Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Most of the trident maples here are now bare and the Japanese maples have now started to drop leaves too.
The first to get bare this year was one of my early attempts at a Japanese maple style Japanese maple. Sounds confusing? JM usually grow naturally with multiple rising trunks that then ramify and splay outward with the tips producing the foliage pads we normally associate with branches.
This early attempt has faults, at least in my eyes.
The main trunk was developed a bit too fast so has little taper. Even worse, allowing too many shoots to develop has resulted in some thickened spots - reverse taper.
It does, however have a powerful trunk base so until I can make something better I'll keep working with this one.
Next up is an ex bonsai. It is currently having a bonsai vacation after a fungal infection killed the lower branches and associated roots.
Proportions and ramification is still good. I've been treating the dead wood with lime sulphur to try to preserve it in the hope that the tree will grow over the scar. There has been some movement but without sealer progress is quite slow. Not sure whether to continue working on healing or to steer toward a part dead trunk or hollow trunk tree.
More to come as they receive autumn haircuts.
The first to get bare this year was one of my early attempts at a Japanese maple style Japanese maple. Sounds confusing? JM usually grow naturally with multiple rising trunks that then ramify and splay outward with the tips producing the foliage pads we normally associate with branches.
This early attempt has faults, at least in my eyes.
The main trunk was developed a bit too fast so has little taper. Even worse, allowing too many shoots to develop has resulted in some thickened spots - reverse taper.
It does, however have a powerful trunk base so until I can make something better I'll keep working with this one.
Next up is an ex bonsai. It is currently having a bonsai vacation after a fungal infection killed the lower branches and associated roots.
Proportions and ramification is still good. I've been treating the dead wood with lime sulphur to try to preserve it in the hope that the tree will grow over the scar. There has been some movement but without sealer progress is quite slow. Not sure whether to continue working on healing or to steer toward a part dead trunk or hollow trunk tree.
More to come as they receive autumn haircuts.