Help with this Fuji cherry!

[Aldingbonsai]

Hi everyone!

I have had this Fuji cherry (Prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai') for a couple of years now.

I got it into free draining soil last year, and pruned back some really long leaders but am unsure how to progress with it this year.
The base is getting some taper but the roots need quite a bit of work still.
Trunk is just over 5cm / 2" at the base, so not bad for the species.

I want to make some decisions on the style and overall size of the tree. Ive made some rough mock-ups based on my preferred front, although these options would also work on the reverse side.
I think I will have to make a major cut to the main leader, which is taperless and has inverse taper where the smaller branches divide.
Does anyone have any experience with major cuts to this species?, or thoughts on where I should go with this?

Ive seen Harry Harrington's progression and would consider an airlayer but am happy just to make the cuts too.
I don't want the tree too chunky/sumo as I want to have a decent canopy for flowering, but the current structure lacks steady taper or movement.

I understand with fruit species these cuts should wait until the tree has leafed out, but any advice on this is appreciated too.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Of your virts, I like #1. Consider using more of the tree if you can. This trunk line may be worth considering too.

 

[Trueblackpercula]

Tagging along here as I will be doing some major work to mine this year as well. I looked at ever image I could find for this type of tree and they are definitely not easy to shape in my opinion.
I like the same as Brian has suggested. I guess the question is are you looking to keep the tree short long term or taller long term. With that said I think either way take your time as what you do now will have the long term affect on the design. You can take a look at my tread to see what I have posted and what plans I have this spring. It may or may not help. Good luck as you just don’t see kojo no Mai often.
Michael

 

[Forsoothe!]

To say that these are slow growing is a wild understatement. Wire when naked over winter for form, trim immediately after flowering to remove flowers & fruit, and get used to waiting a long time for it to fill in. That's it. A lot more waiting than actually working on it. Many years just modest tip trimming to keep the profile tight. If you need to work on something, go buy a fig.

 

[Aldingbonsai]

Of your virts, I like #1. Consider using more of the tree if you can. This trunk line may be worth considering too.
View attachment 350468

Thanks for the advice. I'll have a look at this line in person, it would be a shame to have to cut most of the tree away so this might be a better option.

 

[Aldingbonsai]

To say that these are slow growing is a wild understatement. Wire when naked over winter for form, trim immediately after flowering to remove flowers & fruit, and get used to waiting a long time for it to fill in. That's it. A lot more waiting than actually working on it. Many years just modest tip trimming to keep the profile tight. If you need to work on something, go buy a fig.

Thanks for that, I did find it very slow to heal and grow. The timing info is helpful. I've got plenty of stuff to work on so happy for the tree to take its time.

 

[Aldingbonsai]

Th

Tagging along here as I will be doing some major work to mine this year as well. I looked at ever image I could find for this type of tree and they are definitely not easy to shape in my opinion.
I like the same as Brian has suggested. I guess the question is are you looking to keep the tree short long term or taller long term. With that said I think either way take your time as what you do now will have the long term affect on the design. You can take a look at my tread to see what I have posted and what plans I have this spring. It may or may not help. Good luck as you just don’t see kojo no Mai often.
Michael

Tagging along here as I will be doing some major work to mine this year as well. I looked at ever image I could find for this type of tree and they are definitely not easy to shape in my opinion.
I like the same as Brian has suggested. I guess the question is are you looking to keep the tree short long term or taller long term. With that said I think either way take your time as what you do now will have the long term affect on the design. You can take a look at my tread to see what I have posted and what plans I have this spring. It may or may not help. Good luck as you just don’t see kojo no Mai often.
Michael

Thanks for this, I will check your post out! I guess the lack of examples of trunk chops etc. On these is because they take a long time to grow back and they never build up the same vigour other species do. I'll post an update when I have decided what to do with it.

 

[Trueblackpercula]

Th



Thanks for this, I will check your post out! I guess the lack of examples of trunk chops etc. On these is because they take a long time to grow back and they never build up the same vigour other species do. I'll post an update when I have decided what to do with it.

Here is what I started maybe it will help some.

