Progression: RMJ Bolt

[LuZiKui]

Thanks for documenting this whole process. Most of us are posting our twigs on here so it's nice seeing some big beauties like this.

Out of curiosity do you do anything to treat the deadwood on these? That deadwood has to be at least a few hundred years old at this point right? Crazy to think about the amount of history this tree has been through

 

[IzzyG]

Thanks for documenting this whole process. Most of us are posting our twigs on here so it's nice seeing some big beauties like this.

Out of curiosity do you do anything to treat the deadwood on these? That deadwood has to be at least a few hundred years old at this point right? Crazy to think about the amount of history this tree has been through

My maintenance schedule has annual cleaning and treatment of deadwood in the summer. I’m not the biggest fan of stark white deadwood on large trees so I tend to further dilute the lime sulfur concentration but will definitely clean!

 

[Perplexody]

Do you ever plan on displaying the tree at a show again? I'd say that's about the only time you should make deadwood stark white otherwise the more natural look is nicer

 

[IzzyG]

Do you ever plan on displaying the tree at a show again? I'd say that's about the only time you should make deadwood stark white otherwise the more natural look is nicer

It’s very likely that all of the trees in the collection will be shown at some point or another. However, even then it’s unlikely I’d get the deadwood glaringly white except on smaller trees(which I have none lol). I don’t intend to chase ribbons or awards. Rather the showings will just be opportunities I take to perpetuate American Bonsai specimens.

 

[IzzyG]

As the calendar dwindles down into winter, figured I’d add an update on the tree.

The branch die back continued to worsen through summer:



However, I was able to trace all of it to one particular live vein and decided it was best to remove it:



Adjusted some branch positioning and truthfully the removal was an improvement as it opened up more of the structure and revealed more of the characteristics of the tree:



Since then, it hasn’t skipped a beat and has shown no other weakness. I also further anchored down the tree to minimize any instability until the planned repot next spring. I was suspicious if the instability caused some movements in the root system that’s causing the localized die back. It’s also been a full 6 months since the tree’s been on the Apical nutritional program and the vigor shows. Foliage is also no longer floppy and showing rigidity. The photo below is from this morning:



If all goes well this winter, its repot next spring and Spring growth, the tree should be in a really good spot come summer!

 

[SantaFeBonsai]

Izzy, what a roller coaster ride so far with that rmj. Just sweetens the memories when you finally arrive at the destination.

I have a rmj that Boone performed 7 grafts and all failed. Fell out of love with the tree then one day I just cut off all the wispy foliage, about 40% of the tree. It was healthy w/12” extensions and 12” wispy-weak and fallen extensions as well. It responded with super turgid new needles and very little wispy foliage returned and when it did I cut it off. It was either going to be a good tree or die. It choose wisely



It’s taken awhile and still has a ways to go but I’m so thankful I embraced its natural foliage and I think you’ll be also.



This latest edition was performed by Julian Tsai.

 

[IzzyG]

Spring 2024 update

The tree has continued to put out strong turgid growth and been allowed to grow out ahead of the planned repot this spring. With the provenance of the tree(and the engineering challenges that Bjorn had warned me about), I knew I needed help tackling the repot. Both Ryan and Todd flew in last month(along with a couple of fellow Mirai students) to tackle about 21 challenging repots but this was definitely one of three I was most excited about. The goal was to push and further highlight the angular characteristics of the tree with a container that mimics a more modern aesthetic. Now the plan is to let it recover and prune back to proportions in late Summer/Fall if it recovers well.

 

[horibonsai]

Man, that's a wonderful tree and the work and effort you put into it. I always wonder about that tree. I have pictures of my son and me at 3 years old in 2018, standing in front of the tree with the Ei-Sen En sign.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I have struggled to like this tree since it showed up at Bjorn’s place. Here is the only photo I took that its even in; 11/2018. Seeing it now in the new container, and especially in the dark setting, it is instantly more appealing. Mostly I didn’t like the lower Shari extending beyond the rim of that relatively formal container. The new pairing is a hit, and it will be particularly fascinating, over time, to see the influence of Ryan’s work on trees Bjorn has started. They are both quite different from one another…and you get the front row seat.

 

[IzzyG]

I have struggled to like this tree since it showed up at Bjorn’s place. Here is the only photo I took that its even in; 11/2018. Seeing it now in the new container, and especially in the dark setting, it is instantly more appealing. Mostly I didn’t like the lower Shari extending beyond the rim of that relatively formal container. The new pairing is a hit, and it will be particularly fascinating, over time, to see the influence of Ryan’s work on trees Bjorn has started. They are both quite different from one another…and you get the front row seat.
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Thanks for the photo! Always love compiling photos of a tree’s journey to archive. I definitely am loving the direction it’s going and am excited to see how it’ll look after this Fall’s styling. Admittedly,
I’m a Mirai student so have a bias towards that aesthetic. One thing Ryan has been adamant throughout his work on my trees with provenance is respecting past work and leaving remnants of its story as the tree evolves. We also completed a repot of Bjorn’s Tornado last month and saw a completely revamped front as an option but decided to maintain a front that is similar to his as it’s an iconic tree from Eisei-en.

Absolutely loving having the opportunity to work with different American artists and evolving trees in a collaborative manner!

 

[IzzyG]

Collector: Backcountry Boys (2015)

Artist: Bjorn Bjorholm(original), Ryan Neil(current)

Ceramicist: Jonathan Cross

Photographer: Syncasta Darko


Species: Rocky Mountain Juniper

Origin: Wyoming, USA

Age: Estimated 300 years

Size: 55” wide x 44”” tall

 

[Vincent Tanner]

Looking good, Izzy!

 

[WEI]

the original design was nice, but the greenery felt like a standard helmet on a non-standard trunk. the way the foliage on the left appears to drape makes this tree feels far less artificial. the central arc of the deadwood guides into the lowest branches, which flow outward, with a main line drawing you into the center of the tree. huge step forward IMO. my eye lingers on this a lot longer than before.