Eastern Red Cedar for comment

[MinnesotaKirk]

I dug up this Eastern Red Cedar a few years ago and let it rest. I don't know how old it is but it has nice mature scale foliage, not the spiky younger foliage. The farm field it was in has been fallow for about 17 years so it can't be be older than that, I would assume younger. I've only lightly pruned it, removing a few unnecessary branches over the years to bring in light and I've been trying to keep it healthy. There hadn't been anything I would call a real styling yet. It is 1.5 to 2 inches at the base and 22 inches high.



It has been in various containers but this spring it got a new grow box. When I put it into the grow box I removed a lot of the old field soil and discovered a baseball sized rock in the roots. No wonder it was always so heavy!

I also discovered that there are really only two large surface roots. I was hoping for more. It has made me rethink the front since both roots where in the back and not visible. What I was thinking would be the front all these years I've now flipped and the back is the new front.

I've done some wiring to bring around the main first branch into a better position and start to improve light to all of the branches. I've thinned out some weaker branches as well, hoping to improve what remains. I'm aiming to make them a bit more lush though I am a bit limited by the species.

The trunk is very curvy not just left to right but front to back which of course does not show up on the photos. Many of the branches have quite a three dimensional spread from front to back which also does not show up.

I would appreciate any comments or thoughts on how this could be developed. Here are my current thoughts/issues.

1. To my eye the tree is a little too tall for the size of the trunk. The ratio is about 10 to 1 or so. I can either leave the current apex, develop a newer one further down (probably with the topmost left branch) or embrace the height and go for a bunjin and remove most of the lower branches.

2. The first branch on the left is smaller in diameter and length as compared to the second. This isn't necessarily inconsistent with an Eastern Red Cedar in the wild but I'm not sure about as a bonsai. I've seriously considered removing that branch.

3. There is a fairly long section just below the apex with no branching. The branch foliage on the back somewhat makes it less obvious but it is an issue to be sure.

I welcome any thoughts.

~MinnesotaKirk

 

[october]

Hello MinnesotaKirk,

This tree does have potential. The trunk is very thin in comparison to the silhouette. The typical way to go would be a bunjin. However, I don't think that is the best idea for 2 reasons. One, to get a convincing bunjin, you would have to eliminate a lot of branches and foliage. I am not sure the tree would survive having that much roved. Second, bunjins usually have an aged look to them. This tree does not have an ancient look. When you are done removing everything (that is, if it survives) you might be left with a tree that looks a bit young to pull off a convincing bunjin. However, if you do go with bunjin and just leave the branches and foliage you need, In about 4 years or so, when the branches started to age, it might become more convincing.

The other option and what I would probably go with would be to make a tighter looking silhouette and keep it as an informal upright. I would cut the top off and make that branch on the left the new apex. Along with wiring the new apex in place, I would wire the branches down, put some bends in them and wire them towards the viewer. All these thing, especially pulling them towards the viewer, will make the foliage appear closer to the trunk. Also, making the first branch on the left a back branch. The good thing is that if you do decide to go with a bunjin style later on down the road, you would still be able to do if you go with an informal upright now.

Here is a virt of what I am talking about.

Rob

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Look like great material, and I like the above direction and virtual. I like to see the red cedar used because it is often over looked and quite available. I don't have one yet, but someday. It looks like you did a good job selecting one with nice movement as well as treating the roots kind enough to keep it healthy.

 

[jk_lewis]

Be aware, though, that as soon as you start pruning this you are likely to revert to juvenile foliage for a good while.

I like the virt also.

 

[MinnesotaKirk]

Thanks for your thoughts and virt October. I had considered removing that bottom left branch but not making it a back branch. My one concern with that is that the first branch on the right sweeps way back and is then bent around to the front. It might look odd to have both bottom branches going away from the viewer (even though the one on the right does come back.) I'll give it some thought and see what happens. I'll be sure to report back.

~MinnesotaKirk

 

[MinnesotaKirk]

I bent some of the branches down a month ago but did not remove the top as I just repotted this spring and didn't want to insult the tree too much.

When I repotted I had found there were only two surface roots and one of the two was to the back which hid it from view a bit. So, I had flipped and chosen the old back as the new front. That "new" front was what I posted previously.