Prunus Incisa help

Hi everyone I will try and keep this short and to the point. I am fairly new to Bonsai as I have not kept one in over 20 years because I never really had a back yard or the Time to dedicate to one/them. But with that said I looked for many years to try and get a dwarf prunus and last week...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Cadillactaste]

The one I had...died from silver leaf. I didn't know what was going on. Over on the British Bonsai group on Facebook they talked of window of opportunity. And if pruned outside that time frame you risk the silver leaf disease. Who is it who is here from the UK...who has one. That advice was given to them I believe over there. Let me look in the search.

 

[Cadillactaste]

@Victorim ... I think it was you they offered that advice to.. if I'm thinking correctly. You haven't posted since end of Dec...so... to the poster. Not sure when he will see the tag.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Reached out to Ben (member I tagged earlier) in messenger. His advice about silver leaf.

[Hi, summer time is when you would prune to avoid silver leaf, but depends how carefull you want to be and silver leaf in the area.]

 

[Victorim]

Hi!

Sorry I do seem to spend my time on the UK pages nowadays. Silver leaf will enter from any wounds from spores in the air, generally from life size other Prunus. These are not active in the summer months so pruning is safest then. Sealing any cuts would cut risk down if there is silver leaf in the area.

While advised, I myself haven't stuck to it. Either lucky or there isn't silver leaf spores present. I suppose one bad experience will be enough to change my mind in the future though..

Here is my Kojo

 

[Cadillactaste]

Hi!

Sorry I do seem to spend my time on the UK pages nowadays. Silver leaf will enter from any wounds from spores in the air, generally from life size other Prunus. These are not active in the summer months so pruning is safest then. Sealing any cuts would cut risk down if there is silver leaf in the area.

While advised, I myself haven't stuck to it. Either lucky or there isn't silver leaf spores present. I suppose one bad experience will be enough to change my mind in the future though..

Here is my Kojo
View attachment 350534

Thanks Ben!

 

[Aldingbonsai]

Reached out to Ben (member I tagged earlier) in messenger. His advice about silver leaf.

[Hi, summer time is when you would prune to avoid silver leaf, but depends how carefull you want to be and silver leaf in the area.]

Many thanks for searching this out for me! I had heard of something like this so pruned in summer last year with no problems. I think I'll stick to this as there's no great rush to work it.

 

[Aldingbonsai]

T

Hi!

Sorry I do seem to spend my time on the UK pages nowadays. Silver leaf will enter from any wounds from spores in the air, generally from life size other Prunus. These are not active in the summer months so pruning is safest then. Sealing any cuts would cut risk down if there is silver leaf in the area.

While advised, I myself haven't stuck to it. Either lucky or there isn't silver leaf spores present. I suppose one bad experience will be enough to change my mind in the future though..

Here is my Kojo
View attachment 350534

That's a great specimen, so many flowers! Thanks for the info. I've got a small second kojo which I have tried pruning over winter, so that might tell me if I can do this in the future with this one.

 

[Trueblackpercula]

Hi!

Sorry I do seem to spend my time on the UK pages nowadays. Silver leaf will enter from any wounds from spores in the air, generally from life size other Prunus. These are not active in the summer months so pruning is safest then. Sealing any cuts would cut risk down if there is silver leaf in the area.

While advised, I myself haven't stuck to it. Either lucky or there isn't silver leaf spores present. I suppose one bad experience will be enough to change my mind in the future though..

Here is my Kojo
View attachment 350534

Wow I really like you tree and the pot is awesome. The combination is very inspiring thank you for sharing.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Many thanks for searching this out for me! I had heard of something like this so pruned in summer last year with no problems. I think I'll stick to this as there's no great rush to work it.

Quite welcome!!

I wish I had known...glad you sort of knew about it. I am glad to have a solid diagnosis and understanding why I lost mine though. Sucks to lose trees. Especially if there was something I could have done...to have prevented it. But at least I have clarity. I am grateful for that.

 

[Aldingbonsai]

Finally had chance to update on this tree. The rootball had an impromptu bare-rooting in January thanks to a leaky overflow pipe!
I used the opportunity to put the tree into a nicer pot. I didn't prune in spring and let it flower. I pruned in mid-summer and will get a more recent photo soon:





This is a spring pic of my smaller prunus:

 

[Trueblackpercula]

Very nice very few prunus incisa on here

 

[Aldingbonsai]

Thanks!