Coast Redwood - Now My Wife's Tree

[grouper52]

Here's a Coast redwood stump I've had for two years now. Got it from Bonsai Northwest, who got it from Mendicino Bonsai. Great material.

First photo is from shortly after I got it, repotted and slightly cleaned up.

Two weeks ago I was out studying the tree, clippers in hand, deciding to remove the lower foliage areas, or at least some of them. My wife, bless her soul, happened by. I'm a desert rat, and she's from the tropics, so we seldom see eye to eye on bonsai styling. She said what a great tree, asked if I have had it long (!!! - not a very observant soul ) asked what I was going to do to it, and when I told her, she screamed, claimed the tree, and forbid me from any such "radical" pruning ever!

So here it is, cleaned up a wee bit perhaps, and I'm just hoping I didn't do enough for her to notice!

The carving was done shortly after the first photo, BTW, and is a combination of areas mother nature caused that I merely cleaned up, and the more extensive carving on the top jin that was my doing.

Enjoy.

 

[Attila Soos]

You have done a great job with this as well.

I have 4 similar stumps from the same source as you, got them this spring. I am letting them establish themselves this year, but will style them next year.

I love that you managed to keep the foliage very compact. How did you manage it? Hard pruning, early on this year, followed by lots of pinching?

 

[grouper52]

You have done a great job with this as well.

I have 4 similar stumps from the same source as you, got them this spring. I am letting them establish themselves this year, but will style them next year.

I love that you managed to keep the foliage very compact. How did you manage it? Hard pruning, early on this year, followed by lots of pinching?

Yeah, LOTS of pruning and pinching. You have to really keep after them! If I post it again in even a week it will look unkempt this time of year.

 

[Bill S]

Turning out very nice grouper, I like the work you have done with it.

 

[mcpesq817]

You sure have a lot of very nice trees Grouper - thanks very much for sharing.

 

[TheSteve]

Of course it was all the wife's work right? Great tree. Good balance of deadwood with vibrant foliage.

 

[grouper52]

My wife seems to have forgotten that this was her tree, but I'm treating it just the same anyway: patient use of clip-and-grow styling through the years, no wire, just enjoying the slow progression over time.

May thin out some areas, and create some unevenness along the right side to make it a bit more interesting.

Starting to look like it might be ready for a real pot soon.

 

[JudyB]

Looking good, what type of pot would you lean toward for this tree? It has a civilized ruggedness to it, that for me at least would be hard to make pot choices for...
because the pot then chooses which way you see that juxtaposition.

 

[grouper52]

Thanks, Judy. I usually lean towards unglazed round or rectangular pots with clean, simple lines and masculine feet, especially for conifers. The only choice will be round, like its current mica pot, or rectangle. Favoring such pots, and loosing a few trees now and then, I've usually got a few sitting around in reserve.

BTW, I'm really enjoying that Kobayashi book.

 

[JudyB]

BTW, I'm really enjoying that Kobayashi book.

glad to hear you were able to liberate it, happy you like it! hello to brindle...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nice bonsai!

 

[crust]

I just love this tree. I wish I could grow species like this where I am at. Not to diminish your diligence and skills but I wished I lived in a climate like yours. Here where I am we had a early spring followed by a dismal cold alternating with freezing followed by mega rain then none for two weeks. Now that its June things are starting to grow some but damages linger. And a fiendish and hugely fat robin perched on one of my leaning larches and it tipped and broke its main lower branch.Anyways I just love this tree.

 

[grouper52]

My condolences about your climate. This is bonsai heaven here, though not for all plants, and although generally very temperate, we lose a lot of trees every once in a while to freak weather. For instance, we've had only a handful of days so far this spring over 70F. Today I was in town and it was 60F at about 2PM, and it's about 5-10F coler here where I live than in town generally. Still, trees like this redwood generally do great here.

 

[edprocoat]

Man, just when I thought I had looked at everything interesting here and I see this thread! That is a beautiful tree! It looks ancient, how tall is it? I really like the pot its in now, the color compliments the tree and the rivet design just adds that extra bit of eye candy to the whole. Great job.

ed

 

[Ang3lfir3]

fantastic as always Will !!!

but I wished I lived in a climate like yours.

Lots of houses up here for sale in future Cascadia

 

[TheSteve]

Lots of houses up here for sale in future Cascadia

Quite a few down here in in ConstantRainia too

Will,
Feel free to drop this one off at my place anytime you make the trip down I-5