A shimpaku

Velodog2 · Sep 25, 2017

... Or something similar. I've been struggling with this damned thing for over ten years from a nursery tree. It's gone through many iterations, including a triple-trunk. Unlike needle junipers which seem easy to style, I just don't "get" scale junipers, and hate their tendency to develop Pom-Pom foliage at the ends of branches. But this is the closest to good it's looked. With my luck it will reward me now by dying.

The front branch and a few others are still weak from a persistent spider mite invasion this summer but it's starting to put out good growth and there should still be time left before dormancy. Like we always say, it looks better in real life, and in this case it's because the tree has a lot of depth as can be seen in the side pic below. Getting the apex up and back as much as it is now has been some of the work I've struggled with. Regardless, I have a tendency to make trees with excessively forward leaning apices anyway, especially shohin. I think I like the drama it adds when viewed from the front.

The pic below was the tree this year before working on it. Every year I've dragged it back to the workshop and whacked and bent until giving up again, then trying again the next year. This time I took this pic and did some virtuals in Paint that helped a lot. I think the second apex is still a bit of a problem with the way it disturbs the overall profile without adding anything. It looks like a rat trying to escape, with too much movement to the right compared to the fairly static main apex. There's always next year.

Vance Wood · Sep 25, 2017

Velodog2 said:
... Or something similar. I've been struggling with this damned thing for over ten years from a nursery tree. It's gone through many iterations, including a triple-trunk. Unlike needle junipers which seem easy to style, I just don't "get" scale junipers, and hate their tendency to develop Pom-Pom foliage at the ends of branches. But this is the closest to good it's looked. With my luck it will reward me now by dying.

View attachment 161989

The front branch and a few others are still weak from a persistent spider mite invasion this summer but it's starting to put out good growth and there should still be time left before dormancy. Like we always say, it looks better in real life, and in this case it's because the tree has a lot of depth as can be seen in the side pic below. Getting the apex up and back as much as it is now has been some of the work I've struggled with. Regardless, I have a tendency to make trees with excessively forward leaning apices anyway, especially shohin. I think I like the drama it adds when viewed from the front.

View attachment 161988

The pic below was the tree this year before working on it. Every year I've dragged it back to the workshop and whacked and bent until giving up again, then trying again the next year. This time I took this pic and did some virtuals in Paint that helped a lot. I think the second apex is still a bit of a problem with the way it disturbs the overall profile without adding anything. It looks like a rat trying to escape, with too much movement to the right compared to the fairly static main apex. There's always next year.

View attachment 161987

This has been a very bad year for Spider mites. Try to keep on top of them the little beasties can decimate a tree in a hurry. I think you have done a great job on this tree, there is no reason it should die.

Velodog2 · Sep 25, 2017

Vance Wood said:
there is no reason it should die.

Don't forget spite!

Thanks tho.

Bonsai toto · Sep 25, 2017

Velodog2 said:
... Or something similar. I've been struggling with this damned thing for over ten years from a nursery tree. It's gone through many iterations, including a triple-trunk. Unlike needle junipers which seem easy to style, I just don't "get" scale junipers, and hate their tendency to develop Pom-Pom foliage at the ends of branches. But this is the closest to good it's looked. With my luck it will reward me now by dying.

View attachment 161989

The front branch and a few others are still weak from a persistent spider mite invasion this summer but it's starting to put out good growth and there should still be time left before dormancy. Like we always say, it looks better in real life, and in this case it's because the tree has a lot of depth as can be seen in the side pic below. Getting the apex up and back as much as it is now has been some of the work I've struggled with. Regardless, I have a tendency to make trees with excessively forward leaning apices anyway, especially shohin. I think I like the drama it adds when viewed from the front.

View attachment 161988

The pic below was the tree this year before working on it. Every year I've dragged it back to the workshop and whacked and bent until giving up again, then trying again the next year. This time I took this pic and did some virtuals in Paint that helped a lot. I think the second apex is still a bit of a problem with the way it disturbs the overall profile without adding anything. It looks like a rat trying to escape, with too much movement to the right compared to the fairly static main apex. There's always next year.

View attachment 161987

lovely tree.

herzausstahl · Oct 8, 2017

Keep us updated! If in 10'years I could have a tree like this I'd be thrilled so don't underestimate yourself!

Eric Group · Oct 8, 2017

Velodog2 said:
... Or something similar. I've been struggling with this damned thing for over ten years from a nursery tree. It's gone through many iterations, including a triple-trunk. Unlike needle junipers which seem easy to style, I just don't "get" scale junipers, and hate their tendency to develop Pom-Pom foliage at the ends of branches. But this is the closest to good it's looked. With my luck it will reward me now by dying.

View attachment 161989

The front branch and a few others are still weak from a persistent spider mite invasion this summer but it's starting to put out good growth and there should still be time left before dormancy. Like we always say, it looks better in real life, and in this case it's because the tree has a lot of depth as can be seen in the side pic below. Getting the apex up and back as much as it is now has been some of the work I've struggled with. Regardless, I have a tendency to make trees with excessively forward leaning apices anyway, especially shohin. I think I like the drama it adds when viewed from the front.

View attachment 161988

The pic below was the tree this year before working on it. Every year I've dragged it back to the workshop and whacked and bent until giving up again, then trying again the next year. This time I took this pic and did some virtuals in Paint that helped a lot. I think the second apex is still a bit of a problem with the way it disturbs the overall profile without adding anything. It looks like a rat trying to escape, with too much movement to the right compared to the fairly static main apex. There's always next year.

