Twisted Itoigawa

[Brian Van Fleet]

It’s been a few years since the last update on this tree. At the 2016 show, Kathy Shaner offered a critique on the itoigawa and made the following suggestions:

At a workshop in the summer of 2016, we split the apex in a first step to reducing the height. I was a bit nervous about the direction for such a small tree, and spent the next couple seasons not really liking the result.

I let it grow and didn’t work on it much in 2017 or 2018. This one doesn’t back-bud well, and developed a bald spot in the left side. I finally decided to rework it this week, and it’s improving into a more compact and rounded design, but not quite where I want it yet. Here it is before and after:

 

[Dav4]

I think the pad placement and the overall silhouette is spot on. It looks great!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I think the pad placement and the overall silhouette is spot on. It looks great!

Thanks, it has been a difficult and frustrating tree to work on. I’m tempted to sell it!

 

[Dav4]

Thanks, it has been a difficult and frustrating tree to work on. I’m tempted to sell it!

Heh heh, I'm not sure if you're sending out feelers my way or not for a possible purchase.... though I'd love a tree like that to sit on my bench, a college tuition payment 3 weeks ago followed by a leaky roof and $4000 insurance co-pay for my daughter's foot surgery says "not this year!"

 

[Adair M]

It’s been a few years since the last update on this tree. At the 2016 show, Kathy Shaner offered a critique on the itoigawa and made the following suggestions:
View attachment 221434
At a workshop in the summer of 2016, we split the apex in a first step to reducing the height. I was a bit nervous about the direction for such a small tree, and spent the next couple seasons not really liking the result.
View attachment 221439 View attachment 221435 View attachment 221436 View attachment 221437
I let it grow and didn’t work on it much in 2017 or 2018. This one doesn’t back-bud well, and developed a bald spot in the left side. I finally decided to rework it this week, and it’s improving into a more compact and rounded design, but not quite where I want it yet. Here it is before and after:
View attachment 221438 View attachment 221440

An area for improvement would be the lower trunk. I think the Shari could be expanded there.

I think Jin and Shari look most natural when they look as if they face the wind, and they have taken the brunt of the damage from the storms. The live vein, then, would be on the lee side.

This tree appears to be “wind influenced” by wind from the right, it would make sense to have deadwood on the right side of the trunk.

 

[just.wing.it]

Amazing little tree BVF!
Thanks for the updates!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Heh heh, I'm not sure if you're sending out feelers my way or not for a possible purchase.... "

Nah, just thinking out loud.

An area for improvement would be the lower trunk. I think the Shari could be expanded there.

Agreed, and as the left side grows stronger, more will be removed from the right; both in foliage and live trunk, but I don’t want to call too much attention to that stork-like foot jabbing into the ground under the first twist.

 

[Adair M]

Nah, just thinking out loud.


Agreed, and as the left side grows stronger, more will be removed from the right; both in foliage and live trunk, but I don’t want to call too much attention to that stork-like foot jabbing into the ground under the first twist.

Ok, but I don’t think that’s too much of a problem. No one will notice that if the Shari is good.

I’m going to post my Itoigawa as an example. Granted, it’s yamadori, but the nebari isn’t great:




Over time, I bet you could thin down your live vein so that you have a lot of deadwood to carve. Then, thin the deadwood to take more of a “ribbon” appearance, and less “pigeon breast”.

If anyone on this forum can do it, it would be you!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Cleaned up this itoigawa last night. Thinking about showing it in our club’s spring show, but currently, it only looks good from the front.?

 

[fredtruck]

Still, that's a very nice tree, Brian.

 

[AlainK]

it only looks good from the front.

Ah, c'mon, it does look good, period.

 

[leatherback]

but currently, it only looks good from the front

Yeah right!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Ready for the show...unless I get time to hunt down some tidier moss...

 

[Dav4]

Sharp!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Sharp!

Part of a slightly larger display...?

 

[LanceMac10]

A+ Sensational!!

 

[Ali Raza]

love the twisted trunk.

 

[Pitoon]

How old would you estimate this tree is?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Here is a shot after pruning it back a little this summer. I shortened the first left branch considerably, and really need to tighten up the foliage. It needs to be repotted next spring.

 

[AlainK]

Excellent !