New buttonwood from KAWA Joy of shohin

[drew33998]

Just wanted to post some pics of my new buttonwood I picked up at the KAWA bonsai Joy of Shohin Bonsai show. Sorry that the pics are dark. Next step for me is to get a decent camera, at least something that is better than my I Phone. Right now the front that I like is the first pic. I like the dead-wood that it shows, problem with this front is that the live vein/main trunk leans way back so I am thinking about using pic 3 as the front. No rush. I plan on keeping it alive through the winter in my portable greenhouse with UV lights where my fiancé and I keep our orchids. Thanks

 

[Giga]

Nice score-There pretty tough tree's as I have one too and it's growing under led grow lights and is doing great.

 

[edprocoat]

Geez drew your post scared the hell outta me ! I had to re-read the last sentence, first time I read it as " I plan on keeping it alive through the winter in my portable greenhouse with UV lights where I keep my fiancé and orchids. " lol

Great looking Buttonwood BTW!

ed

 

[Vin]

Very cool! I was planning on going but just couldn't make it. As soon as I can get mine out of the grow box and into a pot I'll be selling it. Not that I don't like them but I don't want to keep tropicals any longer.

 

[drew33998]

Update. Repotted this tree is the early spring and removed all foliage. Saturday I did some deadwood carving and basic wiring. Hoping for more backbudding on the tree.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Beautiful job!

 

[PierreR]

Very nice!

 

[Giga]

Not bad, the only thing that sticks out to me, is the branch structure you did is a little too pine like. As they age in the wild they get un-rully and a organized chaos. Kinda like this old one



I'm not really that against pine style but for tropical tree's I like more of a naturalistic style. All in all though it's a nice score, and is in good hands.

 

[drew33998]

Not bad, the only thing that sticks out to me, is the branch structure you did is a little too pine like. As they age in the wild they get un-rully and a organized chaos. Kinda like this old one

View attachment 76742

I'm not really that against pine style but for tropical tree's I like more of a naturalistic style. All in all though it's a nice score, and is in good hands.

The tree really lent itself to more of a pine style. As this is a collected tree I really just tried to frame the natural areas of interest. Mostly the large jin on the left. I am all about naturalistic styling however this tree was collected in the wild and the branches that it had were left-right, left-right so it was a no brainer.

 

[drew33998]

Anyone have any pot ideas? I am thinking either rectangular or semi cascade.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Sorry for the delay to your request; distracted by all the gun control and climate change fighting.

I like the deadwood, but would try to tell the story of life and death by keeping most the foliage on the live side of the tree.

The upper trunk section from which all the branches emerge is very straight. I would encourage back--budding and tighten up the foliage if possible, and create the live portion somewhat like this virt, which can conceal the straight trunk section until you can rebuild and replace it.

Additionally, I would consider tilting it to the right (Jin pointing slightly more upward), but not at the expense of the already-sturdy base.

I can see it in a square semi-cascade window pane pot, shudei clay, unglazed.

 

[drew33998]

Thanks Brian. You are right the trunk is very straight and it is not very bendable. I was hoping to back bud and eventually get a new trunk line. The only other issue is that the dead wood comes towards the viewer and sits in front of the trunk from the current view. With it being a collected piece of material I am reluctant to cut it back.

 

[KennedyMarx]

The deadwood and the carving look great. I wouldn't cut it back. Maybe try tilting the potting angle or rotating the front slightly.