View attachment 161987

My only comment regarding when you worked on this tree is- I don't think it was quite to the "thriving" state you want a Shimpaku to be prior to styling. It was ok, but when they are happy, they start shooting spikes of growth off those pads that extend into ropes. I barely see any thi protruding from the pads I would call significant growth. People seem to want to "pic" and "pinch" at their Shimpaku to remove all that growth before it extends and "ruins" the outline, but in my experience they NEED to get that kind of growth going be tween styles or they start to lag and get weak. A weak Shimpaku is twice a shot likely to get a Spider Mite attack and more likely to die from it than a really strong tree in my experience...

Beyond that- you have a very nice overall image developing in that first pic. I feel it were mine I would consider removing the lower trunk, making a shortened Jin out of it and working with the main trunk but that is jut my opinion.

Velodog2 · Oct 8, 2017

Thanks. You're mostly right Eric about its condition and that's one of the reasons I have no love for these plants. I can't seem to get them to thrive generally. They seem to do ok for a while, but I can't get them to stay healthy. It may be a clue that the ones in nursery pots with little potential that I neglect tend to do better. I may be keeping them too wet which is a tendency I have. I'm also guilty of pinching off the spikes, which doesn't happen on the neglected ones. This one has been growing better the past month or so and I will try my best to leave this alone now for the next year.

I've been tempted, alternately, to remove the second trunk or remove the left branch. But I like the movement in the lower third to the right and the opposing shari so I will keep the trunk for now. I need to work on integrating their canopies better.

Brian Van Fleet · Oct 8, 2017

This is a nice tree @Velodog2 and definitely worth the effort. If you tend to overwater, increase the pumice in your soil. Also, 100% full sun and regular feeding for Shimpaku.

Velodog2 · Oct 8, 2017

Thank you Brian. Now that the design is starting to finally come together a bit and I'm beginning to have some hope I will like the result as I half-jokingly said it will probably die. But really it probably will not die and perhaps I will instead give it some better care, helped by everyone's advice, which is always appreciated.

Velodog2 · Sep 1, 2020

This tree grew very well the past few years.

it’s time for a new, more dynamic front.

And a full rewiring.

The right side still needs a bit of work yet. Probably a round pot will ensue when transplanting time comes, and maybe slight adjustments to planting angle. I think the tree is starting to come into it’s own. It’s been interesting to see how the growth of the tree resulting from past work has made it’s current state possible, and further development and refinements will come. At the moment I would like the upper left side to be brought in a bit accentuating the apex movement to the right. What do you think?

Brian Van Fleet · Sep 1, 2020

I like the movement you got in the small branches. I don’t love the way the first branch on the left trunk crosses over. I love twin trunk trees, but wonder if this would be better as a single trunk, and that would create room to move that first right branch back to the right.

sorce · Sep 2, 2020

I think it will conflict with that trunk Jin then. That trunk Jin is necessary IMo. Real nice.

Makes me wanna just cut that branch off.

Why is it sooooo white!?

How's stand building?

Sorce

Velodog2 · Sep 2, 2020

The trunk jins/sharis are dirty but I’m with Sorce - the lower third is my fave part of the tree for them and the interaction of the trunks. Why don’t you like the second trunk Brian?

That descending branch is a problem that’s gotten away from me. It nearly died when the tree wasn’t growing well and now there is only foliage at the end. It’s become like the arm you don’t know what to do with when cuddling in bed and I'm inclined to just keep part of it as jin. It would be difficult to use as a conventional right branch if I got rid of the second trunk as it couldn’t be integrated without a lot of bending, and there maybe isn’t enough foliage there for it to work. On the plus side it continues the diagonal movement of the trunks up the tree and if nothing else adds ‘character’ lol. And it’s so ‘white’ because it sticks out and catches the light!

I’m thinking the best course is to bring the second trunk even further toward the left than I have already to make the upper part function as a right branch better than it does now. Then if/when I get rid of that problem branch there won’t be a hole left.

I traveled a lot for work last winter and didn’t do much stand building. But I’m 1/2 done w a really big, low platform that will be good for a slab planting or even multiple smaller display elements. I will need to sell it as it’s too big for any display area I have.

Mayank · Sep 2, 2020

All really good points by people. I just wanted to say for whatever reason this tree just speaks to me in all the different positions. The old front was lovely too. Please keep posting updates. Maybe a different pot?

Brian Van Fleet · Sep 2, 2020

Velodog2 said:
Why don’t you like the second trunk Brian?

I believe it takes away from the dynamic left trunk, and its dynamic branches. the right trunk leads your eye away from the left. In the west, we read from left to right and its difficult to overcome that tendency.
Do the stick figures trick and see:

bad virt:

just.wing.it · Sep 3, 2020

I agree with BVF. Jin that short.....would be my move.

Velodog2 · Sep 4, 2020

Thanks for the virts Brian, and you are right about the main trunk being more predominant wo the second and right branch distracting, and it looks better overall than I’d imagined. If I wanted to go more in a literati trunk-dominant direction I might use this front instead (if you can sort out the trunk line thru the branches).

I went ahead w moving the second trunk in and pulled its apex even more left. It integrates with rest of the tree and even the descending branch better now and feels right, although the branches probably need more adjustment now.

Overall the tree feels very dynamic and energetic which is exactly what I usually go for, with a sort of vortex feel. The descending branch adds to that even though it takes away from the trunk. I’m happy for now and the tree is tired. Where it is now is a huge step change I think. Next step besides cleaning the deadwood will be a flared side round pot at some point I think, then reevaluate again in the next go-round and maybe change direction.

A shimpaku

Velodog2

Chumono

Vance Wood

Lord Mugo

Velodog2

Chumono

Bonsai toto

Mame

herzausstahl

Chumono

Eric Group

Masterpiece

Velodog2

Chumono

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy

Velodog2

Chumono

Velodog2

Chumono

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy

sorce

Nonsense Rascal

Velodog2

Chumono

Mayank

Chumono

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head

Velodog2

Chumono

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