Identification and Futureprogress

[LunaticTree]

Hello there,

our local Gardencenter tried to get rid of this beautiful Tree, it is very small and compressed in growth.
I might be a gardener but not a Master, I know it has to be some sort of Abies balsamea, maybe even a dwarf version.
The Tree has a vry nice Shape and Apex growth, I think it would look good on this one to keep one of the lower branches maybe?
Never did such a hug Project, as I usualy do smaller Trees that are easy to see through.

This would be the bigest Project I would do so far, it might not look like much but this Tree is sure gonna look pretty once its properly wired.

I would also like to hear your Ideas on this Tree! What Form would suit this beautiful Fir?

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[LunaticTree]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

Aye yes, thanks for the welcome, any Ideas what to style this Tree?

 

[sorce]

any Ideas what to style this Tree?

Whatever it becomes while applying sensible techniques!

Sorce

 

[ShadyStump]

I can see what attracted you to the tree, but I'm having the same problem you are finding the direction it's heading.
I would say just clean it up some first. The basic pruning- remove dead or unhealthy branches, branches that are crossing, etc. Often you can get a better idea what the primary features should be after a good cleaning.

 

[Lionheart]

Great looking tree. I hope you got it cheap too.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Have you checked to see where the best root structure is?

Maybe you can bend a branch down into a cascade?

 

[LunaticTree]

Great looking tree. I hope you got it cheap too.

I got it for free, they wanted to get rid of it

 

[LunaticTree]

I can see what attracted you to the tree, but I'm having the same problem you are finding the direction it's heading.
I would say just clean it up some first. The basic pruning- remove dead or unhealthy branches, branches that are crossing, etc. Often you can get a better idea what the primary features should be after a good cleaning.

Yes, thats a good idea for now, and agreed, I am having difficultis to figure out what to do with it, it is such a delicate Tree somewhat, that one Lead there that grows to the right top side is my favoruite Front so far, but It might look different once its all cleared up!
I will post follow up pictures once it is all cleaned out~

 

[LunaticTree]

Have you checked to see where the best root structure is?

Maybe you can bend a branch down into a cascade?

I am still rather new to Bonsai, so I am not certain what you mean By Rootstructure? Do you mean the trun itselfe? Im going to remove Earth from the Base of the Trunk to see from What Direction it all looks good in general, if thats what you ment?
Cascade shape crossed my mind actualy, just dont know how to tackle it, for now I should do as Shady sugested and clean it up first

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Clean up is good. Check out the mirai beginner series on youtube. The first coupld of episodes may give you some guidance on how to approach the styling.

By root structure, I mean the tree's nebari. Basically how the roots which will one day be visible look and are organized. Its usually a key factor in the long term planning for a tree's styling.

Maybe my thread on this juniper will help you. I turned an upright juniper with horizontal branching into a cascade.

Juniperus Horizontalis (Blue Rug Juniper) #1

I picked this Juniper up back in spring for a club meeting to practice wiring. Back then, it was my first attenpt at wiring and I did... ok?? Well, I got the itch to mess with it again today so here's it's official thread. @mak9, this is the tree I mentioned I would post for you. I am sure that...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Paradox]

As for an identification, its a spruce of some kind.
Cant tell you which species though. Could be blue spruce or Norway spruce

If you just dug it out of the ground this spring, I would leave it alone for a year before worrying about styling it.
Let it recover from that first then see where you can go with it

 

[clio700]

As it is already in a pot, I think he does not have to wait for the ground styling - clean it up and make some closer picture of the nebari.
Also it is good to see I am not the only Austrian. Regards Jens

 

[LunaticTree]

As for an identification, its a spruce of some kind.
Cant tell you which species though. Could be blue spruce or Norway spruce

If you just dug it out of the ground this spring, I would leave it alone for a year before worrying about styling it.
Let it recover from that first then see where you can go with it

It is a Balsam Fir We checked it with the Sellr from the Nursery and some online help.
I did not dig it ou, it was in this Pot for quite a while, its classic Nursery Stock.
We dont have wild spruce trees like this over here. We only have regular Fir trees and Austrian Black pines, ocasianly some Larch in between.

 

[LunaticTree]

I cleaned it up a bit, turns out there was a lot of dead Material inwolved, and some super struggling ones. I will have to brush the Bark a bit to see whats underneath all this moss.
For the Nebari (right?) I would propably have to remove more of the Soil from the Plant itselfe, tho it is still cols outside, and I dont have a designated Spot to lift and turn this Plant, my poor back would hate me for that.
For the two Jins there, I dotn plan on keeping either, but I did not want to remoove them fully just yet.

 

[LunaticTree]

As it is already in a pot, I think he does not have to wait for the ground styling - clean it up and make some closer picture of the nebari.
Also it is good to see I am not the only Austrian. Regards Jens

Glad I am not te only Austrian one either hahaha!

 

[luvinthemountains]

Wow, that is great material for the price! Somebody else probably has a better idea about styling, but I gave it a crack:




Of course there would be a lot more to it than just that, particularly working the branches with wire. But I also suspect you would have much better options for styling if you spent a few years working the foliage slowly back and building more interior branching. Good luck!

 

[LunaticTree]

Wow, that is great material for the price! Somebody else probably has a better idea about styling, but I gave it a crack:

I got it fro free, the Nursery didnt want it any longer as they couldnt sell it for multiple Years.

I dont think that style of yours would fit the Tree to well, as you can see in the follow up pictures, I removed alot of dead and dying branches, so the Form you picked no onger works there, I a thinking about a cascade, but ultimately I am not sre just yet

 

[luvinthemountains]

I got it fro free, the Nursery didnt want it any longer as they couldnt sell it for multiple Years.

I dont think that style of yours would fit the Tree to well, as you can see in the follow up pictures, I removed alot of dead and dying branches, so the Form you picked no onger works there, I a thinking about a cascade, but ultimately I am not sre just yet

Haha, I think my joke did not translate! In the US (English), we say "not bad for the price" or "can't beat the price" ironically when the "price" was free.

Anyhow, I see what you mean. As it sits now, I could see a tall, slender multi-trunk style working well. But still, it needs some time to get healthy first.

 

[LunaticTree]

Haha, I think my joke did not translate! In the US (English), we say "not bad for the price" or "can't beat the price" ironically when the "price" was free.

Anyhow, I see what you mean. As it sits now, I could see a tall, slender multi-trunk style working well. But still, it needs some time to get healthy first.

It is pretty good loking, it is not like it had pests or desease or anything, it just got ignored for a long time and not properly looked after, so its natural that there are many tiny dry twigs
I put some special conifere Fertilizer on top to give it some extra power for this season.