Japanese Beech: "choose your own adventure"

[Brian Van Fleet]

So, with it becoming healthier, I pruned and wired it in the spring of '09, and, here is a shot from August and December, '09. More tomorrow.

What do you think so far? It's like 2 steps back to go 1 step forward...not an easy decision when you're standing in front of the thing.

 

[bretts]

American beeches only produce a single flush of growth per season. Asian and European varities produce more and are more vigorous in general--more akin to hornbeam (which are relatives) than to American beech.

I have been surprised to find that the beech and the hornbeam are not that closely related.
Beech is from the Fagaceae family including such trees as beeches, oaks, and sweet chestnuts. While the hornbeam is from the Betulaceae or birch family including such trees as
birches, alders, hornbeams, hop hornbeams and hazels.
Although both of these families are in the order Fagales which contians 8 families Betulaceae, Casuarinaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, Myricaceae, Nothofagaceae, Rhoipteleaceae, Ticodendraceae

Betulaceae or the birch family is actually most closely related to Casuarinaceae or sheoaks than the beech tree with the beech being one of it's most distant relatives in this order

Anyway... Not sure I like where you have gone here but I would like to show a couple of pictures of beech that are in the more conical shape to show that they can and do grow like this. It is more common in trees less mature but still a valid shape for a younger vibrant tree of this stature. I would say that growing them in only the more rounded broom style has more to do with Bonsai fad than the form of natural trees.

 

[milehigh_7]

... Anyway... Not sure I like where you have gone here but I would like to show a couple of pictures of beech that are in the more conical shape to show that they can and do grow like this. It is more common in trees less mature but still a valid shape for a younger vibrant tree of this stature. I would say that growing them in only the more rounded broom style has more to do with Bonsai fad than the form of natural trees.

Uh... Did you notice the arc is far greater in the trees that you posted than his? This means that the trees you posted are, in fact, more round (thus, less conical) than his. (at least as of where it was in 09 can't wait to see how it looks now. ) Just sayin...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

One "point" (pun intended) to make regarding the shape of the tree is this: I believe that as one styles trees, they have be allowed to develop in some ways as they would in nature. Ultimately, this won't be a conical shaped tree, or if so, it will be much more rounded than it is now...but the main branches need to start this way to develop into a convincing bonsai down the road. It's a young bonsai, so it more closely resembles a young tree in nature.

if you look at the skeletal structure of many of the "typical" beech bonsai, forget the ramification; this one doesn't have any yet, the branch structure it typically similar. Google Images search "Japanese Beech Bonsai" and you'll see...

BUT...this is a great discussion, and I welcome all opinions and comments

Continuing the story...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

American beeches only produce a single flush of growth per season. Asian and European varities produce more and are more vigorous in general--more akin to hornbeam

Here are three photos from the 2010 growing season.
It was pinched in late April, late May, and again in late August.

 

[bretts]

Uh... Did you notice the arc is far greater in the trees that you posted than his? This means that the trees you posted are, in fact, more round (thus, less conical) than his. (at least as of where it was in 09 can't wait to see how it looks now. ) Just sayin...

Yep as Brian has stated the 09 shots are far from a finished image. I was referring to the silhouette of the image before the restyle back 5 years ago. I do agree as others stated that the silhouette needed a little rounding at the top but do not see the need to try and make a ball out of the foliage as JKL suggested

I don't think Bonsai need to be all trunk and squat foliage to be impressive. One of Lindsay Farr's videos shows a nursery in Japan full of amazingly masculine pines. Yet when Lindsay askes the head gardener to show his favourite tree he chooses a very elegant composition.
Elegance in bonsai has taken a back seat to masculine power of late but I have a liking for all good bonsai

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Since the growth was healthy and vigorous, and encouraged by my friend Gary Wood, I decided to do the Fall Defoliation technique to increase density of buds. I've also seen this technique covered in the comprehensive International Bonsai 1992 #1 issue on Beeches, but it's not widely practiced.

Basically, in the fall, the tree is defoliated, timed so it only has time to set new buds for spring, but not open. 3 critical components are this:

1. Similar to summer candle-pruning of pines, timing is critical.
2. Leave about a 1/4" sliver of each leaf.
3. MOST IMPORTANT: the terminal bud of each branch must be removed.

What I learned is that it took 4 weeks to set buds, and by 5 weeks, (and we had unseasonably warm weather) a few of the stronger buds were opening. This year I did this in the 3rd week of September. I think if I do it again, I'd wait until the first week of October in this zone 7 climate.

