Backwards Swamp BC

[Backwardsvg]

Well I got to travel across the country and meet @Cajunrider! I also am lucky enough to have one of his collected BC. I am attaching pictures of this beauty and starting a thread to see where this tree started and how it progresses. To me it basically looks like a bonsai already but I may be a bit biased. I have attached 2 angles that I think are good possible fronts.

It will be a lot of in and out until spring since it is already budding out (lucky southerners getting warm weather already)

Let me know your thoughts on a front and I will be posting pics of my ideas of where to go with this after a good recovery.

 

[Séan Warnick]

I wish more people would do formal upright, I think it's beautiful.

 

[Backwardsvg]

I have been playing around with some ideas and I am liking the look of this right now. @Cajunrider I want to keep as much of that natural taper as possible. I basically just want to notch out the top where you cut to make the flat top while keeping taper. I wont be doing anything like this till it is fully vigorous and back to full health.

 

[Backwardsvg]

Little update on this tree. Tons of buds popping everywhere. I have it outside when weather permits and inside under nice lights. Looking healthy. Hoping the roots follow suit

 

[Backwardsvg]

Not bad growth for a month when it’s mostly been below freezing haha thank you grow lights

 

[Cajunrider]

Not bad growth for a month when it’s mostly been below freezing haha thank you grow lights View attachment 477732

Nice! That tree surely got some roots now. 4” on top means approximately 1” roots for the first year. I bet if you check you will find 1 -2” young white roots at the cut root tips.

 

[Backwardsvg]

Ya it’s got at least 6” of extension all over. Even the base has tons of shoots coming out. I’m just happy it is doing ok under lights and outside when it can be. I think it’ll really take off as it starts to be outside all day.

 

[Katie0317]

The ones that come from nature...from swamps and lakes look nothing like the ones grown in nurseries. Thats a beautiful tree.

 

[Backwardsvg]

Thank you, I hope to do it justice. It really is a beautiful tree. The more I’m looking at it the more I like it for sure. Excited for it to be warm out so I can get it in the sun more.

 

[Backwardsvg]

My Cajun tree is doing very well. I ended up needing to submerge it because it was sucking water too fast for me. The brown is from a cold snap back in may I think.

Just going to let this run this year.

 

[crab apple]

If its not too late maybe wire them couple of lower limbs down and add a little movement just in case you end up using them in the design

 

[Cajunrider]

If its not too late maybe wire them couple of lower limbs down and add a little movement just in case you end up using them in the design

It's not too late. Applying a guywire and pulling it down is enough for a branch that size. If it is a bit too big, we can always notch it and pull it down.

 

[Backwardsvg]

ya if you are talking about the two bottom bigger branches that are dark brown those are too thick to move I think without snapping them. I could notch it but I dont want to make the tree mad since it was collected this year and is in for a big COLD winter treat which it is not used to. Unless I am going about it wrong.

 

[Cajunrider]

ya if you are talking about the two bottom bigger branches that are dark brown those are too thick to move I think without snapping them. I could notch it but I dont want to make the tree mad since it was collected this year and is in for a big COLD winter treat which it is not used to. Unless I am going about it wrong.

You won't make it mad so long as the top is a green as it is now.
For winter, just heel the entire pot and tree under some mulch. That what I did for the BCs in Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky. If you want to be sure you can take the pot into the garage.

 

[Dmvbonsai]

Nice. @Cajunrider is the man!

 

[Cajunrider]

I forgot to mention earlier that the tree is well on its way to being a very nice flat top. Good work my man.

 

[dbonsaiw]

Nice tree

 

[Backwardsvg]

are you talking like this? I just did light guy wires and may tighten over the summer. I think I’ll have to remove one of these branches as they are somewhat even. But for now I’ll leave it

 

[Cajunrider]

are you talking like this? I just did light guy wires and may tighten over the summer. I think I’ll have to remove one of these branches as they are somewhat even. But for now I’ll leave it

Looks good.