Multi trunk japanese maple

[Somatom]

Hi everyone,

Here I am again, asking for some suggestions on how to style this Japanese maple that I recently bought, which I think could look really nice with some proper care.

I’m not very familiar with multi-trunk trees, as this is the first one I’ve tried to style, so I’m also not too sure about the conventions. I know that, typically, it’s preferable to have an odd number of trunks, but I thought this tree looked good even with four, so I decided to go for it anyway.

Here are some pictures:







Here’s my analysis of the tree:

• Other than the two main roots at the base, the tree doesn’t really have much going on in the nebari.
• All the trunks have little to no movement, and some sections are of similar thickness — but at least I don’t see any inverse taper.
• The main trunk already has some nice bark, which I’d like to preserve, but it’s very straight and lacks taper or lower branches to work with.
• The plant grows quite a lot vertically, but doesn’t have much horizontal development.

That said, here’s what I’m considering as the new front:



Things I like about this front:

• It clearly shows the two main roots and makes the base look the widest.
• All the trunks are nicely visible from this angle.

Things I don’t like about this front:

• The two roots pointing toward the viewer look a bit awkward.
• The trunks are quite close together and grow mostly vertically.
• The main trunk is in the back, which flattens the overall appearance and reduces depth.

Here’s a picture of what I’m thinking of doing:



Starting from the left trunk, I’d remove the straight section just above the mark and let that trunk develop more horizontally. Moving to the right, I’d avoid cutting the front trunk too much and instead let it grow to help it thicken. Further right, I’d cut back the current main trunk to its lowest branches, hoping for some back budding in the future so I can reduce it even more. Finally, for the rightmost trunk, I’d take a similar approach to the left one, but keep it slightly higher so the overall composition “moves” to the left.


What do you all think about this approach?

 

[Shibui]

I think the plan you've outlined should develop a good multi trunk bonsai.
FWIW, Some of the thinks I look for in multi trunk:
Main trunk will be the thickest and tallest and usually somewhere toward the middle of the group. It will provide the apex of the group. Apex will still come slightly toward the front of the design as usual in single trunk design.
Smaller trunks radiate up and out from the larger trunk. These minor trunks arch up and out and fill the role of branches and will each grow to fill their own spaces to make up the entire canopy. Still need to maintain the usual left, right and back foliage pads to give a fully 3D design, similar to single trunk design.
Main trunk is likely to have few side branches until well up the trunk, often above the level of the smaller trunks.
Any side branches on any trunk will generally grow out and away from the other trunks to look natural.
Vertical growth is typical of young, vigorous trees. It's up to us to select and promote the lateral growth that will give the impression of age.

Just because you only have 4 trunks now does not mean it has to stay that way. It is relatively easy to add one or more trunks into a multi trunk tree. Just find a suitable trunk (maybe a cutting or layer from the existing trees to match better), remove roots from one side and plant right up against the existing clump. In a few years the roots will mesh together to hold it in place. Sooner or later the trunks should fuse together into a single unit. You can add roots using a similar technique.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

asking for some suggestions on how to style this Japanese maple

One thing to keep in mind when developing this project is that although this currently looks like a multi-trunk tree (like all of the 'Bjorn clump projects' look like), eventually this will become single trunk tree and I think it's important to plan accordingly. Your tree will look like the tree in the first image as the trunks thicken. I attached 2 additional images in which the trunks get progressively further away from each other. For explanation's sake, if one was to plant trunks today with the intention of developing something like the last image, those trunks would have to start 4-6" apart from each other.

 

[giventofly]

keep posting updates

 

[BrianBay9]

On the theory that you should work from the ground up (nebari first, then trunk, branches, etc) perhaps you should consider a ground layer in spring to get a more radial nebari.

 

[Jrmcmich]

Wonder if there is more nebari that is covered by soil and moss? Might make better decisions after first repotting assuming tree is newer to you

 

[Somatom]

Wow, so many great comments thank you so much for all the interesting suggestions

 

[Somatom]

I think the plan you've outlined should develop a good multi trunk bonsai.
FWIW, Some of the thinks I look for in multi trunk:
Main trunk will be the thickest and tallest and usually somewhere toward the middle of the group. It will provide the apex of the group. Apex will still come slightly toward the front of the design as usual in single trunk design.
Smaller trunks radiate up and out from the larger trunk. These minor trunks arch up and out and fill the role of branches and will each grow to fill their own spaces to make up the entire canopy. Still need to maintain the usual left, right and back foliage pads to give a fully 3D design, similar to single trunk design.
Main trunk is likely to have few side branches until well up the trunk, often above the level of the smaller trunks.
Any side branches on any trunk will generally grow out and away from the other trunks to look natural.
Vertical growth is typical of young, vigorous trees. It's up to us to select and promote the lateral growth that will give the impression of age.

Just because you only have 4 trunks now does not mean it has to stay that way. It is relatively easy to add one or more trunks into a multi trunk tree. Just find a suitable trunk (maybe a cutting or layer from the existing trees to match better), remove roots from one side and plant right up against the existing clump. In a few years the roots will mesh together to hold it in place. Sooner or later the trunks should fuse together into a single unit. You can add roots using a similar technique.

These are some great guidelines, thank you! I will definitely consider adding a fifth trunk at some point, maybe on the right

 

[Somatom]

One thing to keep in mind when developing this project is that although this currently looks like a multi-trunk tree (like all of the 'Bjorn clump projects' look like), eventually this will become single trunk tree and I think it's important to plan accordingly. Your tree will look like the tree in the first image as the trunks thicken. I attached 2 additional images in which the trunks get progressively further away from each other. For explanation's sake, if one was to plant trunks today with the intention of developing something like the last image, those trunks would have to start 4-6" apart from each other.


View attachment 620286

View attachment 620287

View attachment 620289

Thank you, I wasn't really considering this. In your experience, do you think that it could become like the first picture even growing inside a bonsai pot? Even thinking 20 years in the future, it seems so much growth

 

[Somatom]

On the theory that you should work from the ground up (nebari first, then trunk, branches, etc) perhaps you should consider a ground layer in spring to get a more radial nebari.

Wonder if there is more nebari that is covered by soil and moss? Might make better decisions after first repotting assuming tree is newer to you

I would consider this, but first I would like to repot it in the spring as Jrmcmich (and the seller) suggested, see how the roots look, and then cultivate it a bit.
To give a bit more context, the owner told me that he received in a very small container with a lot of packed dirt, so he simply moved it in a bigger container and simply added a bit of akadama to the borders. So I agree that it's really important to repot it

 

[Somatom]

keep posting updates

I'm currently not able to work on this tree, but hopefully next week or the one after I should be able to do all the pruning
And, of course, I will post updates

 

[Canada Bonsai]

Thank you, I wasn't really considering this. In your experience, do you think that it could become like the first picture even growing inside a bonsai pot? Even thinking 20 years in the future, it seems so much growth

here’s a useful pic

To answer your question — you can absolutely maintain your bonsai in a very small size and prevent those trunks from fusing, ‘forever’