Boxwood styling suggestions

[ShadyBonsai]

Found this boxwood at the local nursery, it’s got some nice trunk movement and some great radial roots cropping up, so just grabbed it on my way out. Got home and noticed that all of the branches stem from one big knuckle on the trunk, there’s about six branches all shooting out from that knuckle. Luckily, it’s mostly only noticeable from the back side. The picture with it in the blue pot is the front, and shows the whole plant. I’m not sure on long term styling, I would like to let it grow out some more, maybe leave the main apical branch and try to taper out the knuckle a little bit, but I would like to prune back some of those other branches to stop the knuckle growth. What do you guys thinks? Any suggestions in which branches to prune? I can provide some more pics if necessary. The pic with all my fingers in it is the backside of the knuckle, there’s a couple pics with a dark scar of bark, those are the front of the knuckle

 

[sorce]

I'd keep tugging on them little branches till they break off, clean that up a little.

Looks like you can find something ok, but it's kinda hard to tell.

Sorce

 

[Wulfskaar]

Nice! I got a couple a few months ago and had basically the same questions.

Choosing a "front" will be key to this. What I did after choosing a front was to try getting rid of branches that were crossing over the trunk, had 3 coming out of one node, blocking the view of the front, etc.

Once you start to clean it up, it will be much easier to see the tree and the remaining options. I'd love to see where you take this one!

 

[ShadyBonsai]

Yea it’s basically a whorl of branches, I guess I’m hesitant to cut off anything that takes away from the overall shape. Do buxus back bud?

 

[Wulfskaar]

Mine has started to back bud already after a couple of months.

If you just focus on some of the basic "rules of bonsai" like having only 2 branches coming out of a node, it will clean up significantly and will be much easier for you to see a style in there that you want to work with.

I did that and was able to keep the basic shape of the boxwood. It's much thinner, but it will fill in as it grows.

If you can't decide on which branch to cut, it shouldn't hurt anything to leave it until you're sure.

 

[penumbra]

Thin out about half those branches in opposing positions, let it heal and revisit. Yes they back bud profusely for me. Some people report problems but I find it hard to believe.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Boxwood are popular as hedges because they will back bud readily when pruned. However unless you prune them to open up the branches to sunlight you will only get a lot of new growth on the ends of branches. So that is one reason to thin out a profusion of branches.

 

[ShadyBonsai]

Mine has started to back bud already after a couple of months.

If you just focus on some of the basic "rules of bonsai" like having only 2 branches coming out of a node, it will clean up significantly and will be much easier for you to see a style in there that you want to work with.

I did that and was able to keep the basic shape of the boxwood. It's much thinner, but it will fill in as it grows.

If you can't decide on which branch to cut, it shouldn't hurt anything to leave it until you're sure.

Ah sweet thanks man! I’ll get to thinning it out

Thin out about half those branches in opposing positions, let it heal and revisit. Yes they back bud profusely for me. Some people report problems but I find it hard to believe.

excellent, that will make my decisions easier then

Boxwood are popular as hedges because they will back bud readily when pruned. However unless you prune them to open up the branches to sunlight you will only get a lot of new growth on the ends of branches. So that is one reason to thin out a profusion of branches.

awesome good to know! I’ll keep it in mind