Dwarf Japanese Zelkova

JudyB

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This is a tree made by the Late Anne Spencer. She made it from a cutting off the parent tree in 06. When I bought it, I was sent along a wonderful handwritten record of this tree's history. It made the tree even more special. Apparently these Dwarf Zelkova were introduced to the US by William Valavanis. This tree had not been pruned for some time, and was pretty overgrown, to the point that the buds and branches were almost coating the trunks like barnacles. I for some reason don't have pics from when I got it. I repotted this fall, into a smaller Chuck Iker pot.
Here are some pics after the repot, but before cutting back
 

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JudyB

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I spent 3 hours (!) clipping and cutting on this tree. Who knew such a small tree could take so much time! Makes me have a lot of respect for those who do Shohin, and Mame so well...

Anyway, here are shots of all the angles. I think I like 1&2, but the roots may be a problem as they come straight toward that front. Maybe something can be done, maybe take the center one out, and move the left one over...
Comments and suggestions welcome as always.
Thanks for looking!
 

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Poink88

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A very challenging tree.

I honestly do not know how to proceed with this. Good luck!
 

Adair M

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Judy,
You have an interesting project. A question, why did you repot in fall? I would have waited until spring. Just before the buds move. And, I would have used a smaller particle size than what what I see.

With my regular broom zelkova, it had been airlayered, so the bottom of the trunk was flat, so I screwed it to a piece of plywood. (Up from the bottom into the trunk.) Once the trunk was secured onto the plywood, I was able to move the radial roots where I wanted, and I used screws to direct the roots to go where I wanted. (Nails work, too.) I didn't penetrate the roots with the screws, just pushed the root where I wanted it to go, then inserted a screw next to it.

If you can chop your tap root straight across (if you have one) you can fix your roots.

As for style, you've got quite a challenge ahead of you.

Best wishes!
 

october

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Hi Judy,
Have you thought about raft style. If you turned this tree on it's side just a little, you have kind of a raft style. Either that or cutting it down and leaving the thickest trunk and creating a one trunk tree design.

Rob
 

JudyB

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Thanks for all the ideas.:D
Adair, the pot was cracked, and it needed to be repotted, and also repotting for D trees is usually fine in fall. Especially healthy trees. And believe me, this one had a lot of new growth. You are probably right about the grain size, I may do some mixing of a smaller grain with this...

Ok, so you can all think I'm nuts, but I actually like the form of this tree as it is, with the exception of needing better branching, and thickening the skinny trunk on the right (or cutting it off). Have you never seen a multi trunk or clump style tree? I've seen old broken down trees that have had this form. Perhaps everyone is thinking "zelkova" and it needs to be styled as such.

The leaves on this are so very small, it's hard to believe. And the trunks are like chubby little fingers.

I guess it's a good thing that I'm the only one who has to like it.... But I really do.:)
 

edprocoat

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Judy, I love that tree. If it were mine I would use the second picture in the series after the trimming as the front. I would lean it back to the left a little more and wire that small trunk to the right back in towards the tree sharply and then up and then back to the tree again. Its screaming windswept clump from that angle to me. I would not consider removing those roots they look too natural, they look like a tree that has been nearly blown over and held up just by the will of those front roots.

ed
 

davetree

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I think this a very neat little tree. I love small elms. Shorten the long skinny branch by half and you have the start of a nice clump. The roots are easy to move. Time will make this very interesting and a very good bonsai.
 

JudyB

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Thanks ed and dave,
the only reason the skinny trunk is so tall at this point is to let it take the energy, and fatten it up. I'll let that one grow wild, while the others get pinched. I'll work on the roots next time round, probably let it go for a year.

I'm really not disrespecting any of the advice given, but am surprised that so few see the charm of this tree. I guess it really is a personal taste....
but that's ok too!:rolleyes:
 

Dan W.

