Taxodium distichum "bonsai"

[metro_bonsai]

Update on one of the Taxodium distichum seedlings I saved from Central Park...

My goal is to cultivate Taxodioideae from seed in a pot, adjusting conditions as they age in order to promote longevity and healthy growth. This method is as much based on ancient texts as upon modern intuition.

In many ways the bald cypress remains as much a mystery as it ever was, and I want to avoid the pitfall of approaching a mystery with a hacksaw, so I would like to reach out, ask if anyone else shares my approach to the species/genus.

Growing it together in a large enough pot (?) with Ginkgo biloba (see attached):

 

[Wulfskaar]

I have not read ancient texts regarding bald cypress, but I do know you need to give it a ton of water and let it grow out for several years.

 

[rockm]

Update on one of the Taxodium distichum seedlings I saved from Central Park...

My goal is to cultivate Taxodioideae from seed in a pot, adjusting conditions as they age in order to promote longevity and healthy growth. This method is as much based on ancient texts as upon modern intuition.

In many ways the bald cypress remains as much a mystery as it ever was, and I want to avoid the pitfall of approaching a mystery with a hacksaw, so I would like to reach out, ask if anyone else shares my approach to the species/genus.

Growing it together in a large enough pot (?) with Ginkgo biloba (see attached):

Ancient texts? Please name them. Would help to see where you’re getting your info from.

Bald cypress have been used as bonsai only about 40 years. It is native to the southern U.S. The Japanese have no real idea about how to grow it well since they are unfamiliar with its form and habits. It does fine with traditional bonsai care but all the specialized knowledge of how to make a great bald cypress bonsai is in the U.S. For instance it does best with soil that does t drain well (but drains).

Also “ancient” is questionable. Yes bonsai dates back 500-700 years in Asia. HOWEVER the bonsai that we practice (and the Japanese) with wire, special soil, stylized pruning etc is only about 100 years old. Thats because the modern age pushed plant nutrition and other horticultural knowledge ahead. The appearance of wire and its wider availability marked a revolution in bonsai design capabilities. You can see that revolution comparing very very old bonsai with bonsai less than 125 or so.

Just because something is old or ancient doesn’t necessarily make it worth believing. Sometimes it’s just old myth and misunderstanding

 

[blackadam]

Some "ancient books" - like 100 years old - available on archive.org are labeled as

"Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. "
No wire but bamboo sticks, rafia and strings like in this example from Bonsai baiyōhō 1921 by Katō, Ginjirō\
I wonder if someone bother to translate "ancient texts" and confront them with modern knowledge..

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