How would you design this Tater Oak?

[Colorado]

So, what would YOU do with this oak stump aka “tater”?






as you can see, it has interesting deadwood. However, all of the branches originate from a singular location in the back of the tree:



I am thinking something like this rough virt - a clump style - but would love to hear other ideas. Please, fire away!


I believe it is a gray oak, possibly collected by Cho Bonsai. I acquired it from a fellow club member who was reducing their collection.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I think that is really your best option. Anything else that I can think of (with a single line) would require years before you could thicken the trunk up enough to make it look in scale with the big base / chuck of deadwood.

That said, I think you want to go short and broad with your foliage mass in order to best compliment the base. You might want to bring the trunks a little to the right (instead of straight up) in order to center the foliage over the base to give it a really solid, balanced look.

 

[penumbra]

I think it will have a bright future, follow your intuition.

 

[BobbyLane]

Forest, clump type for me.

 

[rockm]

I'd second the forest/clump style. This is a clump developed with similar material (olive stump) by Melba Tucker. It's very doable with what you have and doesn't look as contrived as trying to make that lump of nebari into a triangle tree...

Master’s Gallery: Melba Tucker’s Olive & Suiseki | Bonsai Bark

 

[Joe Dupre']

If it were mine, I'd put it in bigger container and let it flush out to 3 feet or more in diameter, not trimming a branch. Keep looking at it and one day it will tell you what it wants to be.

 

[rockm]

So, what would YOU do with this oak stump aka “tater”?

View attachment 454087


View attachment 454090

as you can see, it has interesting deadwood. However, all of the branches originate from a singular location in the back of the tree:

View attachment 454091

I am thinking something like this rough virt - a clump style - but would love to hear other ideas. Please, fire away!
View attachment 454088

I believe it is a gray oak, possibly collected by Cho Bonsai. I acquired it from a fellow club member who was reducing their collection.

It is a gray oak and Cho Bonsai is about the only source of this material.

 

[Gabler]

base. You might want to bring the trunks a little to the right (instead of straight up) in order to center the foliage over the base to give it a really solid, balanced look.

So a windswept clump? It would tell an interesting story about how/why the original tree fell over and grew into a clump.

 

[Colorado]

It is a gray oak and Cho Bonsai is about the only source of this material.

Thanks, I appreciate the confirmation.

 

[Paradox]

a little cheddar cheese, some sour cream

Oh you mean the tree not potatoes
I think Im hungry, didnt have lunch

Cool looking bark on that tree.
Not sure how Id deal with that
Clump seems reasonable

 

[Potawatomi13]

Personally would pick 3 trunks: far left, far right and one in middle to get better trunk size development on each, somewhat simplify wiring over time with somewhat less crowding, better visibility of each trunk. Be aware to develop so trunks do not all appear in straight line with eachother from any direction. When repot time comes may be possible to raise growing end of tree some amount above substrate if personally desired and if roots allow.. Also do not cut off all unneeded sprouts until chosen trunks robustly healthy/strong. Reason being uncertainty of survival of chosen ones until apparent strength manifests self.