Yamadori - Ulmus minor

[barrosinc]

I believe in trying to accentuate the best features of a tree, minimizing the worst, and utilizing as much of the tree as possible. This tree has an old trunk, graceful movement, and some taper. If it was mine, here is what I would do:

1. Rotate, tilt, and test as many different planting angles as possible until the front shows a trunk with pleasing taper and movement. From the photo, I might tilt it to the right a bit to soften the straight upper section that has little taper.
2. Grow some foliage to partly obscure portions of the trunk. This will minimize faults, and still show a barked trunk higher in the tree; a good sign of age.
3. Reduce the height a little, and grow a round canopy.
4. Allow the lower branches to lengthen.
5. Maybe add a piece of dead wood to extend the Jin at the base...screw a piece in
6. Enjoy a nice bonsai.

Thanks Brian, that is actually a height I feel comfortable with. Thanks

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I think that it's safe for me to recommend getting this tree's branching to be shaped more like a deciduous. It's just a rought draft. I didn't work out the details.

 

[sherwoodschwartz]

i wouldn't chop this either

let that canopy fill in. i think you'll have a lovely, lovely tree.

 

[MACH5]

Very nice material Max! Beautiful bark and trunk full of character. The slightly cliched "S" curve does not bother me all that much. Perhaps with a slight rotation you can make it a bit less obvious. The branches are now evenly spaced out and neatly shaped making it look more like a piece of mallsai.

I did a sketch preserving most of the trunk. The key for me would be to make the branches have twists and turns and tell the same story as the trunk.

 

[barrosinc]

Thanks Mach5!! I will seriously look into that!

Just in case, these are pics from the same day but different angles. I don't have a pic just slightly to the left to get a less obvious S shape.

 

[barrosinc]

Any ideas???

 

[Zach Smith]

Any ideas???

I'll offer a few suggestions:

First of all, this tree is an unusual piece of material that does not fit the standard bonsai mold. This is certainly not a bad thing, but it appears the tree's been more or less forced into a standard bonsai style. When I look at it my eye does not tend to move and keep on moving; rather, it focuses on the rather "static" looking branches. I always tell my students that when the eye fails to move it tends to stay on the flaw of the tree. In this case, I think it's the branches.

With that said, here's what I'd do if this tree were mine. First of all, none of the branches is thick enough. Moreover, they emerge from the trunk perfectly straight, which harms the illusion. Finally, I think there are too many branches for this specimen. I believe they should be sparser.

My first move in the next spring would be to select branches to eliminate, cut them off, then cut back the remaining branches hard and let a new leader on each run wild for the rest of the year (I'd wire the leader where it comes off the stub, but let the end grow upward for the light to get maximum exposure and thus grow faster). I'd repeat this process for the next couple of years, at which time the branches should be sufficiently thick and have some movement to them. Re-developing ramification would be done in years 4 and 5, assuming the branches would be thick enough by then.

I think this would really improve what is a nice piece of material.

For what it's worth.

Good luck!

Zach

 

[barrosinc]

Thanks a lot.
The branches have to be cut, chopped, wired, redone, replaced, renewed, etc..... I have no doubt! It has a lot of work yet! A lot!

 

[sorce]

Barros,

I been waiting for more pics. I made a virtual, but the photos will still not load for me.

So....the second pic I like as front.

If you cover the green above the deadwood, the apex, I see that as your final canopy.

But, chopped directly above the first 3 branches, with them wired up into said canopy.

A nice stout tree.
I love the Holey front!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Maybe. ......

 

[barrosinc]

I love the Holey front!

I have been looking at it for a long time now... I think I am going to let grow the branches to thicken then chop back most of them because the lack movement. Emphasize the holey front and extend the lower branch like MAch 5 said. That's my plan for now...

 

[Kodama16]

I like both what Brian and mark had to say. I def wouldn't chop low though.

 

[barrosinc]

it has almost dropped all its leaves.


Soon I will make a decision on what to do. It will certainly go into a bonsai pot in early spring.

 

[barrosinc]

So I was thinking in getting a round pot like:

And really chopping back the branches, it is hard to explain, but they seem like one long whip with all the branches coming off it. Kinda like when you buy a mallsai procumbens nana.
And depining/rounding the apex.

And use image 1 from previous post.

What do you think?

 

[barrosinc]

So this is the what branches look like.
Cut back heavily is my idea.

 

[Vin]

Max,

They seem to have a lot going for them. Nice taper on the primary branches. Secondary and tertiary branching look to be excellent as well. Maybe you should try wiring those straight primaries before you cut back to hard. With some twists and turns they may work better for you. Just a thought.

 

[barrosinc]

yeah, should probably do that... if somethins snaps, cutback.

 

[Vin]

Exactly.

 

[barrosinc]

Wired all the main branches and a bit more.... it is incredibly flexible!
Thanks for the tip, Vin. I almost made a mistake that would have set me back a couple of years.

 

[LanceMac10]

Update? It's been two years!!! @barrosinc