Boxwood deadwood—— white or black

[Joe Dupre']

I just re-styled a long and leggy boxwood into a literati. The new front has 10 inches of prominent deadwood displayed. What color is common for that deadwood — white (via lime sulphur) or black ( I use a charcoal solution )?

 

[sorce]

It depends on what the remaining tree looks like it survived.

If the canopy is over the deadwood and it looks to have been on fire, the canopy wouldn't be there.

If it died from other reasons, the canopy can make sense over the deadwood.

Sorce

 

[Joe Dupre']

Forgot the "if it doesn't have a picture, it didn't happen" rule. Excuse the mildew on the siding. This happens every 3-4 months is South Louisiana.

I cut off a 1" and a 1 1/4" branch that wasn't going to improve the design. I carved them into a "healed over" branch collar.

 

[Tieball]

I like the natural color appearance. Not black. Not white. Not grey. I think the coloration creates to much of a contrast and can look forced. I’d use a preservative over the natural deadwood. Applied probably twice a year. Immediately after application the preservative will darken the wood, but after some sun an a few weeks it returns to a more natural look....just a little darkened. Over time the natural color displays quite nicely. I think the tree character would come through better this way....look older and weathered...more pleasing to the eye and camera.....much less artificial. I really like that initial deadwood area. Fabulous rugged character. My thoughts.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I like the natural color appearance. Not black. Not white. Not grey. I think the coloration creates to much of a contrast and can look forced. I’d use a preservative over the natural deadwood. Applied probably twice a year. Immediately after application the preservative will darken the wood, but after some sun an a few weeks it returns to a more natural look....just a little darkened. Over time the natural color displays quite nicely. I think the tree character would come through better this way....look older and weathered...more pleasing to the eye and camera.....much less artificial. I really like that initial deadwood area. Fabulous rugged character. My thoughts.

I was leaning towards a more natural, lighter color also. I really don't like the over-done snow white deadwood on so many junipers. What "preservative" are you referring to? Lime sulphur? I thought of using maybe a watered down mixture of lime sulphur to tone down the normal white color it gives.

 

[Tieball]

I was leaning towards a more natural, lighter color also. I really don't like the over-done snow white deadwood on so many junipers. What "preservative" are you referring to? Lime sulphur? I thought of using maybe a watered down mixture of lime sulphur to tone down the normal white color it gives.

I was thinking of Tree Gum. A product offered by Kaizen Bonsai. I haven’t used the Tree Gum yet...but want to. I have used the Deadwood Preserver. I like it. It darkened slightly in application but fades with weather. There’s a slight gloss at first but that fades away also. I’m sure there are other suited products available too.

I also plan this spring to use this Super Glue product. The very, very thin type. It soaks in deeply. I was watching a deciduous carving course on Bonsai Empire and this was recommended For weathered wood. I researched further and determined this was my course. I'll buy from Amazon. eBay has it also but I have other things to buy on Amazon so I’m in the free shipping category.

Tree Gum Evergreen Bonsai Wood Preserver

Bonsai deadwood preserver for evergreen varieties Penetrates extremely quickly deep into the wood Stabilises and prevents moisture penetration Exclusive to Kaizen Bonsai

www.kaizenbonsai.com

or.

Tree Gum Evergreen Bonsai Wood Preserver

Bonsai deadwood preserver for evergreen varieties Penetrates extremely quickly deep into the wood Stabilises and prevents moisture penetration Exclusive to Kaizen Bonsai

www.kaizenbonsai.com

 

[Tieball]

I never use Lime Sulphur.....it always looks to fake for my taste. Most Lime treatments stand out poorly on deciduous and on other trees...far to white. Here’s a tree with a natural look I prefer....that’s me though. You’ll have your thoughts. I would target this color on the tree you have.....better harmony between tree and deadwood.

 

[sorce]

I kinda wanna see it with only the guywired branch.
I dig that end fork.

Sorce

 

[Tieball]

Just Curious.....Were you thinking of any additional chopping up higher in your vision of the tree's future?

 

[BrianBay9]

Boxwood wood is hard as nails. I wouldn't bother with wood preservatives, but then again, I'm not in Louisiana

 

[Joe Dupre']

Just Curious.....Were you thinking of any additional chopping up higher in your vision of the tree's future?

That's one of those "wait and see" kind of things. I cut off as much as I left, so I'll monitor it this spring to see what new growth it gives me.

Sorce, leaving just the guy-wired branch did cross my mind, but that would be a little TOO sparse. Not sure the tree would have enough foliage to keep it alive.

Re: deadwood color. The bottom 8" of the shari is pretty much the natural weathered color at collection with a good brass brushing to smooth it out. I'm going to go for that look and just let it weather naturally. Mother Nature works slowly, but gives a pleasing result.

 

[AlainK]

Dead wood on "real box trees" here : white, shades of light grey.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Joe, I have one that had deadwood similar to the color of yours. I used lime sulfur on it and when it dried I had a nice dark gray, not the stark white that you see on junipers. I think that you only get the stark white if you start with fresh clean wood.

I plan to seal it this spring as hard and tough as the wood is it still rots in my climate, which is similar to yours.

 

[rockm]

Forgot the "if it doesn't have a picture, it didn't happen" rule. Excuse the mildew on the siding. This happens every 3-4 months is South Louisiana.

I cut off a 1" and a 1 1/4" branch that wasn't going to improve the design. I carved them into a "healed over" branch collar.



View attachment 272013

There is NO reason to use ANY kind of bleaching/preservative on boxwood. It is extremely durable and dense. It will rot, but not easily. Bleached white is not a good look for it anyway. This tree has never had any treatment of its deadwood, other than a light scrub with a nylon brush to keep the algae off of it.

 

[sorce]

leaving just the guy-wired branch did cross my mind, but that would be a little TOO sparse. Not sure the tree would have enough foliage to keep it alive.

Sorce

 

[Joe Dupre']

I'm going to try the mostly untreated route, BUT, there's a 3" section at the top that's newly worked and will have to blend in with the old. I'll probably use a watered down wash of lime sulphur to blend it all in

 

[Mayank]

I was leaning towards a more natural, lighter color also. I really don't like the over-done snow white deadwood on so many junipers. What "preservative" are you referring to? Lime sulphur? I thought of using maybe a watered down mixture of lime sulphur to tone down the normal white color it gives.

This isn't necessarily for your boxwood but just a general comment. I put a small dab of black water color/acrylic paint straight from the tube onto a paint brush and mix it into the lime sulfur. This gives the deadwood a greyer hue and not that stark white appearance. I've never watered down the lime sulfur but wonder about that reducing its preserving characteristics so I wouldn't do it personally.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Here's a close-up of my solution of an approx. 2" trunk that was broken off sometime before I got the tree. I carved the stub down to a more believable size and brought the original shari up to blend into the new work. The 2" stub left the impression of inverse taper. The 3/4" stub I left solved that problem.