Crossing roots on bald cypress

[Dystopik]

Hello!

I got this bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) this January from a nursery. It was grown in a huge pot. When I remove the pot and the original soil I found a huge weird roots knot. On the one hand it expanded the base width from 10 cm to 19 cm, on the other hand I have a crossing thick roots right in front that goes around under another major root and towards the back.
It almost looks like the tree sits crossed legged

Any advice on how should I improve this root base?
Thanks.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Hoo boy! Needs creative solution for sure.

 

[sorce]

Layer it.

Welcome to Crazy!

Even if it doesn't work!

Sorce

 

[Sekibonsai]

Layering is not a great option. BC just seem to prefer to bridge over or just say F-U and die...

Welcome to pot bound nursery material... My thoughts more or less in order of preference:

1. Get the tree extremely healthy, cut it off, clean up the edge, hit with rooting hormone and sink deeply in soil. You may get some rooting or you may get some combination of the following...
2. Cut it off and make a shari/trunk hollow
3. Kill it off and make a carved feature/rooted dead root
4. Turn the tree around. (may be the best option but you don't show the other side.)
5. Live with it.

1 -3 are risky and require a thorough knowledge of the rest of the roots. A healthy bald cypress won't blink. When I collect I cut these back to damn near large cuttings. But you really only want to get this drastic once if you can help it.

 

[Cadillactaste]

We seen multiple shots of the root. I agree...what does the other side look like? Possibly a better front. A tree is round...many possibilities for a front. Is there a better chosen front you have over looked... by the elephant in the room/root being main concern.

 

[Sekibonsai]

As offered, I'm not a big fan of this as a front... take away the roots and you just have a flattish face...

 

[penumbra]

Get the tree extremely healthy, cut it off, clean up the edge, hit with rooting hormone and sink deeply in soil. You may get some rooting

This makes the most sense to me.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Dystopik
How does the back side of the tree look? The best thing to do is hide the crossing root by using the other side as front. If the other side is not good either, probably best to relegate this to becoming a landscape tree and find a different one for bonsai.

In general bald cypress make pretty good bonsai. Unfortunately, not every bald cypress makes good bonsai. Once traits like crossing roots get too developed, there is no going back.

 

[Dystopik]

Thanks guys for your input on this.
Here is the back side of the tree, not good either, looks like a heel, and the lateral roots are receding from the viewer.
I think I could completely remove that root next spring and settle for a flat-ish face but with strong flaring out of lateral roots.

Another idea is to carve into that roos and create something like a knee, leaving as much bark on it as possible. The underside live vein of the root could still be functional and perhaps callus could form around the newly created knee. Any thoughts on that?

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Hi,
I think, like the others that this could be in the too hard basket, maybe good practice tree? Or bury the trunk by 6 inches and keep very wet, and you might get a nice surprise,
Charles

 

[Cadillactaste]

Mind sharing also this side,the red line is on. My goal is to see the base of the tree with that root hidden from view. is that possible?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Or somewhere between this side and the red line side. Play around with turning the pot.

 

[Cajunrider]

Recently I had 3 BCs with the problems with tangled roots. Since I have many BC and can afford to experiment, I ground layered all three of them.
One has fantastic layer of roots. I should be able to cut off the bottom this coming spring.
One is limping along. I don't want to risk killing it so I will wait till spring to check and see how we do with the root development.
One just went FU and died. The top stayed green for 2 months after the ground layer then suddenly all the leaves turned brown and it died.

If I have the tree above I would cut off the wrap around portion of the offending root, nick the outer layer at the ground level and put a little bit of soil to see if we can get a partial ground layer growing right at that root. I think it has a good shot that way.