Thoughts on addressing this reverse taper?

[MotoWanderer]

Hello everyone,
I've very new to bonsai, so I will happily take any suggestions/criticisms, etc.

Tonight I found a sapling growing in the graveled path in my garden, with quite an interesting trunk. I believe it's some kind of ash, probably 4-5 years old. I put it in a training pot, it seems to be well suited for a windswept sort of design (although i know that's rarely done with deciduous trees). The main issue though is that there's quite a bit of reverse taper when viewed from one side. I'm thinking I'll just carve away a bit of material to make a uro, so it looks like more of a partially split trunk vs the current reverse taper. Or is there a better option that isn't occurring to me?

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

 

[Beanwagon]

 

[Shibui]

I'm not seeing bad reverse taper.
If reverse taper is only visible from one side it is OK to design the tree using another angle where it is not so visible.
My first reaction was to remove the larger centre trunk and use the smaller one at the rear as a new leader. That may or may not be appropriate depending on how far back that branch is leaning and whether new shoots would come forward from there.
@Beanwagon 's suggestion is also worthy of consideration.

Where would you carve to make it better?

In any case if this has just been dug you should not even be thinking about cutting or carving. Wait at least until mid summer, even better next winter/spring before doing anything major.

 

[sorce]

I'd let it rest then jump on that beanwagon too!

If you ever wander into Chicago hit me up, I'll wander with ya!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[MotoWanderer]

Thanks for all the feedback! Definitely going to wait before cutting on it, but you know how it is, the planning and anticipation is half the fun. I took a couple more pictures that show the reverse taper better. There's a large cut wound in the center, with a bunch of scarring below and to the left, so I was going to remove a lot of that and turn it into a deadwood feature. I might still try that first, i can always remove it all and go with beanwagon's method afterwards.

 

[sorce]

You know....that left pic looks so much like a handy clawish thing, that this may be fun to continue to style into something freaky like that.

The fastest way to a good collection is to let everything be exactly what it wants to be, sometimes that is a novelty!

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

This is a Fraxinus, i believe, so keep in mind that they do not “cooperate” THAT well... random(but always pretty long) internodes) and wild compound leaves make them.... difficult.,

Gotta aim larger(If you are CHOOSING to go down this “North American Ash Road”.. many advise NOT )... luckily, you have large, interesting trunk to start with...

The @Beanwagon suggestion looks GREAT!.. only problem is.. the Fraxinus wont.. um... “do what you want” at SMALLER scales.

I’d remove the middle, prune down to the lowest, outward oriented chutes on those two outer branches.

 

[MotoWanderer]

You know....that left pic looks so much like a handy clawish thing, that this may be fun to continue to style into something freaky like that.

The fastest way to a good collection is to let everything be exactly what it wants to be, sometimes that is a novelty!

Sorce

Agreed - i might avoid doing anything but removing the really leggy growths this summer and see what it decides to do before making a decision.

 

[MotoWanderer]

This is a Fraxinus, i believe, so keep in mind that they do not “cooperate” THAT well... random(but always pretty long) internodes) and wild compound leaves make them.... difficult.,

Gotta aim larger(If you are CHOOSING to go down this “North American Ash Road”.. many advise NOT )... luckily, you have large, interesting trunk to start with...

The @Beanwagon suggestion looks GREAT!.. only problem is.. the Fraxinus wont.. um... “do what you want” at SMALLER scales.

I’d remove the middle, prune down to the lowest, outward oriented chutes on those two outer branches.

Yep, i wasn't really looking for an ash, but i had to remove it from the garden anyway, and it would have been a travesty to throw it on the burn pile with a trunk like that. What sort of size (roughly) do you think i should aim for in the long term? Somewhere in the 24 inch range (height)?

 

[HorseloverFat]

Yep, i wasn't really looking for an ash, but i had to remove it from the garden anyway, and it would have been a travesty to throw it on the burn pile with a trunk like that. What sort of size (roughly) do you think i should aim for in the long term? Somewhere in the 24 inch range (height)?

That sounds perfect! (If, once again, you ARE choosing to work with North American Fraxinus.. gotta keep re-iterating that. )

And don’t worry..

The REASON i know ‘bout them...

Is I, also, accidentally collected a fraxinus, my first collection season And keep it around because, “hell.. it’s not the TREE’S fault I collected it!” Consequently, I treat him the same as “the others” (I’d not go looking for ANOTHER, though ). I’m working on “stunting techniques” and “leaf-cutting” options.. but nothing spectacular, AT ALL to report, thus far.

 

[MotoWanderer]

That sounds perfect! (If, once again, you ARE choosing to work with North American Fraxinus.. gotta keep re-iterating that. )

And don’t worry..

The REASON i know ‘bout them...

Is I, also, accidentally collected a fraxinus, my first collection season And keep it around because, “hell.. it’s not the TREE’S fault I collected it!” Consequently, I treat him the same as “the others” (I’d not go looking for ANOTHER, though ). I’m working on “stunting techniques” and “leaf-cutting” options.. but nothing spectacular, AT ALL to report, thus far.

Haha I'm glad I'm not alone! I'm honestly not opposed to letting it grow a bit "semi-wild" - it's an interesting shape, I've got space in the sunroom to let it get a bit large, and i have other specimens to try to aggressively "bend to my will." I might just let this one grow how it will and just trim back any undesirable growth (once I decide what parts of that center cluster I'm going to remove next year).

How long have you been growing yours? Any pictures?

 

[Mayank]

I'd let it rest then jump on that beanwagon too!

If you ever wander into Chicago hit me up, I'll wander with ya!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

Where r u in Chitown? We were there last wknd and didn't know you were close by. Would have loved to check out your pots, etc!

 

[sorce]

Where r u in Chitown? We were there last wknd and didn't know you were close by. Would have loved to check out your pots, etc!

Bout 20 minutes from THG in Berwyn.

I'm almost always here!

You're always welcome!

Sorce

 

[Shibui]

This is a Fraxinus, i believe, so keep in mind that they do not “cooperate” THAT well... random(but always pretty long) internodes) and wild compound leaves make them.... difficult.,

Gotta aim larger(If you are CHOOSING to go down this “North American Ash Road”.. many advise NOT )... luckily, you have large, interesting trunk to start with...

I have seen some excellent Fraxinus bonsai around 1 foot tall. The secret is to defoliate a few weeks before showing and show with tiny new leaves unfurling. They look magic if you can get the timing right.

There's a large cut wound in the center, with a bunch of scarring below and to the left, so I was going to remove a lot of that and turn it into a deadwood feature. I might still try that first, i can always remove it all and go with beanwagon's method afterwards.

That reverse side is a lot fatter and there's another branch I could not see from other sides.
Not sure that just carving out the dead section will make any real difference. That is only likely to make the extra branch and the thickened area visible from the other side but you are correct that you proposed first step will not preclude later attempts so worth trying. I'm pretty certain you will also need to carve or remove at least one of those rear branches to make much difference but still to be seen.