Sumo Olive

[RileyJFDB13]

Bought an olive for 15$ And ended it ended up being two seperate trees and this is one of them. Because of all of the branches in one area it created a natural swelling but it makes a nice sumo style olvie.

I plan on makeing a dead wood feature out of the long portion for interest but depending on where I get future buds I may remove it.

 

[ColinFraser]

Do you have any "before" pictures?
I know it's a been a few weeks since you posted - is it extending new shoots?

You'll probably want to thicken at least a couple of branches, which means letting them grow unchecked for a while . . .

 

[RileyJFDB13]

It just started shooting new branches from all the cut points!! There really is no before picture because this is it! Haha that branch was just longer thats it.

In you opinion should I keep that upper branch to make a cool shari option? Id have to create alot of movemment out of that straight thing but it could be done!

 

[JudyB]

I think you could do a short section of it as deadwood, but not utilizing the whole branch. Something like my pitiful markup photo... Too long of a branch would detract from your nice sumo start. Just my opinion however...

 

[ColinFraser]

I think right now you need to let it grow. You can always hack/chop/carve that section later. If the growth on that section gets so vigorous as to interfere with the parts you want to keep, then just cut that back some.

Did you pot it this year, or did it come like that? How long has it been in that pot?

For my money, a good "sumo" tree isn't just a fat turd with little branches - it should still have a tapering trunk or thick tapering branches, so you might consider letting a new trunk segment run . . .

 

[ColinFraser]

Here are a couple of sumo-ish olives I'm working on at California Bonsai Studio. The one on the left is pretty much a stump with branches, while the one on the right has some taper to it. I know which one I think is a better tree (and I put a higher price on)



Taper:




Stump:

 

[RileyJFDB13]

Yes it was potted this year, I like this one alot because theres really no cut point on it besides the branch that goes upward. About a day after this post I changed the pot to something that looked a little nicer. But here is the current state!

 

[RileyJFDB13]

As for letting a new trunk segment run I believe i will use the bud thats in the middle and let that run. Its the only branch not wirred down

 

[leatherback]

Nice trees! Do you know whether Olive will callus over?

 

[defra]

Nice trees! Do you know whether Olive will callus over?

I looked at the bigger species they sell here and took some pics for you @leatherback

 

[Giga]

cool little tree's but I agree with @JudyB recommendations