up high doesn't look bad and I would keep it and work on just shaping it up as Bill suggested. Also, stick everything that you cut off in some soil, they root like weeds.

John

 

[Jmontee]

Forget the jin and shari, the wood is soft and won't hold up unless you put hardener in it soon after making it.

I would from a cursory look build the canopy around what is there, looks like a typical diciduous tree.

Bill, don't know if possible but could you attach a link to your idea or a virt? Being in Miami we don't have many (bald cypress and red maple only) deciduous trees. After really looking at it this afternoon I think I understand what you mean but a visual aid would be great.

Thanks

 

[Bill S]

Work pc so no software for virts except paint, and thats not too good for this. The red maples you speak of will do,keep cutting back on the big branches and they'll toss new buds, then get your secondary branching going off the large branches, and keep them ramifying. Forget left right back, left right back.
These don't like either extreme of watering, they really like to be watered just right. Also forget the word tropical with these, they are not, borderling hardy. Let them catch a few good frosts before bringing them to a cold winter haven, not frozen, but good and cold, let the leaves fall off.

Let your root work take time, they don't like to be cut back heavy during roo tpruning.