Any advice for design/styling on this? :)

[Ali_Bonsai]

Hello,

I recently bought some trees and shrubs from a nursery to practice styling. This Myrtle Compacta is one.

I originally thought I leave it the way it is, but feel like it needs to be styled differently. I cleaned it up a bit and started to wire it. I've been staring at it for a couple of days now, but can't decide. I'm not even sure much can be done with it?
any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

 

[bonsai barry]

I have three suggestions after looking at your tree.

Basically you are taking a shrub and trying to convince the viewer that it is a atree, usually an older mature tree. If you look at mature trees in nature, you'll observe that they have branches that are parallel to the ground or even pointed to the ground. I think this is the image you should strive for when wiring your tree. I don't know how flexible that branches are, but I would try to bend them down and add spaces between the branches and leaves, removing the uuneeded branches.

Are you planning to remove it from this pot? Bonsai trees grow best in fast draining soil. There is a lot that could be added to this idea but you'll need to do further research.

Of course, if you want to make it look real old it needs a thicker trunk. Time will always help with that but if you want to speed the process along you might consider growing it in the ground or even a larger pot.

Good luck and enjoy your bonsai.

 

[JudyB]

I think what I would try to do would be to cut this back pretty drastically, to see if it'll backbud for you down the trunk. All of the branches start too high on this tree, for it to be styled in a convincing maner. Is the Myrtle compacta basically a crape myrtle? If so, they will backbud with some motivation to do so. If you cut all the branches up top, the ones you want to keep to a few sets of leaves, and the ones you won't need all the way off, you'll probably get branches popping out lower, which will help you turn this into a bonsai.

Barry is right, that you could put it in the ground and fatten it up for a couple years, that would help it become something much quicker.

Look at lots of bonsai images, and see what jumps out at you about them. Then figure out what your direction will be based on what you like.

 

[bonsai barry]

Judy, I don't think that this tree is related to the crape myrtle. It is a shrub rather than a tree. The crepe myrtle is in the Lagerstroemia genus rather than the Myrtle.

 

[Smoke]

The myrtle family while being evergreen, still back bud profusly. You can build branches in three years or less.

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

thanks everyone for the feedback.
So should i cut the branches to focus on making the trunk bigger?

Sorry, Smoke but I dont understand what you mean exactly by "build branches in 3 yrs or less" - what are you proposing I do?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

thanks everyone for the feedback.
So should i cut the branches to focus on making the trunk bigger?

Sorry, Smoke but I dont understand what you mean exactly by "build branches in 3 yrs or less" - what are you proposing I do?

If you want the trunk to get larger, I wouldn't cut anything. Just let it grow wild.

 

[daygan]

"build branches in 3 yrs or less" - what are you proposing I do?

This is actually connected to things that previous posters had said. Sometimes, when we know too much, we don't realize that some of our explanations leave out information that newer people don't already know Judy mentioned backbudding. Backbudding allows us to create new branches further down a trunk, below other pre-exising branches. Her thought was that you should

cut all the branches up top, the ones you want to keep to a few sets of leaves, and the ones you won't need all the way off

and then use the backbudding that occurs to create new branches lower down the tree. Those branches need to be "built" over time to look like the complex branches that we see on mature trees, with secondary and tertiary "forks" of smaller brances. I hope that makes things clearer.

 

[JudyB]

Yes Daygan, that is a true thought, but it's hard to know who knows what from a post, and I hesitate to be too teachy, and offend...

Ali, you should think about getting a book about bonsai, so you'll have the basic terminology and theory to help you ask the right questions, and understand what the answers mean. Then you'll probably really catch the bonsai bug!

 

[Bill S]

Try to look at many pictures of good bonsai, the statement of leaving it as is says you haven't seen a lot of good trees.

 

[daygan]

Yes Daygan, that is a true thought, but it's hard to know who knows what from a post, and I hesitate to be too teachy, and offend...

of course. What I wrote was more an explanation to Ali_Bonsai than a criticism of anyone leaving out information. I think leaving out information is kind of a natural and mostly unavoidable thing as we become more familiar with the subject. ... and also there's avoiding being too teachy, as you mentioned.

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

Thanks daygan for clearing that up....

