Prunus Mume 07/08 to present progression

[yenling83]

Here's a progression of my Prunus Mume. It has nice white flowers but you would not know it by the pictures. I dug this tree from Muranaka Bonsai in either 07 or 08. I'm currently working on branch structure, but hope to post a picture with it flowering in the future. For now I want to share the progression so far.

 

[JudyB]

yenling, I just read your blog post about this tree, nice progression on that blog. Nice progress on the tree!

 

[Nybonsai12]

Really nice tree! I like the base and the deadwood you added. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Most impressive! Nice development of ramification on this. Thanks for sharing.

 

[yenling83]

Thank you guys so much and happy New Year!!! Any suggestions on a future pot? What color/shape/design could you see it in?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thank you guys so much and happy New Year!!! Any suggestions on a future pot? What color/shape/design could you see it in?

I prefer unglazed pots for ume...chocolate clay, unglazed, deep, rounded corners.

Glazed, I like super dark blue or an aged Namako. If you go with glazed, you could probably go with a stronger corner.

Or you could punch it up with a green Koyo (this one is way overpriced for production-grade Koyo):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/0400-Genuin...985148?pt=US_Garden_Tools&hash=item417af892fc

 

[Poink88]

Very nice tree.

Personally, I like dark colored pots for white flowered trees.

 

[yenling83]

Nice suggestions, I like unglazed as well for most Ume. I also really like the thought of Namako, it's one of my fav's. However part of me wonders if I showed the tree in the next few years with flowers, if glazed would be more fitting because of the smooth bark? I know older crackly bark is more desirable with ume. I feel like unglazed works well with rugged trees with old bark and deadwood.

 

[fredtruck]

How tall is this tree?

 

[yenling83]

it's about 14 inches from soil line

 

[yenling83]

Update from yesterday after cutting back and repotting.

 

[Vin]

That's getting pretty damn wicked!

 

[drew33998]

Awesome thread and great transformation. Expecting any blooms this year?

 

[Cadillactaste]

I love seeing progression photos...it allows us to grasp the years it takes and the satisfaction of time that goes into a project. You've done amazing with this Mume! Thanks for sharing.

 

[yenling83]

Awesome thread and great transformation. Expecting any blooms this year?

Thanks!!! So here is the before cut back and repot pic. There were tons of flower buds all over the tree. But, I cut off maybe 98% of them to focus on Branch structure for now. In 2014, I wired the tree in May, then cut back yesterday and that's about it for the tree. Over the next couple years I'll likely cut the tree back 2-3 times per year depending on how it grows. This should allow me to have more taper in the branches and more small shoots with flower buds while maintaining an outline of the tree. I might get a few flowers this year after the trees been cut back like this, I probably could have waited until the tree bloomed to cut back as well. Depending on how it goes, I think I will try and show this tree in 2 years at the BIB show in full bloom.

 

[sorce]

Real nice Yen.

I like the pot !

Sorce

 

[KennedyMarx]

It's getting pretty twiggy already. I can only imagine how nice it will look after a couple years of hedging it back two or three times a year. I think Boon may have posted this one facebook. It looks familiar. Nice work so far.

 

[yenling83]

Real nice Yen.

I like the pot !

Sorce

Thanks Source and KennedyM!- Yes this was on Boon's Facebook page, I worked on it at a BIB workshop yesterday. I bought the pot from Boon who brought it back from Japan on his recent trip. It's a used tokoname, not very old, but neither is the tree. I'm guessing it's maybe 13-15 years old for the tree, but not really sure. I got it from Muranaka Bonsai in 08 from his growing field. Boon's going to have tables full of pots for sale at the BIB show in a few weeks if anyone is interested.

 

[jquast]

Nice looking tree and the progression looks great. How well did it backbud when you chopped it to its current height? I have three of these that are too tall and need a reduction however there are only a few branches lower down on the trunk.

jeff

 

[yenling83]

Nice looking tree and the progression looks great. How well did it backbud when you chopped it to its current height? I have three of these that are too tall and need a reduction however there are only a few branches lower down on the trunk.

jeff

I didn't graft any of the branches on this tree. I think in general the younger an ume is the more it will back bud. It also depends on how healthy the tree is. You can see in the first picture of the original post where I chopped the tree. When I dug it from the field it was maybe 4-5 feet tall. As ume get older, they stop back budding as well. I believe to the point where you have to start grafting everything.