Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Sorry forgot to post a picture. Shimpaku at the beginnings of design work.
The Tree Thread
- Thread starter cascade
- Start date
mattspinniken
Omono
I think your post was directed at me because this tree from afar is a little "stick in a pot -ish"
I had a second so here is a close up complete with baby shoe for size reference and an upclose of a nice wound on the trunk.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
You sir are correct as was I, a close up shows a pretty decent and wonderful piece of raw material in a Larch. It is not often to find a Larch that appears this old.
How long have you had this little gem? It is quite obvious that this tree is just starting out it's life as a bonsai. I would seriously consider slip potting it into a larger container to give the roots a bit of room to stretch out--- like maybe a colander or pond basket. A bonsai pot is a lousy place to start training a tree. This tree has got to be over 50 years old. Don't be in a hurry to force it along.
Last edited:
mattspinniken
Omono
Thanks for your interest Vance it is people like you with years of accumulated knowledge that really make this site a great place for people. This was a bog Larch that I collected this spring. I have collected a lot of Larch now and I have had more problems putting a collected bog Larch into too big of a pot. I was able to get almost all of the living root when I collected this tree and it fit very nicely in this pot and, although you may be right, I wanted to try planting this in a small pot from the get go. I really don't need a lot of foliage mass quickly added to this tree. I'm looking for it too be established and grow roots.
I find Larch more than other species are more tolerant of small containers. Also, you are right the tree is old I am a real sucker for old Larch, I promise i will give it the respect it deserves. I estimate about 50 rings at the cut point at the top it's hard to tell though.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I too love Larch. I have one I have been nursing back to health that I estimate may be 125 Years. I nearly lost it two years ago but I did lose one of its trunks. So now I have a large dead-wood issue to deal with. Here again I admit I don't know everything, I need to make sure my dead wood skills are up to task on this tree.
Mike Frary has also given me a few Larch that he has dug from the bogs. One of them has a very nice trunk. Mike does really well at digging trees from the woods, and I appreciate him sharing his efforts with me.
Last edited:
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
Hi folks, Here's a Copper Beech, fully leafed out now, there's a progression thread in 'other deciduous'
IMG_4284 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_4286 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_4291 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
and another Copper Beech ive recently begun styling work on, this one will be a tall, elegant tree
2017-05-07_12-31-30 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_4284 by Bobby Lane, on FlickrIMG_4286 by Bobby Lane, on FlickrIMG_4291 by Bobby Lane, on Flickrand another Copper Beech ive recently begun styling work on, this one will be a tall, elegant tree
2017-05-07_12-31-30 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
Quick before the sun hides
Giga
Masterpiece
Holy baldy
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
I'll take new pictures tomorrow. For now, here's what the base looked like 2 years ago:
That picture was taken as it was being styled by Daisaku Nomoto. (Boon's senior). I have been slowly removing the moss off the nebari. This picture shows the secondary trunk, and the main trunk is off in the upper right corner.
A year ago, while repotting:
I had this fabulous pot, but alas, the nebari is just too wide! We could barely get it in, but the roots were already touching the sides. So, we went for plan B:
The straighter sides of this pot allowed the tree to set "in" the pot.
It "looks" like the trees are root over rock. They're not. The nebari is a huge hump of wood. Here's what I think happened:
This tree was originally grafted on JBP stock. Boon purchased it in Japan 20 years ago. And had it quarantined, and shipped to the US. So, it sat in his garden for 17 years, unstyled. Oh, he cut it back several times, and repotted it, but never wired it.
During one of the repottings, he noticed there were two sets of roots. A set of JBP roots from where it had originally been grafted, and a new set of JWP roots, the ones we see now. Evidently, the tree had been potted deep, and the Zuisho JWP ground layered its own roots. Whether this was done on purpose, or by accident, we'll never know. It looks like the secondary trunk was once just a low branch off the main trunk, but when it ground layered, it became a second trunk. However it happened it has a unique and impressive nebari!
