InstilledChaos
Yamadori
I figured I would start my first tree thread with the fat little dwarf brush cherry (syzygium paniculatum/eugenia myrtifolia). This tree started its journey last fall during a Bill V. Introductory class. While we were all working on our trees Bill and his wife were busily sawing the apex off a specimen dwarf brush cherry bonsai of his (I wish I had a picture of it!). The removed top might have gone out with the trash, but as I was walking by Bill plucked it off the top of the bin and handed it to me, saying “try to put roots on it.”
When I got it home, I did just that. The following is an excerpt from a post I did on a propagation FB page.
“Large Hardwood cutting, 1.5 inch diameter at base, taken in Oct 2018. This was the apex taken off a large specimen bonsai during restyling. Most of the top growth was removed and 1/4 inch of bark was stripped around the cut. The cut was then coated in powdered IBA and placed in 1:1 perlite/peat.”
Oct ‘18 - Immediately after above procedure completed
“The cutting was covered in a humidity dome and misted by hand most days. It was kept outside in the shade while weather permitted, then moved inside under shop lights for the winter. It pushed some new leaves just a few weeks after being taken, but I did not have any other evidence of rooting until December when I found fine white roots when the top layer of soil was brushed aside. It is still growing vigorously.”
Feb ‘19 - After striking, and growing under lights all winter
I let the tree grow outside without touching it all spring and summer. It became very dense and bushy, but unfortunately I don’t have any pics at its most bushy and unruly. I took it to a couple fall club meetings for advice/help, since I really had no clue how to go about taming it in a methodical manner. At the first meeting it received its first haircut. Soon after I took my first look at its root system and repotted it. I completely forgot to take pictures of it after root-washing, but I was quite please with the relatively flat, evenly distributed roots.
Oct ‘19 - My bushiest pic, but this is after it’s first pruning and resulting regrowth.
Oct ‘19 - First repot, healthy root system.
Oct ‘19 - After repot in its winter resting place.
The tree is certainly an obvious broom style shohin candidate, but one of our seasoned vets at the 2nd meeting suggested that it would be more interesting to clear some of those branches and foliage to highlight its strong trunk line. Thus, I decided to move away from the broom and gave it another pruning (these trees love being pruned!), and that is where we find ourselves now.
Jan ‘20 - After further pruning and wiring to set main branch structure.
Jan ‘20 - View from the rear.
Jan ‘20 - Close-up of large wound.
The tree is certainly very rough around the edges, but I like it’s direction. Next on the list is encouraging growth of a structural limb to fill in the top-rear section of the canopy, because it is quite empty. Previously, it was filled in awkwardly by long side shoots extending from other parts of the tree, so they had to go. There are plenty of shoot candidates to choose from for a good back branch to fill that section. I’m also interested to see how the large wound will heal. With all the work I’ve done to it recently I figure I will let it grow rampant for awhile, just rubbing off some of the buds in the clusters that pop up everywhere. However, if anyone has a strong argument for keeping up with pruning shoots back as they extend, let me know! All input, ideas, or criticism welcome!
When I got it home, I did just that. The following is an excerpt from a post I did on a propagation FB page.
“Large Hardwood cutting, 1.5 inch diameter at base, taken in Oct 2018. This was the apex taken off a large specimen bonsai during restyling. Most of the top growth was removed and 1/4 inch of bark was stripped around the cut. The cut was then coated in powdered IBA and placed in 1:1 perlite/peat.”
Oct ‘18 - Immediately after above procedure completed
“The cutting was covered in a humidity dome and misted by hand most days. It was kept outside in the shade while weather permitted, then moved inside under shop lights for the winter. It pushed some new leaves just a few weeks after being taken, but I did not have any other evidence of rooting until December when I found fine white roots when the top layer of soil was brushed aside. It is still growing vigorously.”
Feb ‘19 - After striking, and growing under lights all winter
I let the tree grow outside without touching it all spring and summer. It became very dense and bushy, but unfortunately I don’t have any pics at its most bushy and unruly. I took it to a couple fall club meetings for advice/help, since I really had no clue how to go about taming it in a methodical manner. At the first meeting it received its first haircut. Soon after I took my first look at its root system and repotted it. I completely forgot to take pictures of it after root-washing, but I was quite please with the relatively flat, evenly distributed roots.
Oct ‘19 - My bushiest pic, but this is after it’s first pruning and resulting regrowth.
Oct ‘19 - First repot, healthy root system.
Oct ‘19 - After repot in its winter resting place.
The tree is certainly an obvious broom style shohin candidate, but one of our seasoned vets at the 2nd meeting suggested that it would be more interesting to clear some of those branches and foliage to highlight its strong trunk line. Thus, I decided to move away from the broom and gave it another pruning (these trees love being pruned!), and that is where we find ourselves now.
Jan ‘20 - After further pruning and wiring to set main branch structure.
Jan ‘20 - View from the rear.
Jan ‘20 - Close-up of large wound.
The tree is certainly very rough around the edges, but I like it’s direction. Next on the list is encouraging growth of a structural limb to fill in the top-rear section of the canopy, because it is quite empty. Previously, it was filled in awkwardly by long side shoots extending from other parts of the tree, so they had to go. There are plenty of shoot candidates to choose from for a good back branch to fill that section. I’m also interested to see how the large wound will heal. With all the work I’ve done to it recently I figure I will let it grow rampant for awhile, just rubbing off some of the buds in the clusters that pop up everywhere. However, if anyone has a strong argument for keeping up with pruning shoots back as they extend, let me know! All input, ideas, or criticism welcome!
