Crape Myrtle

R_F

Chumono
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This a crape myrtle that I purchased from a garden center. At that time it was about a foot tall and had nothing to offer accept a decent nebari. In two years time I have built what you see now through a trunk chop a subsequent growing of well placed branches. This spring I will be cutting the long branches back to begin developing better ramification. Feel free to comment.
 

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Jay Wilson

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Hey Ryan,
I like your little crepe and I hope you show us what it looks like after the spring pruning. It kinda of looks like a mirror image, top and bottom.

Thanks for showing us some bonsai.
 

R_F

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Update!

This past friday I decided to style this crape myrtle at the Central Florida Bonsai Club workshop. I also re-potted it earlier this year into bonsai soil to encourage more feeder roots. This will get it ready for a much smaller bonsai pot.

Let me know your honest critique!

(By the way, the Sphagnum moss on the back side of the trunk is to encourage the roots that are forming there. The nebari isn't as good on the back and I'm trying to improve it.)
 

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Smoke

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I think this is a very nice C. myrtle. Very nice base and taper for a difficult species. No noticable scars either. The apex is rather thick though as some of the branches up there have grown faster than those on the bottom which is what happens with all fast growing shohin.

Good luck with the future of your tree, al
 

R_F

Chumono
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I think this is a very nice C. myrtle. Very nice base and taper for a difficult species. No noticable scars either. The apex is rather thick though as some of the branches up there have grown faster than those on the bottom which is what happens with all fast growing shohin.

Good luck with the future of your tree, al

Thanks for the compliment. You're right about the proportion of the branching....I'm glad you mentioned it. Like a parent with a misbehaving child I'm prone to over looking it's faults. And, actually there is a scar on the front (I think with the lighting it may look like a place where the bark has peeled) but I think it will heal over completely this season or next.

I know you're pretty good with the shohin bonsai;) Do you have any experience with crape myrtle? Any tips on how to prevent die-back would be great. Die-back seems to affect the secondary branches seasonally.
 

davetree

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I like what you have done, this is my kind of tree. Very good work. How easy will it be to grow more roots that you need ? Can you graft them in if you have to ?
 

R_F

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I like what you have done, this is my kind of tree. Very good work. How easy will it be to grow more roots that you need ? Can you graft them in if you have to ?

Thanks dave. I have considered grafting....but this past week something strange happened. We have had record amounts of rain literally every day and as a result high humidity. Two of my crape myrtles began to throw ariel roots. Not from the branches, but from parts of the trunk where there wasn't any soil. This tree did that right where I planned to graft! So I put some moss there to encourage the roots to continue to grow down into the soil. So after this little experiment is done I may or may not graft depending on the results. I'll be sure to update.
 

R_F

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Leaves!

Update: This pic was taken today. I thought it might be nice for those following the thread to see the progression in real time.
 

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mapleman77

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Hey Ryan,

I like your little crape. The only crapes that I have are ginormous old trees, way older than many that you see normally...in any case, looks wonderful! Good work and please continue to update us on this shohin's progrees.
 

R_F

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The Chosen One

I have decided on a pot for this guy. I don't know for sure whether or not I'll like it until I try it...but who knows. What do you all think of it?
 

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irene_b

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Ryan how about a shot of the pot next to the tree?
Irene
 

R_F

Chumono
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Here ya Go! I hope this works for a good comparison. Let me know if it doesn't. I'll shoot another pic.
 

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mapleman77

Mame
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Hey Ryan,
I love the pot!!! Furthermore, I will like it even better when that myrtle gets put in it. Great shohin!

Random question that is NOT meant to be critical: Will the leaves reduce much? Because they look just a tad to large right now. ;)
 

shohin kid

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If you can fit it in that pot, than go for it. I think it is a good choice, but I have never seen the root structure of that tree. When will you repot it, next spring?
 

Klytus

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Looks kinda small,maybe too smooth.

Talking with a one time jailbird i found they use bird grit in the prison pottery classes to effect a grainy texture to the glazes.

It works too,a good non slip finish.
 

shohin kid

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Looks kinda small,maybe too smooth.

This pot is not too small. If the roots allow it would look great. This is a feminine tree, feminine trees go into smooth pots.

Good choice ryan, great erin pot too!
 
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irene_b

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My concern would be the pot is not deep enough.
I have found the deeper pots work better for the crape myrtles (less die back).
Color is a nice blend.
Irene
 
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