3 years ago, Boon sold it to me. And we agreed that Daisaku would give it its first styling. Daisaku is an expert on JWP, and has won Kokofu, so the opportunity to have someone of his talent work on this special tree, well, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.
After the styling, the tree sulked for two years in Boon's garden. Boon's place has really cool summers, and the tree just didn't grow. We decided it would be happier at my house, so last fall, I brought it home. In my warmer climate, it tried to start growing new candles last fall! And then was shut down when winter came. I was worried we did the wrong thing!
But this spring, its growing well, sending out new shoots, backbudding, and appears to be sending out a second flush of new growth!
Pictures tomorrow.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
@Adair M I always though it was on a burl or something of wood raised base. (Turtleback some called it I think.) Those close ups...OH MY WORD! The texture is stunning on the bark. Interesting history...but it simply is a stunning piece and I'm glad it's recovered and showing signs of moving along in a stronger fashion on your bench. Looking forward to more photos...it's like bonsai porn. That texture of bark is awe inspiring...What a base!
Okay...bark as well. My Chichi ginkgo many have seen already. But since talking texture of bark. The only one on my bench that really draws me in to texture. So your barks texture was amazing to me in that closeup.
Okay...bark as well. My Chichi ginkgo many have seen already. But since talking texture of bark. The only one on my bench that really draws me in to texture. So your barks texture was amazing to me in that closeup.
Here ya go:
The nebari is 12 inches wide:
A close up of the main tree's trunk:
As you can see, the bark is in the "flakey" stage right now. JWP go thru 3 stages of bark development: 1) the smooth grey bark; 2) the flakey stage where the smoothie grey splits and peels back; 3) the plated bark. Like JBP bark.
The first two stages take 20 to 25 years, each. So at around age 20 to 25, the smooth grey bark begins to split and flake off. Some where around age 40 to 45, the flakes begin falling off and the bark matures into plates that get thicker and thicker with age.
This tree is about 40 years old. It was about 20 years old when Boon bought it in Japan. It still had smooth bark at that time. It developed the flakey bark during the time it spent with Boon over 17 years. I purchased it 3 years ago, and during that time, the flakes have changed from being mostly vertical, to the beginnings of the plated form. In another decade or so, it should develop its final bark form, and really look good!
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Thanks @Adair M ! I love that flakey bark it currently has...I mentally can't envision the next stage bark.
Sorry poor quality photo...of my Amethyst Falls wisteria (American variety) I've been training in ground from a sucker as Bill V. Suggested to me...had went with two styles originally but the wacky cascade branch died back. So thinking twin trunk possibly. Glad I let it grow out two directions...in case I outgrew cascades. Left trunk is .60" (so a hair over 1/2") base is an inch.
Sorry poor quality photo...of my Amethyst Falls wisteria (American variety) I've been training in ground from a sucker as Bill V. Suggested to me...had went with two styles originally but the wacky cascade branch died back. So thinking twin trunk possibly. Glad I let it grow out two directions...in case I outgrew cascades. Left trunk is .60" (so a hair over 1/2") base is an inch.
Last edited:
Here is a picture of an old JWP in Japan:
That picture doesn't qualify as a tree for this thread, so here is my young JWP literati that's about 20 years old. The bark just above the nebari is starting to get flakey. This tree is an air layer, so it's on its own roots:
0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
Speaking of angiosperms, an azalea bonsai of mine
that I made from part of this ground layer mess
that I made from part of this ground layer mess
thumblessprimate1
Masterpiece
My azalea.
You don't need to put an azalea into a colander. They like to stay moist. And they naturally form fibrous rootballs. What your doing is not only pointless, it's possibly detrimental since the rootball can dry out too much.
My azalea in training:
jriddell88
Omono
Amerifrankenelm
thomas22
Chumono
I thought that was a Bougainvillea at first glance. Here is my Bougie I am waiting to bloom this year.
thumblessprimate1
Masterpiece
Similar threads
