Japanse Red Pine, "chunky" bunjin?

[TR8Driver]

I repotted this Japanese Red Pine today. I've had it for quite some time, it was in a pond basket for a long time. But it got kind of neglected, and the bottom branches got way too long. So last year I decided to remove them, and started to style just the remains upper branches. I know it is probably too chunky to really be a bujin, but that's the feeling I'm going for. I found a fairly nice base below the soil line as well, but reburied it for now as there was a lot of root work done, and I felt keeping it covered for now would benefit the tree.

The work last year has resulted in pretty strong growth on the remaining branches, and I promise not to neglect it again!

 

[Eckhoffw]

You can call it whatever you want. Yes, it is a bit chunky for bunjin or literati styling. But…It doesn’t have to be classified.

How can the tree be improved? It has a wicked trunk, one that likely once had branches in ideal places. Either way, the trees current state gives you options.

I like the direction you’re heading.

 

[TR8Driver]

You can call it whatever you want. Yes, it is a bit chunky for bunjin or literati styling. But…It doesn’t have to be classified.

How can the tree be improved? It has a wicked trunk, one that likely once had branches in ideal places. Either way, the trees current state gives you options.

I like the direction you’re heading.

Thanks!

Yes, it the branches were well-placed, they just got too long to be usable. I supposed I could have tried to graft back on them. However, I've never been able to get this tree really dense, so I think the new style might fit it better anyway.

-Darrell

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

Please take my comment with grain of salt but this is way too thick to be a nice bunjin or bunjin-gi style . One of the most important character of bunjin-gi style is little to no taper and elegant movement - somehow this don’t covet it yet especially the height being short for a bunjin-gi with thick trunk . But I love the trunk and wouldn’t try to enforce a style but look into growing branches properly with proper decandling or even grafting branches low .

 

[TR8Driver]

Abhishek, thanks for your comments!

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

If I wanted a more bunjin-feel I’d Jin the top branch and extend the left branch possibly curving it back upwards.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

You can make a nice bonsai out of this, and JRP are both uncommon, and often styled unconventionally.

 

[Ruddigger]

Don’t worry about how to categorize it, just make it look good.

 

[clem]

it isn't a literati, imo, but the bark and trunk line are very good ..
Using the right branches, you could, for example, create a dynamic "beaten by the wind" style (fukinagashi) or moyogi

 

[TR8Driver]

it isn't a literati, imo, but the bark and trunk line are very good ..
Using the right branches, you could, for example, create a dynamic "beaten by the wind" style (fukinagashi) or moyogi
View attachment 536904

Thanks Clem, defiantly something to consider!

 

[tanlu]

This looks much more like a JBP. Those candles are white-ish (the most obvious indicator) and the needles look dark green and more stiff. JRP buds (not second flush buds) are red and fuzzy, and their needles are thinner and not sharp. Also, if you’re still not sure, look at the young bark, which should have an orange tinge in the crevices.

 

[TR8Driver]

This looks much more like a JBP. Those candles are white-ish (the most obvious indicator) and the needles look dark green and more stiff. JRP buds (not second flush buds) are red and fuzzy, and their needles are thinner and not sharp. Also, if you’re still not sure, look at the young bark, which should have an orange tinge in the crevices.

Tanlu, Thanks for the comments. It was sold to be as a JRP, and no one has questioned that since, but you bring up some good points. I will point out that the needles are much finer/thinner than any JBP I've seen, which is maybe no so obvious in a photo.

 

[tanlu]

Tanlu, Thanks for the comments. It was sold to be as a JRP, and no one has questioned that since, but you bring up some good points. I will point out that the needles are much finer/thinner than any JBP I've seen, which is maybe no so obvious in a photo.

It may possibility be a natural hybrid. Sometimes red-black pine hybrids are sold in Japan in hopes that the hybrids would exhibit the desirable characteristics for bonsai of each parent plant. I grew one from an imported seed in the ground in zone 5b for many years along side JRP and JWP seedlings. It developed a wonderfully gnarly truck with beautiful bark quite quickly, much faster than my JRP seedlings, but it must not have liked my soil conditions or the cooler climate. My JRP and JWP seedlings grew practically like weeds, even with the regular root pruning. Now that I live in zone 7b, I’m may give that hybrid a try if I ever come across it.