Developing a collected BC

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

I know these trees are popular, but I find them to be a real slog. They grow fast, but they don’t develop very quickly, for whatever reason, in my opinion, and seem to take forever to develop good branch structure. Because of that, they’re are not my favorite trees for bonsai. I have four, but that’s plenty for me - I’ll probably downsize by one soon. Personally, give me a good cedar elm or water elm any day - they develop so much faster. But I keep plugging away on these - I have hope that one day this’ll be nice.

Here’s the tree as I purchased it from the grower in 2011, just wired out.

Scott

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

August of 2012 - I’ve repotted it and I have lots of good growth.

Scott

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

Here it is in November of 2012 showing some fall color.

Scott

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

In winter of 2013, I repotted it again and wired out the whole thing. Looks OK, but very immature branch structure still. Long straight branches with no taper and no secondary branches close to the trunk. Still a long way to go. Not too surprising because it has only had branches a couple of years.

Scott

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

After another year of growing and wiring - this is the tree in February of 2014.

Is it better? Yes, a bit. But it has a really long way to go, I think. Branches look young and 2 dimensional.

Scott

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

Lots of work through 2015. Let it grow in spring, wire out and prune in early summer. Growth again and wiring/pruning in late summer. Then growth until fall. March vs November, 2015.

July work - pruning and wiring.

Fall colors starting to show.

Scott

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

Here’s the tree leafless after the 2015 growing season.

Better. But still underdeveloped branch structure. I think it was this year that I realized how long this was going to take.

Scott

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

April 2016, before and after spring work

Scott

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

December 2016, before and after cut back

Slowly, slowly getting better. But still a long way to go, I think.

Scott

BonsaiDawg · Feb 12, 2018

markyscott said:
I know these trees are popular, but I find them to be a real slog. They grow fast, but they don’t develop very quickly, for whatever reason, in my opinion, and seem to take forever to develop good branch structure. Because of that, they’re are not my favorite trees for bonsai. I have four, but that’s plenty for me - I’ll probably downsize by one soon. Personally, give me a good cedar elm or water elm any day - they develop so much faster. But I keep plugging away on these - I have hope that one day this’ll be nice.

Here’s the tree as I purchased it from the grower in 2011, just wired out.
View attachment 177632

Scott

Great post Scott. I can relate—BC branch structure dev is a real slog!

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

Today. Before and after cutback.

Better? Absolutely. Ready to show? Sorry, no. Maybe a couple more years.

Scott

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

And for fun - I was starting to get a bit tired of the oval glazed pot that it was in. It was feeling a bit too big and the walls were thin. I really liked the glaze though - it felt swampy. But I was ready for some new shoes. here are the choices:

#1 - Shallow cream oval

#2 - Dan Barton rectangle

#3 - Chinese Yi-Shing

Which one do you like?

Scott

Joe Dupre' · Feb 12, 2018

Something doesn't jive. Over six or so years, that tree should have some branches almost as thick as your thumb, especially in a warm climate like Houston. To get thicker branches, you need to let them run long..........like 3 to 4 +feet long..........and cut them back to build taper. Maybe a bigger, deeper pot would help until you get the branch structure you want.

Oh, nice trunk movement and nebari.

markyscott · Feb 12, 2018

Joe Dupre' said:
Something doesn't jive. Over six or so years, that tree should have some branches almost as thick as your thumb, especially in a warm climate like Houston. To get thicker branches, you need to let them run long..........like 3 to 4 feet long..........and cut them back to build taper.

Hi Joe. Of course you’re right. To get thicker branches they need to run. But that’s not my objective in this case. I’m happy with the size of the main branches. I’m looking for ramification and structure with good taper. That I find is a long path with bald cypress. But it’s slowly getting there.

Scott

Joe Dupre' · Feb 12, 2018

Scott, if you're happy with the size of the branches, you are almost home free. If you trim the new growth maybe 3 or more times a growing season, you should get fantastic ramification. The tree has a strong root system and can take almost all the trimming you can throw at it. Water and fertilize like crazy.

jeanluc83 · Feb 13, 2018

Great work!

Of the three pots you show I like #2 the best. I feel #1 is too shallow. The color of #3 is off and it is too busy for the tree.

thams · Feb 13, 2018

markyscott said:
And for fun - I was starting to get a bit tired of the oval glazed pot that it was in. It was feeling a bit too big and the walls were thin. I really liked the glaze though - it felt swampy.

I meant to ask - details on the glazed pot? It's an interesting glaze color combo that you don't see much.

markyscott · Feb 14, 2018

thams said:
I meant to ask - details on the glazed pot? It's an interesting glaze color combo that you don't see much.

I can’t give you details, but the potter can. It’s a glaze developed by local Houston potter Andy Sankowski. Here’s the web site. http://www.mossrockstudio.com

markyscott · Feb 14, 2018

jeanluc83 said:
Great work!

Of the three pots you show I like #2 the best. I feel #1 is too shallow. The color of #3 is off and it is too busy for the tree.

I ended up going with the Dan Barton pot.

Scott

Mellow Mullet · Feb 14, 2018

Great thread Scott, I ,too, struggle with branch development on BC. One thing I have noticed is that they are so atypically dominant, that the tree often seems to forget about the lower branches and focuses on the apex, trying to get taller. The branches at the apex grow almost twice as fast and thick at the apex if you let them.

I like pot #3 the best.

John

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