I picked up a pretty nice one of these from a nursery up in Washington last year. No growth yet this year. It was stored in shed the did not get below 34 F last winter. I am wondering when a good time of year to re-pot and do a little wiring? I'm sure that there will have to be some root pruning when re-potting. Help appreciated. Thanks, Peter
Dwarf Hanoki Golden Cypress...Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Lutea'
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Leo in N E Illinois
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That is a nice Hinoki, 'Nana Lutea' is one of the ones where new foliage is very yellow, or golden, and slowly fades to green, so by end of summer it is mostly green. As bonsai, the yellow can look like sunlight on the edges of the foliage. A nice effect. In 'Nana Lutea' the effect is not as bold or vivid as some other yellow forms of Hinoki, & because bonsai is all about being subtle, this is the better one for bonsai.
Growth rate is slow. This tree won't bulk up very quickly at all. Any styling should be done by using most of what you have, and without depending on a branch extending out here, or filling in there, because it is not going to grow very fast at all.
It does grow, but not fast.
You won't get any back budding on branches that have turned brown. So if a branch is old enough to be brown, that is it, no back budding. You can prune green back, but always keep some green on any branch you want to have live.
Myself, I always repot sometime after the summer solstice, usually between Aug 1 and September 1. I have repotted in spring, they get growing a little later than the deciduous, spring repotting is okay, actually I've never lost a hinoki to repotting, but I have never needed to be overly aggressive with their roots. Because my spring time is busy, I found waiting until the late summer period (August) is fine. Note, I have fewer than 10 days per year average over 90 F (+32 C). In hot summer climates, August repotting might be a bad idea.
They like a bit of water retention in the media. I use a deciduous mix. Either more fir bark, or more Akadama or what ever you use to make a dry mix hold more water.
When wiring, be careful, branches tear free from the trunk relatively easily. You can wire any time of year, just be aware. They stay flexible longer than many deciduous trees, though wood will become rigid more quickly than some pines. Any and all styles can work for hinoki.
Growth rate is slow. This tree won't bulk up very quickly at all. Any styling should be done by using most of what you have, and without depending on a branch extending out here, or filling in there, because it is not going to grow very fast at all.
It does grow, but not fast.
You won't get any back budding on branches that have turned brown. So if a branch is old enough to be brown, that is it, no back budding. You can prune green back, but always keep some green on any branch you want to have live.
Myself, I always repot sometime after the summer solstice, usually between Aug 1 and September 1. I have repotted in spring, they get growing a little later than the deciduous, spring repotting is okay, actually I've never lost a hinoki to repotting, but I have never needed to be overly aggressive with their roots. Because my spring time is busy, I found waiting until the late summer period (August) is fine. Note, I have fewer than 10 days per year average over 90 F (+32 C). In hot summer climates, August repotting might be a bad idea.
They like a bit of water retention in the media. I use a deciduous mix. Either more fir bark, or more Akadama or what ever you use to make a dry mix hold more water.
When wiring, be careful, branches tear free from the trunk relatively easily. You can wire any time of year, just be aware. They stay flexible longer than many deciduous trees, though wood will become rigid more quickly than some pines. Any and all styles can work for hinoki.
Leo in N E Illinois
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Notice the angle the branches leave the trunk. That angle, or pattern in most trees tends to be repeated all the way up. The higher in the tree, the angle will get slightly closer to vertical. In your tree, some of the low branches angle up, and the very top branches go more horizontal. The ones up top need to be fixed, wired to repeat the pattern set by the branches below.
Or the branches down low need to be brought down.
One option I see is letting this tree have the upward reaching branches, like a deciduous tree. More or less an informal upright, almost broom like appearance. This would use most of what is there, and would only require minimal wire, mostly to fix the 2 upper branches where the leader was chopped some years ago.
Or the branches down low need to be brought down.
One option I see is letting this tree have the upward reaching branches, like a deciduous tree. More or less an informal upright, almost broom like appearance. This would use most of what is there, and would only require minimal wire, mostly to fix the 2 upper branches where the leader was chopped some years ago.
Atom#28
Chumono
any concern that the first two branches, which appear to originate at the same part of the trunk, may cause inverse taper later on?
Leo in N E Illinois
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Some of your branches in the middle of the tree, reach out & up higher than the apex branches. I would wire those down or to reach out, in order to make your uppermost branches the apex. There seems to be long stretches of bare wood in those branches. This might be a problem. Old hinokis, often have the foliage too far away from the trunk. The only solution is to let the top grow taller, while keeping the side branches pruned back, so the shape can be restored. Hinoki bonsai tend to increase in size, none stay small forever.
Leo in N E Illinois
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The 2 lowest branches, I would not be concerned about inverse taper. Hinoki rarely form significant inverse taper. A little inverse taper is no problem. This is a slow growing cultivar. Just getting growth is going to be the problem, inverse taper won't be the problem.
While issues of inverse taper are real, those new to bonsai tend to worry about it more than they need to. Two branches at the same location on a trunk are rarely the source of a inverse taper problem, but a whorl with 5 branches or more, like what occurs on some pines, that is definitely a problem. In fast growing species, inverse taper can be a real problem. In slow growing cultivars inverse taper is usually a non-issue. This particular cultivar is a slow growing cultivar.
Note: not all Hinoki are slow growing. I have a Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Willamette' that can grow over one foot per year. It is the "wild" growth rate for the species. It was selected to become large scale landscape tree. In that cultivar, grow is rapid enough, inverse taper is something I keep an eye out for. 'Nana Lutea' only grows one or two inches per year, in a good year, so inverse taper is a non-issue.
While issues of inverse taper are real, those new to bonsai tend to worry about it more than they need to. Two branches at the same location on a trunk are rarely the source of a inverse taper problem, but a whorl with 5 branches or more, like what occurs on some pines, that is definitely a problem. In fast growing species, inverse taper can be a real problem. In slow growing cultivars inverse taper is usually a non-issue. This particular cultivar is a slow growing cultivar.
Note: not all Hinoki are slow growing. I have a Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Willamette' that can grow over one foot per year. It is the "wild" growth rate for the species. It was selected to become large scale landscape tree. In that cultivar, grow is rapid enough, inverse taper is something I keep an eye out for. 'Nana Lutea' only grows one or two inches per year, in a good year, so inverse taper is a non-issue.
larlamonde
Shohin
Once the tree starts growing. (light green tips) you can repot and do a little wiring. Based on where you live you should be coming into the sweet spot.