Judy - you can be "teachy" no problem. I have read a book on bonsai, but i just learn better by watching videos and asking specific questions to my own materials. Ive seen a lot of great pictures of bonsai trees, but im learning that i prob don't have the right specimens yet for making an actual "bonsai" - Also all the pictures ive seen of actual bonsai seems that the most important and beautiful part of bonsai is the trunk and its movement! The branches and the foliage just add to that, right?
Most of the stuff that i bought from nurseries are just shrubs. But again, i just wanted to practice and learn how to wire and style trees. I rather practice on something cheap rather than an old actual expensive tree.
Sorry if my questions are not "right" as I said Im a full on beginner. I appreciate all the feedback from you guys as you're all experienced in this art and nice of you to take the time to teach people like me.

So yes I will take your advice, take some branches off the top and leave some on the bottom and plant it in a large pot and focus on making the trunk fatter and more appealing. Unfortunately we don't really have a lot of ground with dirt for me to plant it that way.

I'll work on it today and if it's some what pleasing, ill post an updated picture. hehe
cheers

 

[rockm]

"but i just learn better by watching videos and asking specific questions to my own materials."

Unfortunately, this is an extremely slow, very questionable way to learn bonsai. Online "bonsai" videos are as common as weeds in a bonsai pot. Anyone can post them. You really have no way of knowing if the person posting them knows much of anything about bonsai.

In person lessons from a long-time bonsaiist are the most effective way to really learn. Find a club nearby. There are literally, a bazillion of extremely good ones in California. You are in bonsai mecca...why waste time with the Internet? I can also say that most members of most bonsai clubs are very generous with their extra trees and sometimes give them away or sell them at ridicuous prices...

Here's the contact info for the Anaheim club and a link to more Cali clubs:
CALIFORNIA - Anaheim
Kofu Bonsai Kai meets in Anaheim at United Methodist Church 1000 South State College Blvd. Anaheim 7:00 PM 3rd Saturday evening. www.prepgraphics.com/kofu.html

http://absbonsai.org/bonsai-club-directory/usa

Orange Empire Bonsai Society meets the 4th Sunday of each month at 1 pm at the O.C.Buddhist Church,909 S. Dale St., just north of Ball Road in West Anaheim. Contact: Ken Schlothan at ocbonsai@gmail.com Club displays trees on an altenate years at the Hannamatsuri Festival for the Church and has an annual Bonsai Show each June also at the Buddhist Church with a demostration on both days of the Show...Vendors and a hugh raffle.

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

ah you rock man, thank you!!
I dont know why i didnt think about finding any local clubs or anything so thanks!

yes i did spend a lot of time watching videos on youtube and it's pretty obvious i think when you see someone who knows what they're talking about. My fav is Graham Potter's channel from UK. i just really like his style and creativity. it's just diff than most other people i've seen.

but will def look into these clubs in anaheim.
thanks again.
Ali

 

[Dave Leppo]

HERE'S WALTER PALL'S VIDEOS:

http://walter-pall-videos.blogspot.com/search/label/English%20straight

 

[rockm]

"yes i did spend a lot of time watching videos on youtube and it's pretty obvious i think when you see someone who knows what they're talking about"

No. It's not really obvious. 'Inexperienced bonsai folks assume a lot when they're watching someone else on line. I've seen some videos in which the bonsaist is supremely confident in what they're doing, even though they're completely wrong.

Additionally, with a video, you see a snapshot of a moment in time. You don't get to see a lot of detail, OR get the chance to actually DO things. Seeing and doing are COMPLETELY different things.

Graham Potter is good, but Jeez Louise , there are many folks out in California who are are just as good, and arguably a lot better.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

"yes i did spend a lot of time watching videos on youtube and it's pretty obvious i think when you see someone who knows what they're talking about"

No. It's not really obvious. 'Inexperienced bonsai folks assume a lot when they're watching someone else on line. I've seen some videos in which the bonsaist is supremely confident in what they're doing, even though they're completely wrong.

Funny, and so true. Who doesn't know somebody who can blabber on and on, enlightening all within earshot, imparting their wisdom gained over the last few decades, while standing in front of their SIAP. My favorite quote from a bonsai professional, "there are people who have done bonsai for 30 years, and people who have done bonsai for 1 year, thirty times over." My second favorite, "they took a John Naka workshop in the '80s, and are all masters now..."

Back on topic...aftercare is just as important. Good to style a tree well, better to keep it alive.

Ok...done blabbering...

 

[milehigh_7]

You are getting some good advice but I just want you to know that this species is not unknown for bonsai, here is one that is pretty nice. (Myrtus communis 'Compacta' by Leroy Fujii)