Ponderosa - with "Knees"

grouper52

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On a collecting trip in Wyoming with Dan Robinson a few years back I found this Pondy with an interesting root formation somewhat reminiscent of a bald cypress knee. The first photo was taken a year after collection, and it survived that potting and later repotting as well.

The second photo shows the results of my initial styling today. Since the tree is fairly small - about 14" tall - and since Ponderosa needles don't shorten much like other pines, the congested quality of the tree's current configuration is pretty evident in the photo, and needs more work.

Of course those roots things are the tree's focal point, and the left-sided branching is designed to frame and accent that, and does it fairly well so far - but the entire right side merely detracts from that, and has to go. The tree should then be simpler and hang together better.

I will fertilize and pamper it to let the tree recover for a season, and next winter I will remove the right side if the left side is vibrant and vigorous.

Enjoy
 

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JudyB

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I will remove the right side if the left side is vibrant and vigorous.

Enjoy

Do you mean the whole large right branch? So the remaining would be the recurved branch over the root? I really like that idea. Would you think of putting it in a primitive pot, with an echo of that curve around the whole right side? mmmmm.
 

grouper52

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Something along these lines. Maybe run the new, main jin off that right trunk down the main trunk as well. And yes, a much more approp pot!
 

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Brian Van Fleet

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Whatever you do, no doubt it will be good and very natural...but, I'm not seeing your vision for this. The root and trunk moving toward one another is conflicting.

Looking back at photos from collecting Pondys, when they displayed knees naturally, they always moved in the same direction...a strong wind pushes a tree to the right, exposing roots on the left side, which eventually harden off.

The trick here is that the left trunk has better taper and movement, so removing the right makes sense, good thing pondys are flexible; the options are limitless. Looking forward to seeing this one develop.
 

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