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I love this little Zelkova Judy. It reminds me of some old Boxelders growing in a state park near where I live. The park is like a little oasis in the middle of nowhere; an awesome little red canyon that you would never expect to be there. :) I'm leaning toward the clump or raft style's...there is a ton of character already there to work with.
 

october

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Hi Judy.. Nothing wrong with keeping this tree as is if you like it. Actually, this is kind of on the lines of penjing, not bonsai. Maybe you could pick out a very ornate pot to go with this tree. Might be fun to be able to branch out with pot selection. Seeing as how bonsai aesthetic principles tend to stay away from hightly ornate or decorative pots..This could be a real unique item in your collection.

Rob
 

Martin Sweeney

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JudyB,

I like the tree. It is an interesting species as well as an interesting specimen, especially knowing the provenance. Views #1,2 and 3 look pretty good. As you can see the actual tree and have proven yourself to be an well above average designer, I am sure you will pick the best view.

I do not particularly like or appreciate the straight central trunk. I am sure it is old and represents many years of growth, but I think the tree might be better without it. Maybe you could cut it back substantially shorter if the tree needs to have branch structure in that area.

Regards,
Martin
 

crust

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Miss Judy,
I like this approach. I prefer #3 and like the quirky little truck on the left. This tree looks like a seiju elm to me--with its characteristics anyways. I've had a couple and blabbed with Lenz about how he grows them. My understanding is once your form has grown to the point where you want to slow it down and do branch training you get it in fine deciduous soil,loose wire branches to direct them, keep after the zealous budding and clean the crotches and trucks of unwanted little branches, root prune anything growing down under the trunk. I think most people let these things get too rank before they control them. I have found the branches really brittle Is that the case with this one?
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Interesting little tree. Something makes me want to remove that center leader...from every angle.
 

JudyB

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I did a little wiring on the skinny branch and did shake the large particle loose soil off the top, and replaced with fine particle. Photos tomorrow of the change, I think it's significant. Everything you do to a small tree seems far more so than with a larger tree, something I'm learning as I go. I think the idea of a more interesting pot maybe something to look at. Never thought that direction, as I thought small trees were more easily overwhelmed.

Crust, The smaller branches seem pretty flexi, but don't know about the larger ones.
The thing about keeping the crotches clean is really relevant, that's why I said the tree was like a barnacle encrusted boat. Too long let go. Thanks for the lenz tips, always gold. And slowing down is why I went smaller with the pot, it's too rambunctious right now.

Martin, good to see that someone knows the background. She did some really nice under the radar stuff.

And October and Martin, I'll take a hard look at the photos again, the trunk that bothers me is the one out the back left, that is straight out from the frontish veiw.

And thanks Dan, special places... I have many.

A wired photo tomorrow....
Thanks all!
 

JudyB

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Here it is wired, with a slight angle for the front. This is the front that is the most attractive for the branching as it currently is. I did take a look at bending the central trunk, but it's too rigid to move. I am interested in maybe shortening the that trunk, but the most interesting part is the bendy part at the top.
I also noticed that it's very difficult to see all the twists and turns from these 2d photos, and that's part of what you are missing here. So I took an arial view, still doesn't show it all...
At any rate, I think this is better... I'll try to virt the center trunk shorter.
 

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JudyB

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Here is a really bad crop of the central trunk cut by 1/2. Hmmm, although I'm not sure I like it as is, I don't like this either.
Suggestions?
 

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mcpesq817

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Nice. It's always hard to suggest major styling changes based on a 2D picture, but have you considered cutting out the middle trunk completely, tilting the tree to the right, and using one or both small subtrunks on the right, coming up with a double or triple trunk composition?
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Nice. It's always hard to suggest major styling changes based on a 2D picture, but have you considered cutting out the middle trunk completely, tilting the tree to the right, and using one or both small subtrunks on the right, coming up with a double or triple trunk composition?

Yup...using both small trunks into a nice little triple-trunk clump.
Say that 3x fast!
 
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