Copper Beech

fredman

Masterpiece
Messages
2,706
Reaction score
3,687
Location
Wellington New Zealand
USDA Zone
8
I bought this tree from a nursery 6 years ago, and made two layers on it.
Screenshot_20200613-203301.pngScreenshot_20200613-202908.png
I planned to throw away the bottom (there was no branches below. I took for granted, it'll die off).
I never got to the throwing away bit. It's been standing at the back ever since. To my surprise a few months ago I saw it's been growing quite powerful branches and now I want to make something from it.
IMG_20200614_155821.jpgIMG_20200614_154623.jpg
I'll appreciate your input about what you think and see for it. I seeing a natural broom in there...?
IMG_20200614_155848~2.jpg
 

Potawatomi13

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,168
Reaction score
4,403
Location
Eugene, OR
USDA Zone
8
Cannot see where anyone sees boring broom in anything but floor sweeper. See where roots set best on surface. Trunk likely will not sit straight up anymore. Develop informal upright or slant from that set angle;).
 
Last edited:

fredman

Masterpiece
Messages
2,706
Reaction score
3,687
Location
Wellington New Zealand
USDA Zone
8
Cannot see where anyone sees boring broom in anything but floor sweeper. See where roots set best on surface. Trunk likely will not sit straight up anymore. Develop informal upright or slant from that set angle;).
Yeah you're right...about the roots at least :D
I dug some, but can't see much. It does flare some. I'll have to wait till later in winter to remove all so I can see what's going on down there. Winter is only starting here now.
First thing I saw was broom. Nothing boring to me about a well ramified broom..but informal will do to. Will see.
 

Forsoothe!

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,878
Reaction score
9,248
Location
Michigan
USDA Zone
6b
This illustrates what I hate most about chops: six years in and still a long, long way from real bonsai. It's a personal choice that people make, but far too many don't have the fire in their belly to go the distance. I am what I consider a long-haul kind of guy, but give me a smaller tree to start with and I'll grow it as slowly or speedily as the species goes and be happy with a pretty nice looking tree for most of the process. To each their own, but newbees who bite off this sort of project are not good candidates for this even if they are sure that they will still be in the game 20 years hence. Every tree is subject to death by misadventure over the 7,300 days and putting off the fun part for that long is not endearing to most souls. Even if you say, "I enjoy the process...", you enjoy being able to have a nice tree while enjoying the process, too.
 

fredman

Masterpiece
Messages
2,706
Reaction score
3,687
Location
Wellington New Zealand
USDA Zone
8
This illustrates what I hate most about chops: six years in and still a long, long way from real bonsai. It's a personal choice that people make, but far too many don't have the fire in their belly to go the distance. I am what I consider a long-haul kind of guy, but give me a smaller tree to start with and I'll grow it as slowly or speedily as the species goes and be happy with a pretty nice looking tree for most of the process. To each their own, but newbees who bite off this sort of project are not good candidates for this even if they are sure that they will still be in the game 20 years hence. Every tree is subject to death by misadventure over the 7,300 days and putting off the fun part for that long is not endearing to most souls. Even if you say, "I enjoy the process...", you enjoy being able to have a nice tree while enjoying the process, too.
Ah mate i'm in it for life. For me it really is a process and i'm loving exactly that. I'm a full blown Dendrophile. I love trees more than people...period.
I just do it for the love of it. I'm not artistically inclined at all...nor am I a visualizer. I just love trees. Don't belong to a club. Hell, I don't even know another person doing bonsai. Everything I know, I learnt right here. Did I say I love trees....? 😂
That's why I saw a broom in this. I always think naturalistic first...boring maybe to some, but not to me.
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,937
Reaction score
26,872
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
Nice work. Congrats on 2 succesfull layers in one go, and having the rootstock branchs out.

This illustrates what I hate most about chops: six years in and still a long, long way from real bonsai.

Sorry, but I feel this is unfair. 6 years is very little time in any case to create a bonsai from deciduous stock. On top of this, the rootstock of a layer.. How can you cexpect this to go faster.
Is has nothing to do with chopping.
 

BobbyLane

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,058
Reaction score
17,659
Location
London, England
chops to a bear stump or one leader can be sped up dramatically with ground growing. in a grow bed, 6 years is a long time, the results would be significant in that period!
beech are generally slower than most to develop, whether in pot or ground.
 
