Cotoneaster nursery material.

[maroun.c]

I recently got.a few plants, not necessarily good quality for bonsai just to train on root work, repoting, soil mix and maybe some wiring ....

Worked on this cotoneaster this morning, ( shitty material no need to remind me)

Not.much expectations fro. What I could see of the trunk


Roots nothing crazy

Thick branches filling the pot made it crazy

And one last surprise is a tiny plastic screen pot splitting the trunk in two from below.


Still a decent amount of roots had grown through the screen.

Then for a nice surprise, some buried deadwood on lower part of one trunk.

And final product , still have to decide on which branches to keep.



And second half just to train on

Not much expectations from both trees but if I can manage the multiple trunks or the branches for a nice upper part tree one might make for an interesting low cost low effort tree I guess.

Do u see any potential from trunk? How would u proceed with branches?

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Don't sell yourself short. Cotoneaster is really fun material. I'm amazed at how different mine looks today vs when I bought it at a nursery sale in Fall of '17.

 

[Cable]

I am intrigued by that trunk on the first one

 

[maroun.c]

I am intrigued by that trunk on the first one

Same here, trunk was quite a surprise. Second one I just planted to train on.

 

[Shibui]

I can't make out what is connected to what from the photos. frustrating not being able to see all the bends and depth of material in pictures.

the thicker trunk (now at the back) appears to have reverse taper. Looks like it is thicker near the end where those larger branches come out. It also has no real movement while the front trunk has lots of character. Consider shortening or removing that thick, straight trunk.
I know that won't leave much but what is left will develop quite quick if you allow it. The twisted exposed roots deserve a twisted trunk.

 

[Paulpash]

They develop quick - this is just 3 years old from an air layer. I'd use the twisted roots as your main feature, reducing the height so that they frame and compliment the exposed roots. Tall neagari don't work well IMO - a compact tree keeps the eye from straying too far from the main point of interest. Identify a well placed shoot that will give you a good change of trunk direction and taper and cut back to it next year. While this next trunk section is freely extending you will have lots of other adventitious buds you can use as final branches - rub off those that are ill placed.

 

[sorce]

I think you picked a good angle to picture it from. That's everything.

If you have the we patience to let that grow so much it fuses and loses holes, I believe it will be wicked.

Grow it with intent.

Sorce

 

[maroun.c]

I can't make out what is connected to what from the photos. frustrating not being able to see all the bends and depth of material in pictures.

the thicker trunk (now at the back) appears to have reverse taper. Looks like it is thicker near the end where those larger branches come out. It also has no real movement while the front trunk has lots of character. Consider shortening or removing that thick, straight trunk.
I know that won't leave much but what is left will develop quite quick if you allow it. The twisted exposed roots deserve a twisted trunk.

Indeed pics are always frustrating with that. Here are some better ones from 4 sides.
2 ugly sides


2 nice sides


Believe last shows the deadwood best.
From last pic, in green is what I plan to keep


In red what im removing later on.


In green what I'm keeping, red removing, blue trunk not sure if I can cut off as its supporting the tree

 

[maroun.c]

They develop quick - this is just 3 years old from an air layer. I'd use the twisted roots as your main feature, reducing the height so that they frame and compliment the exposed roots. Tall neagari don't work well IMO - a compact tree keeps the eye from straying too far from the main point of interest. Identify a well placed shoot that will give you a good change of trunk direction and taper and cut back to it next year. While this next trunk section is freely extending you will have lots of other adventitious buds you can use as final branches - rub off those that are ill placed.
View attachment 259053

Thanks yeah will go that way, wanted to do it all now but I already removed most of the foliage so want to keep a minimum on the tree still at this stage.
That's a beautiful tree!

 

[maroun.c]

I think you picked a good angle to picture it from. That's everything.

If you have the we patience to let that grow so much it fuses and loses holes, I believe it will be wicked.

Grow it with intent.

Sorce

Do u think all theee parts might grow and fuse? How many years are we talking? Indeed might be better than cutting off that bad trunk In the back!

 

[sorce]

How many years are we talking?

How good will you grow it?

I think it's worth letting it go to find out.

Sorce

 

[Shibui]

I agree that the green line trunk has the most interest and also the best movement. I would also keep that trunk and remove the other 2 but I think I would keep all 3 roots. The rear root, marked in red in on pic?, gives some added depth to the base. Without it the view will be only 2D and look unstable so i would retain all roots.
After removing all that mass of trunks I would give it a rest for a season, maybe a year then look again at the top of the remaining trunk. Apex needs to be brought a little toward the front and some extra bends in the upper section to compliment the great bends in the roots and lower trunk. That will probably mean pruning and regrowing a new apex.

I like the potenial of this tree. It is far from cookie cutter standard bonsai but has good lines and character.