My favorite tree!

[Joe R]

I wouldn't have bent the trunk so severely. It had a pretty nice start as an informal upright deciduous tree. Straight branches on a trunk that's bent at such a dramatic angle don't "fit" the image. The relatively straight branching indicates a tree that's grown in a less challenging environment, like a meadow or forest. The 80 degree angle suggests a much harsher environment as an origin. The tree gives visually confused signals.

Thank you for all the information! That defiantly makes sense! Do you styling the branches in a different manner would help the look of the tree? Or will it just confusing no matter what I do now?

 

[Joe R]

I was just asking because you didn't mention the variety... The leaves looked like Hornbeam from the pic... I do not have Siberian Elm. Looks like they are pretty flexible I guess?

Yeah they are definitely flexible! And I'm more sure if it is a Hornbeam or not!

 

[rockm]

Thank you for all the information! That defiantly makes sense! Do you styling the branches in a different manner would help the look of the tree? Or will it just confusing no matter what I do now?

With the drastic initial bend, you might want to look into making it into a cascade or semi-cascade. The drastic initial bend is an integral part of a cascade design and something that is missing in a lot of cascade or semi cascade trees. You've got a great start on that. The cascade or semi- cascade design would involve not-so-drastic bending on the remaining trunk and minimize the work on the branching.

If you try to push the trunk into more upright contorted design with additional drastic bends, you might as well remove the branching and start over, wiring new branches into more drastic shapes as they grow. In the end, however, that is probably going to result in a tree that looks kind of strange, IMO.

 

[sorce]

pictures for some inspiration

I would make it the Bobbylane pic.

It happens....

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

It's a siberian elm. You can regrow those branches in like 4 days.
Or bend it all the way down to the dirt and build a raft.

 

[Joe R]

With the drastic initial bend, you might want to look into making it into a cascade or semi-cascade. The drastic initial bend is an integral part of a cascade design and something that is missing in a lot of cascade or semi cascade trees. You've got a great start on that. The cascade or semi- cascade design would involve not-so-drastic bending on the remaining trunk and minimize the work on the branching.

If you try to push the trunk into more upright contorted design with additional drastic bends, you might as well remove the branching and start over, wiring new branches into more drastic shapes as they grow. In the end, however, that is probably going to result in a tree that looks kind of strange, IMO.

Thanks for all the information! You have given me a lot to think about for this tree!