Berberis ? advice needed

[donkey]

I think this may be a berberis but that is not what i need to know (though confirmation would be nice)

the problem is since i moved it from a rectangular training pot into this oval one the lines at the front just don't seem right i'm fairly certain i need to remove second top branch right hand side ??? but even looking at it with this blotted out i'm not fully happy does it need more pruning or branch angle changed or is it just more suited to a rectangular pot the last photo is from behind in case that helps

 

[mcpesq817]

A bit hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like a berberis to me.

One easy way to tell - work on it for a few minutes and see if your fingers look like a porcupine from all the thorns

 

[donkey]

It is definetly very thorny

 

[digger714]

I know there are several different types. Here are some i collected and am trying to decide where to chop these. Maybe you can zoom in and compare. These are berberis thunbergiana bagatelle. Good luck. Any suggestions on how to style these would be appreciated.

 

[John Ruger]

Picture #4. On the righthand side of the trunk, are those bottom three branches attached to the trunk, or are they separated? It's a little hard to tell from the photo.

 

[John Ruger]

donkey, your's has one dramatic trunk line. With those two lower branches on the left side, would it make sense to take those 90 degrees down and make those into two strong bracing roots? I'm not familiar as to whether or not that species would root in that manner. Do you think the apex would be suited to a slight bend to the right and then ramify left and right? Maybe on the left side if you shorten the top branch and see if you can shoot out a larger one beneath that and it looks like a nice balance between your lowest L and R branches would occur. Does this species take well to wiring? If so, you could then wire so they sort of droop down and give that effect of age.

Real nice bonsai. Good luck with it

 

[John Ruger]

oh, and go with a rectangular pot...a nice dark brown would complement it beautifully.

 

[donkey]

thanks for the ideas john i've currently lifted the front center second bottom branch and pulled forward the front center bottom branch which has made the whole thing seem more balanced and i'm currently growing a branch to fill the empty space top right then i'm going to remove the almost vertical branch on the right. as for wiring it wires and bends beutifully those 2 low branches on the right were almost vertical. Never thought about trying to root them i'm going to stare at it and think about that one for a while when i get home. I agree with the rectangular pot just have to wait till one comes along.

digger The bark on your berberiss looks similiar to the bark on mine i'm getting more certain all the time .