Twisted Itoigawa

The corkscrew feature is not a natural feature. At least on nursery grown stock. The branches are wired when very young, and then allowed to grow out. They are grown with the knowledge that eventually they will be jinned.

Jim Gremel has grown some great ones.
 
I read Smokes blog but also read an article somewhere recently where there was a picture of them lined up like soldiers ready to invade from Japan. It even referenced these as a cookie cutter style bonsai. Showed them being made.
If you have only seen 2 you might want to look around for more. Just Google corkscrew juniper bonsai. You'll see a couple more. Plus pictures of the Sierra junipers they are copies of.
Granted they will probably not be as common as S trunk mallsai. $1350.00 is a little steep for average income people. But that price will come down as more show up. Like you said Eric. You have some cooking out back too.
Sorry if you think I made this up. I posted an honest opinion and observation.

No offense was intended Mr, Fray and I certainly didn't say you made it up! I have seen pics of plenty on the net (including Smoke's blog post)- my point was just I can't find real good ones in the places I have been to. It seems the few I have seen in person were very high priced. I about choked on my own tongue when I saw that guy in Cali was selling his for $60 a pop! In Japan, they seem to be the most popular style of Juniper you find... But most the juniper I find for sale as "pre bonsai" state side have pretty boring trunks shooting straight up out of the ground... 'Course, short of buying from people I know who do bonsai a round here, the only place I can buy Junipers is Home Depot or Lowes... Maybe the odd "snooty plant place" here or there... Certainly not twisted up little prebonsai material!

That is why I am so into propagation I think! If I can just find the species that are suitable for Bonsai... Even if the parent plant is not a great specimen, I feel within a few years I can make own little army of trees! Working pretty well so far (too well if you ask my wife I am sure). Probably struck about 15-20 Shimpaku cuttings this year... A hand full of Tridents, JM, a couple varieties of Elms, Pyracanthia, Azaleas, Crepe Myrtle, Japanese Quince... Can't seem to keep JBP cuttings alive though I did get a few to root temporarily. I got curious and disturbed the roots too early I think!

So, what you call cookie cutter, I can barely even FIND! I know Columbia SC is not some Bonsai mecha, just telling you why I was disagreeing with you!

The one posted in this thread- in my opinion- has a very good looking trunk for this style, great twists without the ugly swelling you get so frequently when people make these! Deff not- again, to my eye- "cookie cutter".. You are certainly entitled to your opinion though!

Personally I am a much bigger fan of deciduous trees normally anyway, so it could be that I just haven't paid much attention to Junipers like this until recently. I admitted in another thread today that my taste for Bonsai is a bit antiquated and certainly not hip to the current "styles", so maybe it is I that am behind the times! I guess it could be that you are just one of the cool kids and I am still into something that is "so last year"!! LOL
 
None taken. And sorry to come off as offensive sometimes. As I know I can.
How can your taste in bonsai be antiquated Eric? All the best bonsai and rules for designg a tree are antique.
I read a lot. When I get a new species I look up everything about them. Just got my first shimpaku last summer. While looking up shimpaku I came across these. As time goes on I'm seeing more.
Brian. Not tearing down your work either. You have wonderful trees and I respect your work.
 
Brian. Not tearing down your work either. You have wonderful trees and I respect your work.
You're not hurting my feelings any. It's an acquired taste, some may never aquire it...I didn't think I would.

The whole idea is to eliminate awareness of size through good proportion and scale. The challenge is that the smaller the size, the tougher it is to be convincing. As the pigtails are reduced, the deadwood ages, and the foliage pads tighten, the little Itoigawa in this thread will become pretty convincing.

Here are a couple photos from this excellent blog. One of these is shohin, one is much larger, but the proportions and scale are "right" for each, so you don't immediately notice one is big and one is small. That takes remarkable skill; something we should all strive for.
 

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With all due respect, you can't buy one like Brian's for $60. Not here. Not there. Not anywhere. I hope you realize that.
 
With all due respect, you can't buy one like Brian's for $60. Not here. Not there. Not anywhere. I hope you realize that.

I do. The trees I was referring to were in a pic on Al's blog. Obviously not the same tree as BVF's, but really nice stock for that price! I don't see trees like the one in this thread for sale often.. Not on sites we can purchase them from and certainly not at the shows and nurseries I have visited. The closest I saw recently was some insane figure... Like $1,250 I think. Cannot recall exactly.. That seemed over priced to me, but I would be living in the street if my wife caught me dropping a grand on ANY tree let alone a tiny twisted up little Juni... So hard to price trees against each other, because two trees of similar size/ shape could command a huge price difference if one is further along in styling than another/ in a nice expensive pot or styled by someone "famous"...

Not having seen any of the trees in person, it is impossible to compare Brian's tree to Ed Clark's that were selling for such an affordable price, but he had some nice ones labeled at $60!! That is why I was so shocked... Never seen trees- with that kind of movement, that were clearly developed for bonsai... Priced for less than $100!!
 
Marvellous !!! I admire your skills truly, hope I manage to grow such a stunner one day, many many years from now ! I just got a small 4 inch tall starter itoigawa, nursery said they are rarely available so I grabbed one, I believe they have twisted trunks, though mine is a long way off, I think I'll just leave it be and allow to grow for a while. Tiny thing it is haha :) kim.
 
How long would it take in the ground to get a trunk like the shohin from post 45??
 
Maybe 10-15 in the ground, then 5 in a can to work the deadwood, then probably another 3-4 years to refine the canopy.
 
so! I have a 20 year plan!
5 years to work deadwood??? why so much?
 
just kidding! it seemed like the best way to to get some shortcuts.
 
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