 

[milehigh_7]

Brian, Al and the rest who post these types of threads:

It is so awesome to watch what you do with a tree; taking it from one point and over time revealing the tree that you saw in it. It is even more helpful to know that sometimes you must take the tree to an "awkward stage" to become its goal.

Again thanks for taking the time to teach.

 

[rockm]

I've found that simply pruning off end buds is enough to produce pretty good ramification on American beech. I do it in Feb.

I would not defoliate so late in the season with A. Beech. I would not defoliate A. beech-period. There are some that do, though.

 

[Smoke]

I've found that simply pruning off end buds is enough to produce pretty good ramification on American beech. I do it in Feb.

I would not defoliate so late in the season with A. Beech. I would not defoliate A. beech-period. There are some that do, though.

Mark, you keep mentioning American beech. Brian mentioned initially that this was an imported Japanese beech. Difference?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks Clyde!

Here is a photo of the tree after it was trimmed and wired a couple weeks ago. I'll post updates throughout next year's growing season. I think it's about 2 seasons away from displaying the quantity of ramification it had in '04...making it about an 8-year project to remake the beech. I'm convinced it will be a better tree for the work. It still has a couple bar branches to work out, and some nebari work to improve, but it will get there.

 

[garywood]

Looking good Brian! Since I was referenced, I want to make clear that I'm very conscientious about giving advice that I don't have first hand experience with. If it's something I've just read or heard I always make that clear. Brian and I talked about the technique and he understands that it's only on strong trees and for the specific purpose of producing adventitious buds, even on the trunk itself. The primary function is not only ramification but bud production through the entire tree. I've used this technique on Fagus crenata(j.beech) both Buna and Fuji and also Fagus grandifolia(am.beech) Quite frankly, there is no difference in response. If you are looking for a physiological survival mechanism to kick in you must prepare the tree for it by feeding heavily. I know for a fact that trees have been around for over 60 years and I suspect they've been here for over 60 million years. In that time if they haven't had some survival mechanism encoded in their genes they wouldn't be here. It's our job as horticulturists and bonsaists and growers to understand what we can and can't do.
Wood

 

[rockm]

"Mark, you keep mentioning American beech. Brian mentioned initially that this was an imported Japanese beech. Difference?"

I have noticed differences in how American Beech (fagus Grandifolia) reacts to pruning techniques.I qualify my advice because my primary experience has been with grandifolia. Over the years, I've found that American beech is not as responsive to agressive defoliation and other ramification techniques as other beech species. It does respond to those techniques, but tends to require slower development time in ramification, as it produces only a single flush of growth every spring. It is quite vigorous however, and responds to hard pruning and trunk chopping pretty well.

 

[mcpesq817]

Hi Brian, thanks very much for posting in such detail. I've always found your instructional series to be very helpful - I found your JBP series to be incredibly informative.

Also, I'd echo what Bretts said. I don't think that bonsai always has to necessarily convey the image of an old beaten up tree. I think images of younger forms, especially with deciduous trees, can be very nice as well.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Here is a shot from mid-summer; ramification is improving, although not apparent in this photo. With some wire, the developing structure will be a little better this winter. I'll add photos when this work is done.

 

[JudyB]

Thanks very much for taking your time to show these techniques. And I loved the surprise beginning! It looks like it's starting to take on some nice bulk on the branching. Have you thought of using a oval pot perhaps?

 

[tmmason10]

This has been a great thread. I love how you shocked everyone with the chop. Looking good as usual. I bookmarked your website I'll be poking around in there.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks very much for taking your time to show these techniques. And I loved the surprise beginning! It looks like it's starting to take on some nice bulk on the branching. Have you thought of using a oval pot perhaps?

Pretty amazing how shortening the tree makes the trunk look so much bigger. I haven't started thinking about pots for this one yet. It's in this one because the size was right, in an attempt to minimize the amount of room/soil it gets after nearly losing it to root-rot. Maybe an oval, but the formality of it seems to work with a rectangle at the moment. Who knows...

 

[Smoke]

I would change it to look like Judy's beech....then it would look like a beech tree.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I would change it to look like Judy's beech....then it would look like a beech tree.

Not enough low branches, or it would be an option; hers is more natural and ramified.

It's easy to get hung up on primary branches' angle of emergence from the trunk when they're not covered with the upward-growing tertiary ramification yet.

Look at the angle the branches emerge from the trunk on this beech from Kokufu; they're parallel to the soil until the upper third while the tertiary branches stretch out and up from the primary branches. Google search "Japanese Beech Bonsai", they're 20:1 this way.



I could probably get mine to this look in 3 years.