Boxwood - Where to from here

[Dorian Fourie]

I have a boxwood that my wife used as mini Christmas tree 2 years ago. Since then it has been planted in a pot outside. I needed to use the pot for something else so I transplanted it into a plastic container that I had lying around.

Now I believe that they make nice bonsai.

So suggestions on where to next. Right now we are heading into Autumn here in South Africa so I think it would be best to wait for Spring (Sept).

The height from the base to the first branches is 20cm (7.9 inches) and the trunk is 3.5cm (1.4 inches) wide at its thickest part.



I believe that this should be the front of the tree due to the "fold" in the trunk as it will add some nice character to the tree.

Because of the upright trunk I think the only styles that will work on this is either Formal upright or Broom style.

But where too next? Can one do a trunk chop and let it grow out?

All thoughts and suggestions welcome.

 

[sorce]

It's a long time to grow out a next chop segment.
But you can.

If you go real heavy, cut the roots back too!

Nice Bark!

Sorce

 

[Dorian Fourie]

Hi Sorce

Thanks for the feedback. I do not see any other option but to do a trunk chop even though it is going to take a very long time to grow. I could be wrong (Mostly I am - LOL) but in order for the size ratios to be realistic , it will need to be reduced considerably.

More Thoughts?

Nice Bark!

I agree, the bark is very cool

 

[sorce]

I think it has potential....rather....it's quickest potential, to be the tallest of a forest.

Hell, you could use layers or cuttings from it for the rest!

One of these where they stay thin with real tight foilage pads.

Those tall thin forests really work for me.
You'll have to regrow all the branches, but it'll still be realer faster. IMO.

Sorce

 

[Dorian Fourie]

I think it has potential....rather....it's quickest potential, to be the tallest of a forest.

Hell, you could use layers or cuttings from it for the rest!

One of these where they stay thin with real tight foilage pads.View attachment 96550

Those tall thin forests really work for me.
You'll have to regrow all the branches, but it'll still be realer faster. IMO.

Sorce

Interesting view. Supposedly Boxwood take easily from cutting and airlayers so that is definitely a possibility.

Something like this?

 

[sorce]

Woody!

Sorce

 

[Tentakelaertje]

Don't chop below the leaves, they tend to no likey likey that

 

[Smoke]

I will post up some pretty cool boxwood photos tonite when I get back from the local home show. Maybe you might see some inspiration in those.

What I can tell you about boxwood is that trunk chops do not work the same way with this species like say a maple , hornbeam or elm. When removing a large portion of the tree, it is usually done to reduce it down to the best part with keeping the stub as some sort of jin or jagged effect to gain the needed taper. Deadheading and regrowing is sometimes futile with this species.

Shorter trunks have the best possibilities.

 

[Vin]

I will post up some pretty cool boxwood photos tonite when I get back from the local home show. Maybe you might see some inspiration in those.

What I can tell you about boxwood is that trunk chops do not work the same way with this species like say a maple , hornbeam or elm. When removing a large portion of the tree, it is usually done to reduce it down to the best part with keeping the stub as some sort of jin or jagged effect to gain the needed taper. Deadheading and regrowing is sometimes futile with this species.

Shorter trunks have the best possibilities.

Holy Smoke! (no pun intended) You are abiding by your New Years Resolution. This should be very helpful for Dorian. I've got a bunch of Boxwoods. They are a pain in the a** but I can't help but like them.

 

[Dorian Fourie]

I will post up some pretty cool boxwood photos tonite when I get back from the local home show. Maybe you might see some inspiration in those.

What I can tell you about boxwood is that trunk chops do not work the same way with this species like say a maple , hornbeam or elm. When removing a large portion of the tree, it is usually done to reduce it down to the best part with keeping the stub as some sort of jin or jagged effect to gain the needed taper. Deadheading and regrowing is sometimes futile with this species.

Shorter trunks have the best possibilities.

Thanks so much Al for the information and looking forward to the images.

Really appreciate it.

