Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
This tree has three straight branches. How would you plan for styling of the tree? The branches are roughly at the same place.
Advice sought for styling a tree
- Thread starter Cajunrider
- Start date
Frozentreehugger
Masterpiece
Throw it back in the swamp 
. I guess you could twin trunk or largest and smallest . Don’t think it will look good for a long long time . Personally I would eliminate 2 trunks kept the largest with the oldest bark . Therefore have a wide base . Up to you depends on species dead wood or chop them off with plans to heal them . From there whatever you want. . I would be tempted dead wood the trunks then windswept style the remaining trunk away from the deadwood . If you go 2 trunk I think you need radical bends in the trunks that Mimic each other
. I guess you could twin trunk or largest and smallest . Don’t think it will look good for a long long time . Personally I would eliminate 2 trunks kept the largest with the oldest bark . Therefore have a wide base . Up to you depends on species dead wood or chop them off with plans to heal them . From there whatever you want. . I would be tempted dead wood the trunks then windswept style the remaining trunk away from the deadwood . If you go 2 trunk I think you need radical bends in the trunks that Mimic each other
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
There a good different size.
I'd use it all.
Just make sure the final chop lengths compliment the thicknesses.
Sorce
I'd use it all.
Just make sure the final chop lengths compliment the thicknesses.
Sorce
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I sweated like a horse digging that tree in 100 degree weather and high humidity. I ain’t throwing it back in the swamp.Throw it back in the swamp
Frozentreehugger
Masterpiece
Kanorin
Omono
Maybe something along these lines.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
No I am not going to wine about it. It is not refined enough for wine. However, the trunk is big enough to celebrate with beer!Ok if your going to wine about it
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Good idea. I can also cut them short at the same height and go for a broom. At 4” it is going to be a good size broom.
San Franpsycho
Sapling
I see 2-trunk and 3-trunk options. If we’re looking at the front, I’d say 3-trunk. If this is the back or left side view then I’d go w/2-trunk option.
If you keep middle trunk, cut back the angle branch so they’re not in contact (unless you’re trying for a fusion - I don’t know the species well enough to have an opinion on that).
I’d keep the trunk on the right higher b/c it has nice bark further up. (either keeping that high branch or go w/ lower cut that I’d consider more proportionate. ) I think it would be a mistake to chop any two at same height.
A more radical option would be to delay the chop (at least the biggest two) while driving successively larger wedges between the two bigger trunks, picking a spot above the future chops so you won’t have to worry about scarring. Over 6 months or a year you may be able to change the angle, increase space between the two, which could change the whole picture. I don’t have enough experience to know how long you’d have to leave the wedges in. Perhaps someone else can weigh in on that (and on the dubiousness of this scheme
If you want to simultaneously force out new growth down low, you could strip bark to your planned chop point (or deadwood point) at some point in the process. room for some fun experimentation there.Attachments
Mike Corazzi
Masterpiece
More fun than swamp.
Frozentreehugger
Masterpiece
The biggest challenge I see with using it all. Is the similarity of the 2 larger trunks . And there very close together . How that is addressed is key . The above mentioned wedge has a lot of merit . Turning the tree so one of the large is in the rear . Might help . Different heights for sure . And branching . Anything that draws attention away from there similar . And proximity to each other . What was your thoughts when you dug it up . First impressions are powerful and should not be ignored .
LAS
Yamadori
That would be the most bad@as broom in history.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
The tree was laid down by the storm. It was only 15 deg from horizontal. It was in the way of the tractor. My only thought was to save it from being discarded. It grew in a crowded grove and simply squeezed itself up through a crowded canopy to reach light. As a result the three branches grew straight up and were sparse.
LAS
Yamadori
The more I look at it the more I think a flat top style would be cool
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
Is there a way to incorporate that history into its design? 15 degrees would be cascade territory. Not sure that would work with the straightness of the trunks though. Anything else on an angle?
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
So I trimmed the bottom and removed all crossing roots. Then I put it on my prep table. I rotated it many times to find possible angles and view for the tree.
I then decided that single trunk was best for the tree. Here it is after all the cuts.
After all are said and done, I think this tree has a lot of potential. What was done was in a way the path of least work in the future to bring about a good bonsai. The tree will have one good clean view. The others may require long term scar closing and perhaps some artistic carving to make it an all around gorgeous tree.
By the way it is another of my Mayhaw collection.
I then decided that single trunk was best for the tree. Here it is after all the cuts.
After all are said and done, I think this tree has a lot of potential. What was done was in a way the path of least work in the future to bring about a good bonsai. The tree will have one good clean view. The others may require long term scar closing and perhaps some artistic carving to make it an all around gorgeous tree.
By the way it is another of my Mayhaw collection.
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BonjourBonsai
Chumono
Decisive, nice!
LAS
Yamadori
nice work. love the front you chose.
Hack Yeah!
Omono
Looks good, I think I'd reduce the remaining trunk a little more
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
That might happen with next year chop.
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