Trident Maple suggestions?

michaelsk

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Hello, I'm new to Bonsai Nut, Just thought i would post some picks of my trident maple and ask for some constructive criticism, what does everyone think? what do i need to do to improve this tree?

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G3ON5IA_GUY

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Happy bonsai? The lower branch is bothering me and needs work. Other than that it's kinda hard to get a good 360 view of the tree, the 2nd and 3rd pictures would be better if taken level like the 1st and 4th pictures and from the two remaining sides. Makes it difficult to view. Thats my 2 cents
 
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bonsai barry

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The trunk seems to have good taper and movement. But there seems to be a (back?) branch that competes with the apex. Is that upperward bending branch necessary? This tree should give you a lot of enjoyment as you refine it.
 

michaelsk

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Happy bonsai? The lower branch is bothering me and needs work. Other than that it's kinda hard to get a good 360 view of the tree, the 2nd and 3rd pictures would be better if taken level like the 1st and 4th pictures and from the two remaining sides. Makes it difficult to view. Thats my 2 cents

Yes it is from happy bonsai, i will have to retake some pictures, that bottom branch is kind of questionable?
 

G3ON5IA_GUY

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Yes it is from happy bonsai, i will have to retake some pictures, that bottom branch is kind of questionable?

Are you happy with your purchase? Would you recommend? I've considered buying a tree from them if I happen to see the perfect one pop-up.
 

milehigh_7

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Do a search for threads started by "Smoke" in the Maple section and you will find a bunch of examples of how to move forward.

BTW: Welcome to the Nut House!
 

dan kone

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yes that first branch is very bothersome, i don't like the abrupt end on it and it is very straight.
 

Redwood Ryan

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Personally, I would air layer off that first thick branch. It just seems so unnatural.
 

michaelsk

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This is my goal, i noticed in this picture there is a branch horizontal to the right side as well?
 

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Smoke

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This is my goal, i noticed in this picture there is a branch horizontal to the right side as well?

Well if that is your goal, I wouldn't aim for that , starting with this. This tree has none of the attributes necessary for converting what you have into the maple by Walter Pall. The amount of work needed to get even close would be better served on a piece of even smaller material in the ground with a more sweeping trunk line, and better flare. Forget branches those can be added in the last few years and then ramified in three to four.
 

rockm

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Happy Bonsai is located in Hong Kong. Their website does not list ANY quarantine procedures and ships DIRECTLY from China to the receiver from what their web site says--which is an apparent violation of US law.

China has been a proven vector of Asian Longhorn beetle--which is a horribly invasive and destructive pest. Bonsai chinese elm and trident maple have been proven to harbor this species of beetle. LEGAL shipments of bonsai elm have been destroyed as a result of the pests' discovery in them.

I would be extremely hesitant about importing trees from this source. I'd also do some research about the legal ramifications of receiving illegally imported items BEFORE using them...
 

michaelsk

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i did not know that, i've only been in bonsai for about three years, and i always see on bonsai nursery sites and you tube talking about imports from Japan and China and how proud they are about these imports, why are they importing? what do i do now? and where can i buy bonsai in the future?
 

michaelsk

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Well if that is your goal, I wouldn't aim for that , starting with this. This tree has none of the attributes necessary for converting what you have into the maple by Walter Pall. The amount of work needed to get even close would be better served on a piece of even smaller material in the ground with a more sweeping trunk line, and better flare. Forget branches those can be added in the last few years and then ramified in three to four.

what would you suggest?
 

milehigh_7

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My question for Smoke or one of the other trident gurus is, "How far down can you chop a trident safely?"
 

rockm

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"i did not know that, i've only been in bonsai for about three years, and i always see on bonsai nursery sites and you tube talking about imports from Japan and China and how proud they are about these imports, why are they importing? what do i do now? and where can i buy bonsai in the future?"

The imports that are being talked about have been imported legally, meeting sanitary inspection. Trees are either held in their country of origin in in quarrantine for two years before being shipped to the U.S., or are shipped to designated facilities in the U.S. where they are held for two years (exact quarrantine times vary species to species, with pines being the more stringent, but this is a rule of thumb). In the process, the trees are usually barerooted (stripped of native soil, fumigated and replanted in new soil) prior to shipping. This entire process is not cheap and adds to the cost of the tree.

This seller is taking advantage of ignorance of importation law. I know people have asked this particular shipper about quarrantine etc. She has simply ignored the issue.

You can do nothing about it now. Hopefully nothing came in on your plant--chinese imports have been particularly problematic with pest infestations....

There are dozens of American growers of quality material. It takes a bit of looking around on the web to find the ones closest to you. Evergreengardenworks.com, Internationalbonsai.com, Brussels are some that spring to mind. The links page on this site offers more
 
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milehigh_7

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Take this with a grain of salt I just want to see if others agree.

If this were mine, I would study this thread:
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3149

This may seem crazy but I would chop at the green line and build some girth at the base so you can get better taper in the trunk. Then after satisfied with that, then I would grow branches.
 

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grog

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Some of the branching needs cut back and regrown but the trunk looks interesting and I think it would be a shame to cut the whole thing off.
 

michaelsk

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Thanks for all the input, i'm not trying to win a best of show, or even enter in any kind of contest. Just want an old bonsai tree to enjoy.
 
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