Literati Prunus Mume?

[leatherback]

Today I was at a bonsai growers farm, There were 2 prunus mume left in the field, and he wanted to get rid of them. So.. I bought the last 2 P Mume he had. Unfortunately they are not very compact at about 10 feet tall.

Today I trimmed them back to a more managable 2-3ft tall, with 4-6inch trunk. I will leave it there for another year, hoping to get a bit of back-budding (In May I will go back and do a mid-season trim & thinning of the foliage)

I was wondering.. I have never seen a very slender female mume, hinting at literati. Does anyone know why?

 

[ralf]

Literati by Kunio Kobayashi. I guess you may find few others.

or a Semi/cascade ?



As a complete Freshman I suppose that the reason is related to the esthetics Ume is at its best in flower. Literati will not deliver the same emotions in comparison to other styles.

Appology to the authors of the pics...

 

[JudyB]

The one I have this past winter in single bloom.

 

[leatherback]

I suppose that the reason is related to the esthetics Ume is at its best in flower. Literati will not deliver the same emotions in comparison to other styles.

Hey Ralf,
thx. I am however not sure I understand what you mean with this. To me literati, struggle in the bark and then delivate smelling flowers would make perfect sense
How do you see this?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Lots of examples out there. Problem is they grow hard and trunk up fast, so it requires a deliberate effort, or some luck.

 

[ralf]

... struggle in the bark and then delivate smelling flowers would make perfect sense
How do you see this?

The same as you . The contrast - aged/rugged bark x blossoms makes ume. The more flowers the better.

Bunjin-gi is about growth in extreme conditions. Twisted, curved trunk with sparse branches. Fight for life. Sparse branches/extreme conditions - I would expect just a few blossoms here and there. Maybe just a single one as it is on the Judy's tree. ( But I wish there is more drama in the movement of the trunk and reduction/removal of the longest hanging branch . Sorry Judy, just my thoughts about your tree that I do like ).

That is my understanding of bunjin-gi at least. The other trees here look great. But not like a bunjin-gi to me. Well, the number two in Brian's post is close to my heart. Also here the branches are way too long. But still comparing with other trees there - do you think this one will have the same commercial value as the rest? I doubt it. If your living is based on bonsai would you style your ume in a literati? I doubt it. You will end up in something close to these trees. Including the one by KK.

Does it matter? Not at all. We are free to style our trees into form that pleases our souls and deliver to us the right emotions. And ume is all about blossoms. Good luck.

 

[Deleted member 21616]

personal favorites, both are at Omiya

i think they reveal that there is a potential for creating very great 2 and 3 trunk literati-ish flowering trees

 

[leatherback]

So.. I was just sent some pictures from these two out in the field. They have pushed some 6ft new growth by now.

WIth the slow half of the growing season ahead of me.. I was wondering. Should I go back out, and prune back to the first couple of leaves, and clean the interior of leaves for later backbudding when potted? I expect to get them transferred into a pot either in mid-October, or in feb.March.
Or would I be better off leaving all growth on there, and give it a decent trim when I pull it from the ground?

Any thoughts? @Brian Van Fleet , @fredtruck , ..

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

If you think you have some growing season left, I’d probably prune them and clean them up now. I pruned this one hard about 2 weeks ago, and it’s budding again pretty well in an Anderson flat.

 

[fredtruck]

Generally, I prune and repot after flowering. Then, I prune the tree again around June 21. Having said that, I have repotted in May or June when I thought the ume wasn't growing the way I wanted.

 

[leatherback]

Went back to the nursery today and dug the two mumes. Cleaned them up and potted them. Now waitin for spring to come on their branches!

 

[the1only]

Can these be air-layer? I have a couple that are about 3yrs old bought from Brent, currently in the ground now.

 

[leatherback]

Can these be air-layer? I have a couple that are about 3yrs old bought from Brent, currently in the ground now.

All I understand is that it is hard. Would be interested in hearing from people who have successfully done this.

 

[leatherback]

i think they reveal that there is a potential for creating very great 2 and 3 trunk literati-ish flowering trees

So.. By now this one it the keeper and has been cleaned up a little bit.
Would welcome design ideas. My intent is to keep the tree fairly large; Not aiming for Sumo here!

 

[JudyB]

Looks like you will have plenty of choices for this one. I'm glad to see this thread again, gave me a chance to compare last year to this year on my literati ume.

 

[leatherback]

Muuuch better flowers this year for you!

 

[JudyB]

Muuuch better flowers this year for you!

Yes indeed, although the simplicity of the single flower is stunning in it's own way.

 

[namnhi]

Little literati ume

 

[leatherback]

Happy to realize this survived the digging. Life is there:

 

[bonhe]

I was wondering.. I have never seen a very slender female mume, hinting at literati. Does anyone know why?

Congratulations! You have very nice material for literati !
I can see very nice trunk line movement there . If I were you, I would style the tree like this


Good luck to you. Be safe and strong my friend .
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