"Etna" The Mountain Sized Olive

[Tidal Bonsai]

At MABS 2023 I was floored when I saw this massive chuhin olive (the trunk was 14 inches wide and it was aprox. 20 inches tall when I first got it). I fell in love with this eventual front.


The artist I bought it from liked the giant hollow side better, so this was the side he was working with before I took over.


I had to baby it a lot because we had an unseasonably cold spring this year, but since it was growing well, I:

1. Changed the planting angle and worked more pumice into the mix.
2. Improved the carving on the new front.



3. Gave it its first styling at the new angle (14 inch wide trunk, and aprox. 16 inch current height).

Time to fertilize, water and let it backbud like crazy!!!

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

As shown at the 2023 NJ Bonsai Societies Open Show.

 

[pandacular]

WOW! This reminds a great deal of the Rainforest style (yulinshi) of penjing, where the base of the tree represents a landscape and the individual branches are styled as trees growing on the landscape. The first image on page 80 of Principles of Bonsai Design in particular.

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

WOW! This reminds a great deal of the Rainforest style (yulinshi) of penjing, where the base of the tree represents a landscape and the individual branches are styled as trees growing on the landscape. The first image on page 80 of Principles of Bonsai Design in particular.

It's amazing how everyone can interpret art in their own way! That wasn't nessisarily my intention, but I can see what you are talking about in the design 100%. That low right branch especially doesn't fit into the traditional model, but I felt that removing it would take away a key part of what makes the tree unique.

 

[pandacular]

Yes, it's interesting as I can see that you took steps after the initial styling that went a different direction than a yulinshi--it interests me to think of all the ways and different paths a tree could take. I'm curious about your longterm vision for this tree. do you plan to keep it around the current height?

 

[Colorado]

This olive is awesome! Great work!

How do you winter this tree?

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

Yes, it's interesting as I can see that you took steps after the initial styling that went a different direction than a yulinshi--it interests me to think of all the ways and different paths a tree could take. I'm curious about your longterm vision for this tree. do you plan to keep it around the current height?

For now I am just letting all the backbuds run and let the tree regain strength for the rest of the season. I plan on pulling the branches down a little farther to further frame the main feature of the trunk, bring down the height of the tree eventually and build up way more density.

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

This olive is awesome! Great work!

How do you winter this tree?

I just bought it in April, so wintering will be something I will have to try for the first time. I have a spot in mind to keep it safe unless someone makes me an offer I can't refuse before then.