Might be my new favorite tree!

[Daniel son STL]

Had this pondy on reserve since last year. As some of you may know I’ve been dabbling in the bunjin/literati style. While messing around with young material I’ve been keeping an eye for something nice.

When Mark Fields showed me this ponderosa on its side (it’s angle at the time), I liked it. Then he propped the tree up and adjusted the angle drastically to show me a completely different tree and that’s when it really caught me eye! I new it would be the biggest angle change on any tree I’ve ever made. Mark was more than willing to give me a hand with the repot when I went to pick it up this last March.
Sadly I don’t have a before pic while Mark cared for it. But here it is after the angle change. By looking at the roots you can imagine how different the tree looked before the repot.

Tree was collected over ten years ago



After a few months of fertilizing I decided to pull a branch down and rewire.


Let me know what you guys think. Any advise on style. Feel like their may be too much going on and I might have to Jin a branch or two.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Awesome tree... one that probably is very difficult to understand just looking at 2D photos.

I like photo #4 as the front. Just don't go too crazy with wiring all the branches in contorted shapes. Once you have that awesome trunk line, you will want to float the foliage in pads that accentuate the trunk - not draw your eye from it.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I like photo #4 as the front.

Totally agree. It's got that old man hunched thing going on.

 

[vp999]

Nice tree! Have you attempt to reduce the needles yet ?

 

[Daniel son STL]

Awesome tree... one that probably is very difficult to understand just looking at 2D photos.

I like photo #4 as the front. Just don't go too crazy with wiring all the branches in contorted shapes. Once you have that awesome trunk line, you will want to float the foliage in pads that accentuate the trunk - not draw your eye from it.

Thanks!
It is hard to really capture the tree in a photo with all the bends going every which way.

I get what you mean with the branches. Most are basically set already but still have some bend to them and can be moved around still.

Funny I always figured photo number #4 and 6 to be the sides, but I like them as a fronts also!

 

[Daniel son STL]

Nice tree! Have you attempt to reduce the needles yet ?

I have not. After the repot I’m just fertilizing and rebuilding strength if any was lost. I’ve seen a few pondys with reduced needles but nothing like a jbp or mugo. But I’m time for sure I will attempt.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I would not make any attempt to reduce needles. This tree was just repotted.

Best way to reduce needles is to let the tree grow, and develop more back buds. Good growth will bring back budding. Then after the back buds are developed, prune the branches shorter. Then the needles will naturally become shorter.

Ponderosa are usually only collected trees. Their interesting trunks, with aged looking bark are the reasons we collect them. The long needles are simply ignored, as the beauty of the trunks trumps the criticism of needle length.

Ponderosa raised from seed are not normally used for bonsai, because young trees simply do not develop interesting bark, and needles are too long to be considered for bonsai. Old trees, with mature bark, we ignore the needle issues.

 

[Daniel son STL]

I would not make any attempt to reduce needles. This tree was just repotted.

Best way to reduce needles is to let the tree grow, and develop more back buds. Good growth will bring back budding. Then after the back buds are developed, prune the branches shorter. Then the needles will naturally become shorter.

Ponderosa are usually only collected trees. Their interesting trunks, with aged looking bark are the reasons we collect them. The long needles are simply ignored, as the beauty of the trunks trumps the criticism of needle length.

Ponderosa raised from seed are not normally used for bonsai, because young trees simply do not develop interesting bark, and needles are too long to be considered for bonsai. Old trees, with mature bark, we ignore the needle issues.

Yes, it was just repotted and I don’t plan on doing anything but fertilize. Optimum health equals back budding!

I agree, that anytime I see or read about an interesting ponderosa it’s always collected. Seed grown or even nursery stock is not common for this species

 

[sorce]

There's only too much going on from most angles. I like Jackie Robinson.

That Patio Chair is probly making the "busyness" worse! (Fire fix! Lol)

Sorce

 

[Daniel son STL]

There's only too much going on from most angles. I like Jackie Robinson.

That Patio Chair is probly making the "busyness" worse! (Fire fix! Lol)

Sorce

Hmmm...

Hey now, you telling me you wouldn’t sport the wifeys new deck furniture!
Their cheap, more money for trees in containers and all the crap that comes with it?

 

[LanceMac10]

#4 and I don't think any other view is even close!!

Consider working your foliage towards that end. I mean, wow. Some thoughtful reductions/deadwood over time and man, it'll be sweet.
I don't necessarily like the roots that are not in contact with the soil in this view, though. Massive orientation operation so perhaps it'll sort it self out. Unless of course you like that. So you would be ahead of the game!!

#4 or #6 really nice......cool tree, Son.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I like photo number 6 also.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Congratulations. Love your tree! Have vaguely similar Ponderosa from Alvaro including strange roots. Next to last Big picture seems close to best view? These roots are only conundrumto great tree. Perhaps could have custom pot made to cover these in substrate? Like on a hillside. Bark, trunk, branches movement all great. For Literati really too much foliage but only solution seems to be compacting with any back budding. This is personal mission at present on mine and have had some success. Removing any of your branches would be a shame. Do you see Mirai Live and archives? One thing for reducing needles size is small pot relative to rest of tree=fewer roots to feed each needle. However Literati have also small amount of foliage so...........when ready to reduce needle size cannot go for much ramification but can limit fertilizer(only)during needle growing time. Not to starve tree just for shortness of needles. Glad I checked this forum!

 

[Daniel son STL]

Congratulations. Love your tree! Have vaguely similar Ponderosa from Alvaro including strange roots. Next to last Big picture seems close to best view? These roots are only conundrumto great tree. Perhaps could have custom pot made to cover these in substrate? Like on a hillside. Bark, trunk, branches movement all great. For Literati really too much foliage but only solution seems to be compacting with any back budding. This is personal mission at present on mine and have had some success. Removing any of your branches would be a shame. Do you see Mirai Live and archives? One thing for reducing needles size is small pot relative to rest of tree=fewer roots to feed each needle. However Literati have also small amount of foliage so...........when ready to reduce needle size cannot go for much ramification but can limit fertilizer(only)during needle growing time. Not to starve tree just for shortness of needles. Glad I checked this forum!

Thanks!
I agree there is a lot foliage. Not in a hurry to make any drastic changes bc like you said, it’d be a shame to cut off anything. Maybe I could try an air layer or two some day. For now I’m just keeping it healthy. It does have back budding that I’ll likely cut back to next year or so.

The idea with the roots above the soil is to keep them alive until new roots fill the pot. Then I can slowly start removing them if I still feel the need. Then eventually repot to a smaller container

 

[Daniel son STL]

#4 and I don't think any other view is even close!!

Consider working your foliage towards that end. I mean, wow. Some thoughtful reductions/deadwood over time and man, it'll be sweet.
I don't necessarily like the roots that are not in contact with the soil in this view, though. Massive orientation operation so perhaps it'll sort it self out. Unless of course you like that. So you would be ahead of the game!!

#4 or #6 really nice......cool tree, Son.

Not sure how I didn’t see your post. Man your right about adding some deadwood. A nice jin or two might help me justify removing some foliage