Coastal Redwood w/ Inverse Taper

[Drekula]

Hey all, I’ve been scouring my local nurseries for a redwood I could turn into a bonsai. I finally found one that is a good size. After taking it home, I discovered that it had some pretty significant inverse taper on the lower trunk.

I’m planning on letting this grow in a 15 gal pot for several years to thicken up the trunk and establish some initial branches.

I’m wondering if this inverse taper will even put over time, or if I should attempt air layering or something else to eliminate the taper.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Outcome depends on where the branches are.

Fertilize the tree hard and let all the branches grow out. Continually shorten any higher branches to force the energy to the very lowest branches. Let the very lowest branches grow out below the bulge without pruning for a couple years.

Good luck
DSD sends

 

[PowerTap]

I have a coast Redwood that is also young and my experience is that it back buds aggressively. I routinely keep an eye on it to pinch off but that are growing right on top of each other.

So I think you'll get lots of growth that will fill in that tree. I'll try to remember to take a picture tomorrow.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

(Continued)
Up potting with increasingly wide, cut down nursery containers helps build strong surface roots to build out the lower base.

Go from this



To something more like this

cheers
DSD sends

 

[PowerTap]

As promised, you should get plenty of choices for branches to develop below the taper. Most of the of this growth on the left side of the trunk is new this spring.