Disaster or Opportunity?

Shibui

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
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Location
Yackandandah, Australia
USDA Zone
9?
A couple of months ago I noticed that the top half of one of my shimpaku junipers started to change colour.

Over the next few weeks it continued to fade but the lower branches stayed nice and green and even started to grow.

shim restyle 2020 1.JPG

There's obviously something wrong with the trunk as the lower branches are healthy and growing.
shim restyle 2020 11.JPG

I had extended the shari earlier in spring but had left plenty of live bark to support the apex .....
BUT..
There was a dead area hidden under the bark. Looks like previous bending had damaged a small area but the bark was still attached and looked quite normal. The widened jin had now taken out the remaining live connection to the roots so goodbye apex.

I know many would see this as a disaster but I'd rather see opportunity.
Before the tree was too tall to qualify for the shohin size. Now the living section is much shorter.
I had created a tall jin with lots of bends now I have an even better tall jin if I want to keep it all.

shim restyle 2020 13.JPG
Branches are now a bit too long and full for the reduced height but looking closer I can see they are all made up from lots of side branches so there's plenty of opportunity to shorten them to fit the new size.
shim restyle 2020 27.JPG

There's even a section of the upper branch that can be wired down as a drop branch and fill some of the space below.
shim restyle 2020 32.JPG
Not sure if I'll keep that one but far easier to leave it for a while than to try to put it back on.

Final for now.
shim restyle 2020 42.JPG
You can see I'm planning a change of planting angle at the next repot in spring.
 
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