Cryptomeria japonica 'Elegans' full of potentially size reduction

[TCGreen]

Hi , I picked this up and it excites me. The trunk and nebari are excellent.
But there is a distinct lack of branches particularly in the middle as you see.

What would you do?
It is not one complete trunk the upper part is actually a thick cut branch. (I need to take more pictures for you to see that part)

I reckon this will divide a few of you, which is always good.

Thanks in advance

TC

 

[rhuarc]

You are right about the trunk and nebari, they look great.

Any update on what you did since you bought it?


I posted about the same time as you with similar questions regarding the elegans I had purchased. It also received no replies... Maybe we can get some elegans love with this bump.

Cryptomeria Japonica ‘Elegans’

Hello everyone I’m new to bonsai and would love some suggestions. Most of you (if not all) have more experience with this amazing art than I do so any input would be appreciated! I found this cryptomeria japonica ‘elegans’ at a local nursery here in Covington, Washington State. I don’t know if...

www.bonsainut.com

What I did with mine:
Tried air layering. Stripped about 2 inches of bark off, applied some goop and wrapped it in sphagnum and plastic. Checked after 2-3 months and no luck. I repeated the process and a few months later it was exploding with roots! It was too late in the year to chop it so I cleaned up all the roots, put a planter pot around it and filed the pot with some pre-mixed bonsai soil for the winter. Hopefully in a few months all the new routes won't be dead and it will be ready to chop. But I don't really know much about bonsai so fingers crossed...

 

[Coppersdad]

Frustrating. Isn't it? I found a 14 footer in a sad plant pile and made three trees out of it. In my hands, the larger the trunk diameter, the more time I needed to wait for enough roots to harvest the air layer. Like your tree, the base section with the best nebari has scant branches. After a year of allowing the tree to recover and those scant branches to grow, I've taken cuttings from the young growth on the branch tips and am rooting them with plans for approach grafts in a year or so.
Haven't found anyone to offer advice on grafting this species, so I'll admit I'm making this up as I go along. If anyone reading this has successfully grafted these guys, please know all suggestions and advice are very welcome.