Flat Top Bald Cypress

[casun]

I say try it. I live in N Texas and it’s pretty hot and dry during summer (high of 104 tomorrow) and BC thrive here. Keep them consistently wet and they will reward you with great growth.

I’ll give it a shot.

 

[casun]

You could try Montezuma cypress-Taxodium mucranatum. It's a native of Mexico and Guatemala. It's the national tree of Mexico. John Naka made a bonsai from one in So. Cal. It's now at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. Species is hardy to zones 8-11 Very similar to Bald Cypress, only from hotter region.

I’ll try that, too. Thanks.

 

[VAFisher]

I went ahead and did the cut back on my cypress last month.

June 13th


Today July 9th


The lower branching is getting a bit better. Please excuse the janky wiring. It won't be on long and I did it quickly.


Closer view of the top.


I'm getting some decent healing of the new angled chop I did last year.

 

[Maiden69]

That looks great, I would move one branch to the front, as you have it moving to the left crossing over the left side branches. Yellow like is your movement, blue proposed. Hard to show what I mean because it is a 2 dimension pic, but imagine it coming towards the front, moving up, then to the front, then slightly up and to the left, slightly front and to the right. That would help the spread when looking at it from the top, you will have plenty of branches to occupy the canopy once those set up this year.

 

[VAFisher]

That looks great, I would move one branch to the front, as you have it moving to the left crossing over the left side branches. Yellow like is your movement, blue proposed. Hard to show what I mean because it is a 2 dimension pic, but imagine it coming towards the front, moving up, then to the front, then slightly up and to the left, slightly front and to the right. That would help the spread when looking at it from the top, you will have plenty of branches to occupy the canopy once those set up this year.

View attachment 446172

Thanks for the thoughts. I see what you mean with that branch. It might need to be changed but it will end up being cut back hard after it grows out a bit. Here is a pic that I'm using for inspiration. There are lots of crossing branches in the canopy

 

[VAFisher]

Making a little progress.

 

[johng]

Reducing the three leaders was a good call! I think three leaders is fine but they should not all exit the tree at the same height. I also believe that your notion to shorten the lower branches is very good. This helps to make the tree appear taller. Nice development.

 

[MHBonsai]

Really coming along. Thanks for the nice progression. Beginning to really look like an old tree!

 

[VAFisher]

Reducing the three leaders was a good call! I think three leaders is fine but they should not all exit the tree at the same height. I also believe that your notion to shorten the lower branches is very good. This helps to make the tree appear taller. Nice development.

Thanks, I appreciate the thoughts. The design of this tree has been a bit of a struggle for me but I feel like it's starting to get a little better.

 

[VAFisher]

Did a little work on the cypress yesterday. It's coming along I think. Plans are to keep ramifying the top and creating a kind of 2nd flat top with the upper right branch.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Nice! I just found this thread and am following a similar path with mine. I think I'm a few years behind you, but we are going for very similar goals as far as our final vision. I have bookmarked this thread so I can learn more from it as you go!
Here is mine btw: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/wulfskaars-bald-cypress.60870/

 

[VAFisher]

I recently wired my BC and figured I would post an update. The top was thinned significantly in order to get the wire on. It's usually a lot more full than this. I find this tree difficult to get a good picture of. Something about the height and perspective I guess. It always looks a little weird in pics.

I'm growing out the left branch to make a secondary flat top based on one of the suggestions above.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Very nice. I haven't seen this thread before, great progression thread. Reminds me of this one a saw online while researching flat top styles.

 

[VAFisher]

Very nice. I haven't seen this thread before, great progression thread. Reminds me of this one a saw online while researching flat top styles.

View attachment 573774

Yes! I actually have that pic saved on my phone as inspiration.

My plan is to really try to thicken the branch that's becoming the secondary top and make it more integrated with the primary top. If that makes sense.