Last edited:

fredman

Masterpiece
Messages
2,706
Reaction score
3,687
Location
Wellington New Zealand
USDA Zone
8
chops to a bear stump or one leader can be sped up dramatically with ground growing
LOL that was the reason I took it out the back in the first place mate. I saw that stunning carved one of yours. It is still a plan in the back of my mind. Just a curved carve top to bottom...the old lightning strike.
I can't carve like you....uh uh 🤪
 

fredman

Masterpiece
Messages
2,706
Reaction score
3,687
Location
Wellington New Zealand
USDA Zone
8
six years in and still a long, long way from real bonsai.
True but that don't really bother me. I like fooling around on my own time. Because of personal things I took a two year hiatus from bonsai to...basically just watered everything.
I did get the top repotted...but that's another thread.
Screenshot_20200613-202123.png
 

Hartinez

Masterpiece
Messages
4,149
Reaction score
13,009
Location
Albuquerque, NM
USDA Zone
7
True but that don't really bother me. I like fooling around on my own time. Because of personal things I took a two year hiatus from bonsai to...basically just watered everything.
I did get the top repotted...but that's another thread.
View attachment 309155
Exactly what @leatherback said. 6 years is. Short period of time in the life of a deciduous tree. And by most measurements, at least mine, that top layer looks pretty dam good. Considering the last 2 years you e only wtatered. Worth its price and the time you spent if you ask me and the middle layer and root stock are just a bonus. Maybe they will never be anything special, or maybe they will be the trees you work out ideas on to make that top layer the most spectacular in can be. Your journey in this art is yours and tours alone. I appreciate you being willing to share.

back to the tree. How did the roots look on that top layer?? Did you have a nice radial spread when you repotted?
 

BobbyLane

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,058
Reaction score
17,659
Location
London, England
LOL that was the reason I took it out the back in the first place mate. I saw that stunning carved one of yours. It is still a plan in the back of my mind. Just a curved carve top to bottom...the old lightning strike.
I can't carve like you....uh uh 🤪

i have two copper beeches in the ground, one is painfully slow its a dark purple variety. the more coppery one

this one, is quite vigorous and is thickening and callusing fairly well. there is still an option for an informal or a regular broom there.

that leader in the front is fattening up nicely this season and is the tallest part of the tree last i checked. but the leader to the left can even now be trained up and would look pretty convincing if were to dig it up but im in no rush. this is why its good to take lots of pics folks. even my ground grown trees im on top of.
20191129_142241-jpg.272711


btw i wouldnt carve either of yours

when i chopped the above tree in jan 2018, it looked like this
26071330358_1c2a5bb2ab.jpg


about 2.5 years in the ground, imagine in 6 years
 
Last edited:

Hartinez

Masterpiece
Messages
4,149
Reaction score
13,009
Location
Albuquerque, NM
USDA Zone
7
True but that don't really bother me. I like fooling around on my own time. Because of personal things I took a two year hiatus from bonsai to...basically just watered everything.
I did get the top repotted...but that's another thread.
View attachment 309155
@Forsoothe! what about this image does not have the makings of a high quality deciduous bonsai? For beech in particular, but any deciduous really?
 

fredman

Masterpiece
Messages
2,706
Reaction score
3,687
Location
Wellington New Zealand
USDA Zone
8
How did the roots look on that top layer?? Did you have a nice radial spread when you repotted?
I'm afraid it didn't root radially no. Roots only on one side..and it formed a solid clump. It's coming out this year again though. Going to pot it in Kanuma...ala Queen @JudyB 😉
I'll clean the roots well this time and see what can be done...long way ahead for that one.
 

fredman

Masterpiece
Messages
2,706
Reaction score
3,687
Location
Wellington New Zealand
USDA Zone
8
@Hartinez I just checked and the top tree has roots around the trunk now. Can definitely get a nice nebari from that. Sometimes things happen when you just leave them 😉
I'm pumped to get going on that one now.
 

Hartinez

Masterpiece
Messages
4,149
Reaction score
13,009
Location
Albuquerque, NM
USDA Zone
7
@Hartinez I just checked and the top tree has roots around the trunk now. Can definitely get a nice nebari from that. Sometimes things happen when you just leave them 😉
I'm pumped to get going on that one now.
I bet you are. Beech has been high on my coveted list for some time now and I’d LOVE to have that top layer of yours. I ordered a euro beech purple variety about a month ago and while it is only about 3/4 at the base, I’m excited about growing it out for the next 10-20. The roots were not great though, so I left all of them and wrapped a tight tourniquet around the base. Hoping to get a good radial spread above the tourniquet.
 
Top Bottom