How would you bend this branch?

[electraus]

It's a pretty thick and somewhat old (i assume so because it's a collected Utah juniper) branch that I have no clue how to bend. I want to bend it downward to create a cascade or semi-cascade, depending on how far it'll bend. I've also attached a picture of the overall tree to get feedback on whether or not that's even a good idea. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how I wanted to style this tree for days, but the short, squat trunk with the long first branch coming from the top of the main trunk and extending away from it made it seem like it would lend itself well to a cascade. At first, I thought windswept because all of the primary branches are stretched in the same direction, but I don't like the windswept style much. I'd like to know how you all would go about bending this branch and what you think of my idea of styling it as a cascade.

 

[Shibui]

I was going to suggest tilting the trunk as the easiest way to lower a branch but I can see the roots on the opposite side are already higher so tilting probably won't work as well unless there are other good roots below those.
I've split thicker juniper branches a couple of times in order to bend. Use branch splitting tool to cut the wood along the grain into 2, 4 or 6 thinner pieces. The thinner bits can bend where the whole lot may not. Needs to then be tied up so the splits will heal over.
The other technique I've seen but not used is to hollow out the branch from the rear, just leaving the outer wood until it will bend.

Neither of the above is easy or fool proof. Breakage can still occur and sometimes they don't heal as well as hoped.
Just looking for other possible options for style, particularly with the trunk tilted back to the left to make better use of those visible roots but I can't see much inspiration from that angle.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I personally would style the tree as an informal upright or as a windswept. There honestly isn't anything in the lower trunk that makes me think "cascade".

Instead of looking at the tree and imagining it as a bonsai, try to look at it and imagine it as a big tree in nature. If you are able to do that, I think you can start to envision a future design - based on what the tree is giving you.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Another option is to grow the branch out and put the outgrowth in front of it. Creates depth and eliminates the entire problem of bending.
Or approach graft it into place later on and have an acute angle.

 

[ShadyStump]

Not sure about juniper, but I've seen guy wires used to slowly adjust the angles of thicker branches/trunks. The down side is it can be a multiple year process because you're waiting for the tree to put on enough new rings of growth to hold against the old wood.

Use something to pad the area where the wire meets the branch, loop the wire over the branch and around your anchor point, and make it tight just starting the bend. Every few months you can go in and tighten the wire by putting a stick inside the loop and twisting the wire against itself.

That said, I'm onboard with what @Bonsai Nut said. I don't think you'll get as far as you'd like pursuing a cascade, and it would look a bit contrived for a very long time.

 

[electraus]

I personally would style the tree as an informal upright or as a windswept. There honestly isn't anything in the lower trunk that makes me think "cascade".

Instead of looking at the tree and imagining it as a bonsai, try to look at it and imagine it as a big tree in nature. If you are able to do that, I think you can start to envision a future design - based on what the tree is giving you.

Yeah, I agree about the trunk. I think I just really wanted it to be one. I need to find a good reference picture of a nice windswept juniper because I've never actually seen one, much less styled one.

 

[electraus]

I was going to suggest tilting the trunk as the easiest way to lower a branch but I can see the roots on the opposite side are already higher so tilting probably won't work as well unless there are other good roots below those.
I've split thicker juniper branches a couple of times in order to bend. Use branch splitting tool to cut the wood along the grain into 2, 4 or 6 thinner pieces. The thinner bits can bend where the whole lot may not. Needs to then be tied up so the splits will heal over.
The other technique I've seen but not used is to hollow out the branch from the rear, just leaving the outer wood until it will bend.

Neither of the above is easy or fool proof. Breakage can still occur and sometimes they don't heal as well as hoped.
Just looking for other possible options for style, particularly with the trunk tilted back to the left to make better use of those visible roots but I can't see much inspiration from that angle.

Per @Bonsai Nut's suggestion, I think I'm gonna go with windswept, but I've always been curious about branch splitting. I bought a branch splitter a couple of weeks ago for another tree, but I just can't get myself to bite the bullet and use it. Maybe, I'll practice with some nursery procumbens first. Won't it leave really ugly scarring once it heals?

 

[M. Frary]

I'd get some fat wire and or guy wires and give it a go.
That's me. But you'd be surprised.
Not all at once maybe but over a long period of time.

 

[Shibui]

Won't it leave really ugly scarring once it heals?

That's what I meant about not being certain of results. If the split area is tied up tight it will heal relatively quick and clean but can sometimes swell above or below the bindings. If untied too early before it has fused back together the callus can push the sections apart leaving larger scars. My attempts have fused well after a few years without ugly scarring.

Definitely practice with expendable trees to learn some of the tricks.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

If it's a .....collected.....juniper, why not work to make it as best you can an example of what it would be at its natural site? Refined to keep it nice looking?

 

[ShadyStump]

I agree with @Mike Corazzi here.
If it was worth collecting then there's something in the shape that's worth keeping.
If you don't like how it looks, or don't want to use it's natural form, then don't collect it.

 

[electraus]

If it's a .....collected.....juniper, why not work to make it as best you can an example of what it would be at its natural site? Refined to keep it nice looking?

Fair point. I guess I'm struggling because this is the most complex piece of material I've ever worked with. I started studying bonsai ~2.5 years ago and only began actually practicing 8 months ago. My well-intentioned brother walked into Grove Way bonsai nursery in Hayward, CA last Saturday and walked out with this tree as a birthday gift for me. I've been in contact with Jonas Dupuich because I used to do video consultations with him pretty often before he put them on hold for the pacific bonsai expo, and he gave me some advice (mostly about grafting foliage further down the branches). I'll be doing a video consultation with Eric Schrader tomorrow morning and hopefully get some more clarity on how to proceed.

 

[electraus]

I agree with @Mike Corazzi here.
If it was worth collecting then there's something in the shape that's worth keeping.
If you don't like how it looks, or don't want to use it's natural form, then don't collect it.

I didn't collect it. As I mentioned to @Mike Corazzi, my brother gifted it to me for my birthday. I've only been studying bonsai for ~2.5 years and actually practicing for around 8 months, so this tree is the most complex piece of material I have ever worked with. I'm a little bit out of my league on this one . However, I'm taking the challenge on with some guidance from Jonas Dupuich from Bonsai Tonight and Eric Schrader from Bonsaify.

 

[Shibui]

If it was worth collecting then there's something in the shape that's worth keeping.

I've seen an awful lot of trees collected that should have been left behind. Just because someone collected it does not always mean it has merit however this one does have some aspects that should yield good results.
Not easy but good potential.