Blue Atlas Cedar

JudyB

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Here's my blue atlas cedar with all it's new needles puffing out for the year. I'm starting to see a future for this tree, too bad the graft will always be an issue. I think the back may be the new front eventually. It's filling out nicely, time to start to find a real direction for it. I've been working on getting it to go back to the left instead of just being a curved trunk.

I just love the new needles.
 

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JudyB

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And a shot of it a few years ago, they are slow...
but worth the wait I think.
 

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october

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Finally..A blue atlas cedar that is a good bonsai candidate..:D.. I have learned that these trees tend to be good bonsai cadidates or they are not. Most are tall, have thin trunks in propotion to their height, have branches that have no taper and are incredibly far apart. The amount of work needed to make a bad candidate may and sometimes will kill the tree before it is finished training.

This is a nice tree with great potential. Lots of low growth, decent proportions and great health..
 

JudyB

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Thanks october, that's what I thought when I happened upon it. And it is super healthy, must be doing something right...
My only quibble is the graft near the base, hopefully it'll look better as it grows.
I am still not sure which is the front.... pic 2 is it for now, but it could easily wind up being pic 3.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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My first favorite bonsai was a blue atlas cedar in the Sunset Bonsai book, my first bonsai book.
Always wanted to do one, but never have...will be watching this one........
 

sunnspot

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Seeing a beautiful blue atlas cedar bonsai at the seattle flower and garden show was the catalyst for me! I saw that and I was hooked! BUT! I cannot keep them alive. I think the roots rot in the winter. We get so much rain here, and some cold too. I even tried it in medium with no soil and still killed em. Maybe if I move away from soggy western washington I will try again. Your tree looks very happy.

I also have been bothered about grafts, I have not seen any that are not grafted.....

I WONDER, can they be air layered in order to have an ungrafted trunk?????????
 

JudyB

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Mike, it's about a 2" base, and trunk is almost 1.5" which looses about .25" at the graft. It's 14" tall.

I've always loved them too Brian, but they seem to be few.

I have wondered the same thing about air layering, but as it's a cedar, I think it would take a long time, and be rather risky.

If anyone has any tips or suggestions, I'm open to them...
 

fore

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Jim Gremel sells both Blue and Green Atlas Cedars from seed. Not cheap, but he's got some nice ones.
 

october

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lol.. oh ya..almost forgot about the awful grafts on these things..Just add that to my earlier list of things aesthetically displeasing with this species...:D. Yours looks pretty good though.

Rob
 

JudyB

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Update on this tree. I got in there and did some thinning, and wired the entire tree more upright. ( It always looked like it had bad posture....:p)

What remains to be decided, is the front. I like the current front, but the back also holds some interest, although I'd have to start wiring on that side if so. The graft in the back is even worse than the front however, so that is a drawback.

Also do the lower branches stay or go? I did loose the lower left, but fear the eye will go even more to the graft if I get rid of more low branches. But maybe it'll take the eye away from there. Can't glue em back, so wanted to get some input first.
My gut says to loose the lower three branches. I also am considering hollowing out the graft to create a uro, just where it bulges up. If this can be successful, then I may have a solution. Is there any drawback to hollowing out near or at a graft?

I'm up for any input or advice that anyone would give.
Thanks!

(front, front graft, back, back graft)
 

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grouper52

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Much better thinned out, and I agree about the lower branches. Nice potential, Judy.

I've heard they can be temperamental, but I've had good luck with the one I brought back in my luggage to the NW rainforest here from Las Vegas or some such desert climate years ago. (posted elsewhere).

I even did the drastic "hollowing out the heartwood with a die grinder and then imposing a 60 degree bend" thingy (need better name for that technique!), and it never missed a beat, so I don't see why some uro work at the base would upset it. I'd go for it.
 

JudyB

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alrighty then, I'll give it a go, and repost after if I don't cut it in half!!!:eek:
 

Ron Dennis

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Jim Gremel sells both Blue and Green Atlas Cedars from seed. Not cheap, but he's got some nice ones.

Yes, his are nice but "not cheap" does not describe the situation. Out of my range would be more accurate.
 

JudyB

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Thanks Brian.

Well I did the deed. Here are photos. I already like it better, once it begins to scab, it'll look a lot more natural I think. Wound up only taking the lowest 2 branches, but what a difference!

It was strange cutting into that grafted portion, I've never seen a pink cambium layer. What is up with that??? It was flesh pink, and really soft... weird.
 

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TheSteve

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Looking at the last picture... would it be possible to rotate the apex to the left just a hair? Okay, maybe two hairs just to enhance the center of gravity?

Great job with it thus far. It's going to be good.
 

tmmason10

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Judy looks good, but there's something about the apex that doesn't seem quite right. I am thinking it may need to be shortened just like 2-3 inches to the next branch. Just a thought, Though the balance may look better when the branches grow out a bit more.
 

JudyB

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Steve and Tom,
I do agree that its a bit off balance with the lean. That's the most I could move it to the left at one time. I think that the branches growing out on the left side will help alleviate that somewhat, as well as shortening the apex, which will most certainly help. Thanks for the kind remarks!
J
 

GerhardG

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Hi Judy

Very nice tree!

I got some seeds 2 years ago but had no luck, that's one species I wanted badly....
All but done with bonsai for now and maybe forever, but your tree makes me hope I can give it a go again someday.

Any idea when it'll turn blue? LOL :)
 
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