Japanese Larch

Last weekend our Connecticut study group had our teacher Boon out for the weekend to help with Fall work. One of the trees that I worked on was my Japanese Larch. This tree was grown by a student of Boon's from a seedling for 20 years, and then it made its way out to the east coast when John Kirby bought it. I got it from him, and have had it for a little more than a year. It's around 30 years old now. I'm planning on submitting it into the National Show this year, and Boon, Kirby and I were planning out the display. We have a show pot to put it in, a dark blue antique pot, I'm commissioning a stand from Austin Heitzman, and I'm trying to think of accents for a 3 point display. Some possible ideas are a cranberry kusamono, a wetland grass in a suibon with water, a bronze moose, or a couple bronze turkeys. Boon jokingly told me I should display it with a can of cranberry sauce and offer samples for people walking by. Not so sure about that idea

The first picture is after Boon and I pruned it in the spring. After that we let it grow the entire growing season. The second picture was taken over the summer in June or July. It grew out much more after that too. The last 3 pics were from this weekend. My plan is to detail wire it in March before it starts to pop. If all goes well, I'm going to submit the tree to the National Show.

Nice tree. Hope she does good.

Yes it's nice! Wondering if it's just the photo angle, or if the top branching is really that heavy? In the photos, it seems a bit top heavy...

It is a very nice tree! My initial thoughts were along the lines as Judy, but who am I to question Boon. There must be a reason behind the heaviness. A cranberry kusamono sounds like a great idea; especially if it has some berries on it (I know nothing about cranberries).

Thanks for the comments! It is a little heavy on the top, and will be corrected after showing it!

Cranberry berries would be nice and red by the time of the National show, but I haven't seen them as an accent before. I'm sure its been done!

Well aged tree. Respect for the development. It shows that bonsai is a team sport. You get the training before, you get a coach and someone to finish it. We should all develop a few for the next generation.

dirk hoorelbeke said:

We should all develop a few for the next generation.

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I totally agree, although many people call me the next generation since I'm 23

Growing trees from seed is not only good for the next generation, but good for small investments if you're smart about it.

Being able to select is a gift you have to learn.

Nice tree! I really like Larch, but I think we are too far South to grow them here!

Japanese larch doesn't have as much need for a very cold dormancy as American larch. You might be able to do J. Larch where you are.

nice tree, I like that first branch! beefy!
Also what work was just recently done on it? some wiring it looks like? any pruning?

The Moose or the Turkeys. Wonderful Larch.

Update

I spent the last two Saturday's wiring this tree out at my friend John Kirby's house, where the tree currently lives.

It will get repotted with Boon next month into a fantastic older tokonome pot that I bought from Daisaku Nomoto in January at the BIB show. The pot looks incredibly like an antique Chinese pot.

Nice!

Please tell JK I am still being a pirate!

I really like the new pot!

Sorce

I do like the tree Andrew, but I do not think that it is ready for the national show. Of course I'm not deciding this, but it seems rather undeveloped for that venue to me. Tell Kirby I said hi.

Judy,

I should have mentioned, I decided not to submit it. Things changed recently for me, this tree will be moving with me to Portland, Oregon where I will be starting a bonsai apprenticeship. I unfortunately won't be able to attend the National Show this year, I'll be too busy studying bonsai (and short on money because of that endeavor).

Congrats on the apprenticeship Andrew. Hope you will have time to fill us in on how it goes as you are there. Care to say who you will be studying with?

nice tree, have you ever considered removing those right bottom branches and shortening the left bottom one?
enjoy the apprenticeship!

mattspiniken said:

Congrats on the apprenticeship Andrew. Hope you will have time to fill us in on how it goes as you are there. Care to say who you will be studying with?

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I'm waiting for him to make an announcement first, but I will share as soon as I can!