 

[Smoke]

Holy Smoke! (no pun intended) You are abiding by your New Years Resolution. This should be very helpful for Dorian. I've got a bunch of Boxwoods. They are a pain in the a** but I can't help but like them.

It's pretty easy now. I can take the first jab with a straight shot of tequila, then just mash the ignore button. Easy peasy. 15 on ignore and counting. If I respond to your post, your not on it.

 

[Vin]

Maybe the "Ignore" button should be renamed to "Blood Pressure Relief"?

 

[milehigh_7]

A lesson I have learned the hard way is remove roots and foliage in equal proportions.

 

[JudyB]

I will wait to see what Al posts. Me, I'd think about airlayering.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Hi Dorian, I to am curious as to what Smoke will post.

If it were my tree. I would think of it as a broom style of the type you'd see in a forest. Informal broom, using the branches already present. You have 20 cm of bare trunk, there is no changing that. I would plan on creating a broom that would be around 60 cm tall or even a little taller. I'd cut off everything above about 40 cm right now. The branches in the 20cm to 40 cm range will be your main branches and main secondary branches. You will re-grow the top 20 cm of the tree, this part will be all tertiary and higher branching, the fine twiggy stuff. So cut off the top portion that you won't be using, then sort through the remaining branches and wire them to arrange them in gentle partial arches away from the trunk. I can't see exactly what you have in there, but the final goal will be a tree with a silhouette like a tall wine glass. Plenty of space underneath for the understory trees to grow. Your understory trees should probably be somewhere between 20 and 40 cm, leaving this one as the main focal point.

And as @sorce suggested you can use the cuttings to create the smaller trees to accompany the forest giant.

Your trunk is only 3.5 cm, forest trees are usually 10:1 or so as far as height to trunk diameter goes in bonsai shows. In reality it is more like 100:1 in an actual forest tree, but isn't relevant, we are making an image in miniature, 10:1 is a good ratio to work toward. You will get some thickening over the years, especially if you keep the majority of branches in creating the broom, but thickening won't be quick. A 60 cm tree with a 3.5 cm trunk would be roughly 17:1, which is not wildly off the ideal of 10:1, so I think it would be a good plan.

At least this is my first thought working from the photo you posted. It is a plan that keeps the bulk of the branches and foliage. By keeping a fair amount of foliage, it will be possible to get growth and thickening of your trunk.

If you go with the broom, as you choose the primary branches, and secondary branches, remember to choose a thinner branch in favor of a branch that is unusually thick, at each level in the tree you want the branches to be similar in diameter. The diameter of the branches should step down, become smaller at each level as you go higher in the tree. So try to avoid the ''odd thick branch'' shooting up into the next level.

I would maybe draw a few plans, using only branches you actually have, and kick around ideas over the winter, do the actual styling in late winter or early spring. Take your time, this material does have enough branching to give you a number of options. And consider Smoke's suggestions.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Our North American native elm, the American elm typically makes a majestic broom, and follows a plant where the trunk is straight and unbranched to some height, often over 10 feet, then divides to 2 major branches, then each branch divides and so on. So the numerical plan would be 1-2-4-8-16-32-64 and so on. This is somewhat different than the "classic Japanese formal broom" were all the secondary branches emerge at the same point on the trunk. There are other style brooms too. As you get in and clean out some of the branches you are sure you won't need, either too small or too big, you will be better able to see what plan will work best.

 

[fredman]

If it was mine I would layer the trunk shorter, screw it to a board the following year to develop some flair and make a nice broom from it
They are notorious for thickening up very slowly, therefor any kind of flair will work well with that lovely developed bark.

 

[Smoke]

Here are some from today. These are all boxwoods in the broom style. There are a couple kingsville which naturaly grow that way. Keep in mind the trunk height at division. Most of these trunks are very short which really helps convey the spreading oak/broom style.

 

[Smoke]

This one is a little different as well as the next one. They have a subtle difference in the way the trunks move.

 

[Smoke]

This one is a slanting style. This may be a possibility for you down stream.