Design advice - Boulvevard Cypress

[Cuzza]

This tree has been with me about two years. Last year I repotted into pumice, scoria, pine back mix and trimmed back heavily. And has now been given a slight haircut to clear up some of the browned off internal foliage which seems to happen a lot with this species.

I'm in no rush for it but would appreciate advice on where to next with it.

I need to do more work with the roots to bring them down flatter and improve the nebari obviously but in terms of the branch structure and styling advice would be much appreciated.
Also bonus question, how much can I remove of the roots when I do look to reduce them?

Thanks

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

This tree has been with me about two years. Last year I repotted into pumice, scoria, pine back mix and trimmed back heavily. And has now been given a slight haircut to clear up some of the browned off internal foliage which seems to happen a lot with this species.

I'm in no rush for it but would appreciate advice on where to next with it.

I need to do more work with the roots to bring them down flatter and improve the nebari obviously but in terms of the branch structure and styling advice would be much appreciated.
Also bonus question, how much can I remove of the roots when I do look to reduce them?

Thanks

Hi Cuzza,
You’re off to a good start here, with your repot and trimming.
My 2 cents, and others can/will help also.
You have pruned your branches well, so as per structure - I think you need to find 6-10 branches in there and cull the rest, bearing in mind you want 3D image (back branching). Secondly you will need to find a bottom branch that is a third the height of intended height- eg 15cm and 45cm finished height. These are guidelines etc. Thirst remember your isosceles triangle look to this (asymmetric).
Also this species I have found ramifies well if you let it grow and cut back to the first couple of branches of new growth. You can pinch this also but letting it grow once in a while to strengthen it etc.
As per root pruning - I find this species very vigorous in root growth, so can do up to half off, and it doesn’t complain.
I have a thread for mine, and the tree below is my effort. Long way to go, and you can see how well it ramifies. It needs a bigger girth trunk or I need to make a new apex from a lower branch.

Charles

 

[sorce]

I like the trunkline you exposed.

Looks like a smart pruning job too.

This part looks a little thick.

And if you NEED the lowest branch there it may get shaded out by the other 2, so that would be a decision to make now.

All 3 of those branches can fill the same space, they all seem to have close equal branchability.
I'd make the decision based on the other side.
If there are branches coming off the back opposite the top and bottom, I'd cut the top and bottom off the front and keep the center one.

If the center one has an opposing in the back, I'd cut it off the front and keep the top and bottom ones.

Seems healthy enough to do it now.

I prefer to pot small in full health and foliage, so it'll be a while till you can safely repot imo.
It'll be a balance of having a lot of foliage yet not Browning the close interior stuff till you do get it repotted safely.

Seems the lowest branch can eventually be removed, so that would be my "repotting sacrifice". Allowing it to have all the health the tree needs to get it small potted, since it won't shade out the rest, won't hurt to add trunk low there, and can be removed anyway.

Sorce

 

[Shibui]

All (evergreen) conifer foliage only lives for 2-3 years then the leaves are too old to be useful so they go brown and die. That is normal and nothing we can do about it. the problemis that without regular pruning the branches grow longer and inner foliage dies so over time we end up with long bare branches with foliage at the tips. Need to prune regularly to encorage new inner shoots then occasionally shorten longer shoots and replace them with some of the newer inner ones.
I can also take off more than 1/2 of roots on young trees like this. Normally cut back strong vertical roots really hard and lightly prune shallow laterals if possible in the first repot then reduce more next time.
Agree that both these trees are way too tall and skinny to make impressive bonsai but are a good start and great learning material. Reduce main trunk and replace the leader with a convenient side branch is the best way to grow taper in most trees.
Charles is correct about too many branches. Something we all go through. Fear of removing the 'wrong' one and perceived need to maintain a bushy tree but removing a few branches entirely actually allows the remaining branches to grow better and develop faster but you can always remove some next time. It is harder to put them back when you realise you've taken off too many. Really low branches can be used as sacrifice branches to build a thicker trunk down tow (taper) but will not be part of the final design. Try to remove thicker branches further up the trunk if possible. Branches that are nearly as thick as the trunk look out of place, especially closer to the top where normal trees have thinner branches.
Are you happy to keep the straight up trunk? Consider building a tree with some bends in the trunk to add some impact and interest. Formal upright style is extemely difficult to get right.

 

[sorce]

Yeah, that's a nice bit of tree.

That low branch then, will need to contain about as much foliage as the tree had at first to allow a safe repot.

But the thing is, It isn't In the way so you can continue to build your tree like this for years.
I reckon 3-5 years would be realistic before repot, maybe even 10.

But when you do, so long as you keep that core intact, you can pot it small with no worries, leave that sacrifice on for a couple years to re-establish, cut and done.

Sorce

 

[Cuzza]

Appreciate the feedback. I was pretty happy with how it came out after the first prune and style (picture 2), as that was my first ever attempt at it on any tree.

With where it is at now (picture 3) would you recommend leaving it this year to grow out more or cutting back like last year and removing branches back to around 6-10?

As we enter spring now, would it be worth doing rootwork this year or just let it keep growing another year unless roots are coming out the bottom?

When it does go into a smaller, shallower pot, before eventually a bonsai pot, will I need more foliage than what is on it now?? This seems counter intuitive to me and a newbie.

 

[sorce]

With where it is at now (picture 3) would you recommend leaving it this year to grow out more or cutting back like last year and removing branches back to around 6-10?

Oh damn ok...that is current!

I think your branching is good, except for that one dense area maybe still.

See where wiring them all gets you. If you can't work around something and can delete it, it should be safe.

It does seem odd to need more foliage for repot, but this foliage makes the new roots which is what establishes the tree faster.

That said, the faster you can get it tied safely into it's "final" pot the better.

Having your trunk "thick enough" and branches initially set in place, I don't see any need for temp containers.
It's a wasted step.

Sorce

 

[Shibui]

I like to get the roots right at the start while the tree is young, vigorous and undeveloped. Depends what you did last time. Root out the bottom is not the indication for repot. A few that grow long and make it to the bottom while the rest of the pot is still available. If you root pruned very little last time it may be time to do this properly now, otherwise let it be. Proper root reduction now will enable it to go straight into a bonsai container when it is ready.
You need to know what size and shape your bonsai will be so you can work toward that rather than just generic cut back by half and hope. Some branches may need to grow longer, some go altogether. Which will be the top of the tree eventually? Work out what you want as a final tree so you can make appropriate development decisions.