Species Study - Taxodium distichum

[Cajunrider]

I have had good luck cutting the branch from underneath, also.

I did too. This pretty much confirms that we can notch however we see fit.

 

[Cajunrider]

Making the cuts
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Putting a bit of vaseline into the cuts.
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Bending the trunk until vaseline all oozes out and the gaps close.
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Electrical vinyl tape sticky side out. Tree put in the shade to recover.
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8 months later.

 

[Cajunrider]

8 months later.
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While I was at it, I split the bottom as well.

 

[rusticana]

I would not do any thing now and wait til spring.

Remember me? My tree is that 2 in 1. Ascendens grafted onto the regular one. I also have Montezuma forests.
The tree in question has finally woken up. Only one oak has been slower. Not a collected swamp tree. The bogs near me actually have pine trees in them cause their allowed light. Often protected areas. With red cedars and hemlock on the fringes where the forest restarts its dark.
I'm hoping youll share some of your expertise once a new leader presents itself? My question today is should I dunk it already? I Have had such success with that. My pot is also nice though. We have very wet springs. Usually.

I would not do any thing now and wait til spring.

 

[Cajunrider]

Remember me? My tree is that 2 in 1. Ascendens grafted onto the regular one. I also have Montezuma forests.
The tree in question has finally woken up. Only one oak has been slower. Not a collected swamp tree. The bogs near me actually have pine trees in them cause their allowed light. Often protected areas. With red cedars and hemlock on the fringes where the forest restarts its dark.
I'm hoping youll share some of your expertise once a new leader presents itself? My question today is should I dunk it already? I Have had such success with that. My pot is also nice though. We have very wet springs. Usually.

I usually don’t dunk until the tree is fully leafed and healthy.

 

[Cajunrider]

Update July 24
I think the trunk wedge scar will be diminished soon. Bottom wedge removed today.
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The base now looks fantastic. It will look even better once I put it in a bonsai pot and reveal the roots.
Wiring from last winter is removed today. Lots of young shoots at the wrong places were also removed.





A couple deep slits were cut to reduce the bulge at the split. More of that will be done in the future.


Now look May 2025

 

[Cajunrider]

8 months later.
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The tree was growing so well when it suddenly decided to shed the apex. In two weeks the lush green top withered and died. I had to chop the dead apex off!!!! Note that the branches below the notched bend also exploded in growth.

 

[Cajunrider]

Bald cypress nebari lamentation.
I don't know if this is the right place for this post but here goes.
I have seen a lot of posts on FBs and elsewhere on the internet on BCs bought from the big box stores or nurseries with the trees being overgrown in pots and formed terrible root structures. Yet people are touting those twisting and circling roots that will choke one another out in the future as showcase nebari. I saw a bunch of very experienced bonsai practitioners, some of which come here often, tried in vain to correct the notion. Tried as we may, to some people, we can't get it through to them that weird don't necessarily mean unique design. Even sadder is that the twisting and circling roots are actually not unique or even weird. They are very predictable.

This may apply to trees other than BC as well. Twisted and circling roots from being overgrown in containers don't necessarily make good nebari. Exposing them doesn't make good neagari either.

 

[Maiden69]

Bald cypress nebari lamentation.
I don't know if this is the right place for this post but here goes.
I have seen a lot of posts on FBs and elsewhere on the internet on BCs bought from the big box stores or nurseries with the trees being overgrown in pots and formed terrible root structures. Yet people are touting those twisting and circling roots that will choke one another out in the future as showcase nebari. I saw a bunch of very experienced bonsai practitioners, some of which come here often, tried in vain to correct the notion. Tried as we may, to some people, we can't get it through to them that weird don't necessarily mean unique design. Even sadder is that the twisting and circling roots are actually not unique or even weird. They are very predictable.

This may apply to trees other than BC as well. Twisted and circling roots from being overgrown in containers don't necessarily make good nebari. Exposing them doesn't make good neagari either.

My first nursery bought BC have this issue. I am considering doing a ground layer on it, although I kinda like how it looks. That was the result of not knowing what I was doing at the time.

 

[Cajunrider]

My first nursery bought BC have this issue. I am considering doing a ground layer on it, although I kinda like how it looks. That was the result of not knowing what I was doing at the time.

Do it. I did one and it turned out good.

 

[Cajunrider]

What happens when you collect a BC and put it out in the sun too soon? The top of the trunk dries out and dies. I managed to save these but they will take a year to recover. I will have to come up with a style that accommodates the dead tops.