Now with the passing of a little time and reflection I think I like my original front better. You can only see the one root but the movement in the trunk seems more fluid. Let me know what you think.

Here is an updated version of the view I showed before.




Here is my original front. I'm thinking of going back to this and trimming off the top.




This is a quick virtual with a branch on the left taken off and the top trimmed back.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I bent some of the branches down a month ago but did not remove the top as I just repotted this spring and didn't want to insult the tree too much.

When I repotted I had found there were only two surface roots and one of the two was to the back which hid it from view a bit. So, I had flipped and chosen the old back as the new front. That "new" front was what I posted previously.

Now with the passing of a little time and reflection I think I like my original front better. You can only see the one root but the movement in the trunk seems more fluid. Let me know what you think.

Here is an updated version of the view I showed before.

View attachment 37409


Here is my original front. I'm thinking of going back to this and trimming off the top.

View attachment 37408


This is a quick virtual with a branch on the left taken off and the top trimmed back.

View attachment 37411

I feel like taking a branch off the left leaves too big of a void there, and it just looks empty on that side.

 

[october]

I like the updated pic, the first pic. However, I would cut off that apex. It is too thick and straight. I would wire the branch on the right, up and slightly towards the viewer. Something like this.

Rob

 

[MinnesotaKirk]

Time for an update! It's been two years since I posted about this tree. Things are moving along nicely but I'm also taking it nice and slow.

This first photo is just after putting it back on the bench from the winter. I did a little more work with the jin at the top. I am working on very slowly extending it down into a shari until it will join up with another one on lower right hand side that is not visible.



The branch you can see which is the lowest on the left-hand side is actually the back branch. It is a little hard to tell from the photo as the two dimensionality make it look like a side branch. The second branch up on the left is the actual "second" branch of the tree. That branch has grown out some and it now extends quite a bit further than the back branch especially because of the perspective you see here. It detracts from the compactness of the design.

The most recent thing I have done is rewired that branch and reshaped it to pull it in much closer to the tree creating a more compact look. I also worked a bit on wiring up the crown into a more compact shape.

Here is where it stands today.

 

[armetisius]

Nice and slow seems to be working. Excellent start.

 

[jk_lewis]

Very nice tree and a good start. Glad you seem to have gone back to your original second front (first pic). With the closer photos, your J. virginiana is VERY different from those (J.v. var. silicola) that grow like weeds around here. Looks like you will have most "adult" folige. I do suggest you shorten the leaves, though; they're a bit stringy.

 

[sorce]

Damn!

Something about that thin jin in there I really like. Like it is framing that.

Really unexpected, nice progress!

Sorce

 

[MinnesotaKirk]

Bringing the branches in even tighter and exposing a jin branch on the left that was previously hidden by branch placement.

 

[jedge76]

This is coming along really nicely. I love how well you've compacted the tree's image.

 

[GrimLore]

I really like it and "if" it were mine that top left branch would be Horizontal But it is a very nice progression and appears very healthy! Thanks for the update I really like this one

Grimmy

 

[MinnesotaKirk]

Great observation Grimmy, the apex hasn't really been worked on much, at this point there are a number of small branches up there that are all pointing up. They still need to all be wired into place.

 

[PiñonJ]

Nice progress. I would consider reducing the live apex below the jin. It would be more dramatic and slightly improve the height-to-width ratio.
Here's a crude virt.

 

[JudyB]

I like the image this tree projects. One question about the two surface roots, do you have any plans to perhaps lower the tree ultimately to put them at the surface instead of above? I think it would help the overall flow of the tree. Nice patient work.

 

[MinnesotaKirk]

Yes Judy, the tree will ultimately sit a bit lower. It was in a much deeper pot when it came out of the ground. This was as low as it could go this go round. The roots will develop further this summer and I will hopefully be able to lower it next spring.

PinyonJ, thank you do your thoughts and vert. I've considered lowering the apex even further. Time will tell.

 

[MinnesotaKirk]

UPDATE: Here is where this tree sits as of this spring. It has come a long way from that first picture and still has a journey ahead. The shari will be extended down this summer to meet up with a large one you cannot see on the right hand side.

I will reduce the top further as well eventually. I am working on some branching up there for right now.

I wish there was a way to do 3D photos on here. These flat pictures don't do our trees justice.