Cascade, slanting or informal upright (procumbens nana)

[Hbhaska]

Hello,

I hacked away this enormous Juniper procumbens nana from a nursery stock. It has a beautiful thick curving trunk and very low branches that I was thinking of making Jin - if I kept it in the same orientation that is. In the same orientation, I can make this slant or semi-cascade. But if I want to make it into an informal upright, I’d have to remove those branches. Anyway, I’m going to let it recover over fall, perhaps wire, and repot next spring. Let me me what you think. Thanks!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Sounds like a plan. If it were mine, I would think using what you have, and making a semi-cascade or a cascade is the obvious choice, and why not? I like cascades.

I really can't make good design suggestions from this set of photos. You need to take the photos with the camera lens on the same plane as the rim of the pot, so we can look horizontally at the tree. Looking down at the tree distorts depth, and it becomes difficult to make sense of where branches are.

For yourself, take photos with a blank, white or neutral background, of all sides of the tree, either 4 sides, or 8 sides, (octagonal) and seriously contemplate the form. Make drawings of the actual tree in the photo, either using pencil & paper or a photo editor, and then try "styling" in the drawing by erasing various branches. Do this exercise for each side of the tree. At the same time, experiment with tilting the tree. By the time you are done with the exercise, you will likely see the best "style" for the tree. The exercise will also improve your ability to style other trees in the future.

If you are still stuck, post the new photos in this thread and ask for help. It is better if you are the one to decide on what the best style will be.

It looks like interesting material. I would not mind having it on my bench, as a project to figure out.

 

[sorce]

How long does the single trunk stay thick for?

I ask because the remaining stuff looks like it needed a cut back more than the removed parts.

FFR...For Future Reference....

It's better to leave what won't be the final tree uncut. This always helps you Repot successfully.

Then your removals can begin to aid in reigning in your keeper foliage, which builds your keeper tree faster.

Nice find.

Sorce

 

[Hbhaska]

Sounds like a plan. If it were mine, I would think using what you have, and making a semi-cascade or a cascade is the obvious choice, and why not? I like cascades.

I really can't make good design suggestions from this set of photos. You need to take the photos with the camera lens on the same plane as the rim of the pot, so we can look horizontally at the tree. Looking down at the tree distorts depth, and it becomes difficult to make sense of where branches are.

For yourself, take photos with a blank, white or neutral background, of all sides of the tree, either 4 sides, or 8 sides, (octagonal) and seriously contemplate the form. Make drawings of the actual tree in the photo, either using pencil & paper or a photo editor, and then try "styling" in the drawing by erasing various branches. Do this exercise for each side of the tree. At the same time, experiment with tilting the tree. By the time you are done with the exercise, you will likely see the best "style" for the tree. The exercise will also improve your ability to style other trees in the future.

If you are still stuck, post the new photos in this thread and ask for help. It is better if you are the one to decide on what the best style will be.

It looks like interesting material. I would not mind having it on my bench, as a project to figure out.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply, Leo. I really appreciate it. I was thinking a combination of slanting and semi-cascade. Your suggestion of drawing out the tree and masking different parts to see how it looks is brilliant. Will do!

 

[Hbhaska]

How long does the single trunk stay thick for?

I ask because the remaining stuff looks like it needed a cut back more than the removed parts.

FFR...For Future Reference....

It's better to leave what won't be the final tree uncut. This always helps you Repot successfully.

Then your removals can begin to aid in reigning in your keeper foliage, which builds your keeper tree faster.

Nice find.

Sorce

Thanks Sorce. This was basically a huge bush and I had to cut back substantially to even look at the trunk. There is still plenty of foliage on top that will be removed at the time of repotting next spring. But you are right, I did remove a bit much that I could have removed during repotting.

 

[sorce]

I had to cut back substantially to even look at the trunk.

I think one of the most difficult things we must do with nursery material, is find the trunk/tree without exposing it.

I was just talking to @James W. about your tree. Sorry I called you "dude", I forget who it was!

Anyway, there are always key branches that must be removed to get an idea, but this should be a slow and well thought out process, not for naught, since you always reveal more about the tree, even if it is a pest infestation you have to remedy.

If a branch isn't shading keeper growth, or creating growth too large below it's attachment point (bulging) it should always be left on.
At least until your keeper tree contains the energy production needed to remove this left on sacrifice stuff.

I think people view sacrifices as onky serving a design function.

We should spread this idea of "health sacrifice", especially on Junipers.


Sorce

 

[Potawatomi13]

Hacking away leaves little room for consideration of best possible design. As tree sits and "procumbens" name Cascade would be natural style from personal perspective.