New Shishigashira project
- Thread starter ProfessorFarnsworth
- Start date
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Not very excited about the nebari but the graft is very hard to pick.
Should make a nice tree in a few years.
Should make a nice tree in a few years.
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
Yeah it'll always be little weird, definitely need to get rid of that thumb coming across the base though. I still need to probe further down. It seems to be flairing still underneath. I just don't want to disturb it too much til spring.
TrevorLarsen
Shohin
I actually like the nebari it’s not what you would choose to grow, but it is unique I would improve it but keep it unique.
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
Thank you! Part of what attracted me to it was the relatively thick trunk and that it wasn't just the typical super straight trunk. Also most shishi I see around here have really noticeable grafts. Hopefully I can do something interesting with it!
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
Tons of potential here Hubert, shishigashira as a fun tree and it takes a while to bulk up like the one you have. Great find! Here’s an idea. Air layering off the left branch and changing the planting angle will give you a good root flare, movement and taper.
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
Ah I see what you mean very interesting! Air layering is spring work, right?
TrevorLarsen
Shohin
Yes after the first flush has hardened off.
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
BrightsideB
Omono
Interesting material. I wish you luck with it. Spring time is good to do the layer if you go that route or want to use one of the branches and air layer the other off. Healthy tree produces better roots in the layer. It looks healthy enough.
I think the nebari is different and has interest to me. Not with an upright style but something more like a semi cascade. It has movement rather than a symmetrical flare.
I think the nebari is different and has interest to me. Not with an upright style but something more like a semi cascade. It has movement rather than a symmetrical flare.
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
I'll definitely be thinking about it over the winter!
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
Starting to get some color in the shishi
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
Any thoughts on this sort of direction to use the unique nebari? Thinking an airlayer somewhere above the red line.
Jphipps
Mame
This is the trunk line I see. 
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
Yeah something like that, like Mateo suggested is definitely in the running. I'm just not sure the current nebari works that way, so it seems like I would maybe be ground layering above the gnarly section? I can't help but enjoy the base and want to use it somehow it feels like it needs a tilt to the right to level the root to the right or it needs to go but it's filling in the hollow nicely currently. Luckily I have a few months to kick things around!
Jphipps
Mame
I would leave that root base. I think it's pretty great. It has an interesting bend and character to it. I think a ground layer would take all the interest away from the base. Another big plus is the graft isn't noticeable. When you repot you could bury it a little deeper in the hopes that more smaller roots form and could begin to fill in some of the gaps. Or you could eventually do approach or thread root grafts to fix any areas/fill any gaps you want to improve.
And yes, a tilt to the right with the planting angle looks like a good idea to me.
And yes, a tilt to the right with the planting angle looks like a good idea to me.
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
I appreciate that! Yeah it looks oddly more stable to me tilted a bit and gives that higher root a place. The branch that goes straight up, I'm excited to airlayer off too it's got what seems like it could be a cool clump style to start.
Jphipps
Mame
I would air layer right here and then wire those new trunks to give them more three dimensional movement reaching outward from the center. 
ProfessorFarnsworth
Mame
That's exactly what I was thinking. Then just cut back to wherever I want that vertical trunk to end. I was thinking of leaving some of it though to hopefully carry a little of the weighty trunk to start the apex. But maybe that means I'd end up too tall before I could taper to smaller branching.
Jphipps
Mame
I would remove that entire stub on the left after I air-layered the clump off the top. If you leave a stump, I think it will be tricky to get good branching and taper to come off of it. You have a good shoulder there at the base of that left sub-trunk to cut back to.
The green line shows the new trunk line I see that has taper and movement in which you could build smaller branches off of. But I'm only looking at pictures obviously. It probably seems drastic, but I would air layer off a bunch of small trees and cut back to this starting structure. Just a random opinion lol. It's fun to imagine the eventual design of trees.
I have a similar Shishigashira that I'm also contemplating design decisions on.
