grouper52
Masterpiece
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
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