Japanse Red Pine, "chunky" bunjin?

[TR8Driver]

I repotted this Japanese Red Pine today. I've had it for quite some time, it was in a pond basket for a long time. But it got kind of neglected, and the bottom branches got way too long. So last year I decided to remove them, and started to style just the remains upper branches. I know it is probably too chunky to really be a bujin, but that's the feeling I'm going for. I found a fairly nice base below the soil line as well, but reburied it for now as there was a lot of root work done, and I felt keeping it covered for now would benefit the tree.

The work last year has resulted in pretty strong growth on the remaining branches, and I promise not to neglect it again!

 

[Eckhoffw]

You can call it whatever you want. Yes, it is a bit chunky for bunjin or literati styling. But…It doesn’t have to be classified.

How can the tree be improved? It has a wicked trunk, one that likely once had branches in ideal places. Either way, the trees current state gives you options.

I like the direction you’re heading.

 

[TR8Driver]

You can call it whatever you want. Yes, it is a bit chunky for bunjin or literati styling. But…It doesn’t have to be classified.

How can the tree be improved? It has a wicked trunk, one that likely once had branches in ideal places. Either way, the trees current state gives you options.

I like the direction you’re heading.

Thanks!

Yes, it the branches were well-placed, they just got too long to be usable. I supposed I could have tried to graft back on them. However, I've never been able to get this tree really dense, so I think the new style might fit it better anyway.

-Darrell

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

Please take my comment with grain of salt but this is way too thick to be a nice bunjin or bunjin-gi style . One of the most important character of bunjin-gi style is little to no taper and elegant movement - somehow this don’t covet it yet especially the height being short for a bunjin-gi with thick trunk . But I love the trunk and wouldn’t try to enforce a style but look into growing branches properly with proper decandling or even grafting branches low .

 

[TR8Driver]

Abhishek, thanks for your comments!

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

If I wanted a more bunjin-feel I’d Jin the top branch and extend the left branch possibly curving it back upwards.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

You can make a nice bonsai out of this, and JRP are both uncommon, and often styled unconventionally.

 

[Ruddigger]

Don’t worry about how to categorize it, just make it look good.

 

[clem]

it isn't a literati, imo, but the bark and trunk line are very good ..
Using the right branches, you could, for example, create a dynamic "beaten by the wind" style (fukinagashi) or moyogi

 

[TR8Driver]

it isn't a literati, imo, but the bark and trunk line are very good ..
Using the right branches, you could, for example, create a dynamic "beaten by the wind" style (fukinagashi) or moyogi
View attachment 536904

Thanks Clem, defiantly something to consider!