Twisty, the shimpaku

[bwaynef]

I don't really call it that, but when I typed in "Twisty Shimpaku" apparently there were lots of threads so-named. I do refer to this one as my twisty shimpaku though.

Years ago, this tree came to me through a somewhat circuitous route. I have pictures in roughly the initial condition but don't have them all along the way. Shortly (within a month) after I took ownership, I had my first learning experience with spider mites and development on this tree stopped for a couple of years. I ultimately bought repackaged miticides, which I think now (and maybe then?) is highly illegal ...but it really does help buying the smaller packages so you can afford to have a full rotation. (I detest the stuff and hate having to spray it ...and all the hassle of PPE that I'm still too scared not to use even after I've long since had all the kids I'm ever going to want.)

Attached is the picture shortly after it arrived. Looks like it was grown wrapped around a stake with super boring and repetitive coils. At the time I was mesmerized. Soon I'd grow tired of the parking-garage-ascent of a trunk.

 

[bwaynef]

Upon winning the war with spider mites, the tree returned to health. I was invited to Adair's when he had Boon out so drug this one along. It was the first time I was introduced to "Jackie". Boon looked it over and we added two guy wires around coils in a couple different directions, then he'd crank. When he stopped, I took the slack out. He'd spin it around and have another go and so would I. Before long the monotonous coil was gone, but the branches were all over the place. If I'm remembering, I repotted the tree at that point but didn't wire the branches.

 

[bwaynef]

This is the earliest post-Jackie photos I could find. The planting angle didn’t change (much) but you can see that the silhouette changed because of the work of removing the monotony.

 

[bwaynef]

I was struggling with getting all my trees enough sunlight and it really shows in these next photos. I removed some low branches and toyed with pots and planting angles and at some point wired it out completely but not sure that’s represented well in these pics.

 

[bwaynef]

Maybe this is where I wired it out. I knew I had. Also noticed a particularly flat section of the trunk and discovered deadwood so I helped it out a bit.

 

[bwaynef]

I repotted it one more time and changed the angle and gave it a better pot. I can’t recall the Japanese potter but this seems to suit it pretty well. Better than the previous ones at least.

Also including a growing wild after removing wire photo.

 

[bwaynef]

I let it grow out again and wanted to bring it back to some semblance of order. I’m hoping I can control it a bit better as it grows this time and start refining the design. It needs compacting and the apex could use some development.

My wife was away, so I used that as an opportunity to put in the work. You can see my stopping points and the final-for-now tree from all angles.

 

[Ruddigger]

That work on the trunk really paid off.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Nice. What an improvement from its original corkscrew shape!

 

[bwaynef]

So, looks like a couple posts didn’t receive the pictures for some reason. Here’s the first pics after the Jackie operation.

Also realized that it posted pictures out of sequence but there isn’t a way for me to go and edit it now. The file names should give a clue as to their order.

 

[WavyGaby]

I was wondering how those coils would turn out as the trunk expanded. Nice progression. What year did you get this one?