History of a Dwarf Mugo

[Vance Wood]

This Mugo Pine was given to me in 1985 by my mother-in-law. I think some of you may remember my talking about this tree a time or two in the past as the tree which languished with absolutely no growth--- for two years after its first re-potting----in spring. I have in one way or another learned a mountain from this tree. Looking past the concept of summer re-potting it was also the first tree I started to suspect that eliminating a large branch could kill a portion of the trunk. It is for this reason I suggest that you stub a branch rather than cut it flush at the first.



For anyone who is interested the first picture on the left is the tree as it was first re-potted in 1985 and yes it is the same tree. This tree looked pretty much the way you see it for two growing seasons. The middle two photos are as the tree started to develop some over ten years. These photos were taken with a film camera so they are poor quality. The last picture is as I have tried to restyle it over the last couple of days. This photo is digital and if you double click on the image you should get a full screen view. The finished as now tree still needs some additional development but I think it will be worth the work.

 

[tmmason10]

Very nice progression Vance. This is especially nice to see as us beginners wonder what can be achieved with time on our younger trees. I think most of us are wondering "gee, i wonder what this plant could look like in 25 years".

 

[october]

Another beautiful mugo. As far as additional developemnt. I assume that you are thinking about maybe growing a pad in the front around the middle of the trunk. Just so the whole trunk is not showing.

Its amazes me that this is the same tree... I think it also amazes me just as much that you have been working on this tree for 27 years. It has really paid off

Rob

 

[JudyB]

Yeah, I feel like Tom, it's cool to see what can happen in that much time. I really like the second pot it was in, course its too big for it now, but I like how it made the tree feel.
Thanks for sharing it!

 

[Vance Wood]

Your assessment of my future plans are pretty accurate. This, in my opinion, is what bonsai is about. For many years this tree frustrated every thing I would try to do. I would default to what I had been taught and transplant it in the Spring; just to be safe, and the tree would do the same thing---sit there and pout. By the time I got to the point where it was a matter of doing what I already knew was true; transplant in the summer, quite a number of years had passed. Since then the tree has been improving to the point you see now. Another point this is an example of what can happen when you try to force a tree into a form that it does not conform to.

The fact that there is twenty-seven years invested in this tree is no big deal, I had other things to work on and I don't throw out material when I see possibilities.

 

[fore]

Nice Vance to see what can done with some persistence I lost 2, 20+ yrs invested trees that I lost in the move here to Chicago. I had one left from the move, a bald cypress, that only survived b/c they are almost impossible to kill lol

It's only been the last 3 yrs. that I've taken the art more seriously. So even though the other two were really bad bonsai, I still miss them as I did learn a fair bit from them. So it's great to see your tree's progression. What a transformation, Good Job!

 

[edprocoat]

Very nice, 25 years is a long time to keep one even if you had other things to work with. Its probably about time to let it go, maybe time to find some guy from OHIO and send him the tree.

ed

 

[KennedyMarx]

Thanks for posting this, Vance. It's nice to be able to see a trunk's development through the years while being in an actual bonsai pot.

 

[Vance Wood]

Thanks for posting this, Vance. It's nice to be able to see a trunk's development through the years while being in an actual bonsai pot.

This is not now, or yet, a great tree but it does dispel one major stereotype that trunks do not develop once the tree is in a bonsai pot. If there is any legacy I may leave to the world of bonsai it is that there is hope for those who do not live where collecting is possible or the price of same is possible. The only price is time, but the time is yours and it is what it is and you cannot get it back you are going to spend it any way. We can buy in to the argument that doing something one way takes too much time as a reason to not start in the first place. The fruit of this approach is spending years looking for the perfect material that wont take too much time and having nothing to call your own or spend the same amount of time looking for stuff that wont take too long but working on stuff that you know will. I speak only for me; enjoying my life doing bonsai is of much more value to me than owning the perfect bonsai regardless of the source, and if some day my work produces "The Perfect Bonsai" then I will be happy just the same.

 

[edprocoat]

This is not now, or yet, a great tree but it does dispel one major stereotype that trunks do not develop once the tree is in a bonsai pot. If there is any legacy I may leave to the world of bonsai it is that there is hope for those who do not live where collecting is possible or the price of same is possible. The only price is time, but the time is yours and it is what it is and you cannot get it back you are going to spend it any way. We can buy in to the argument that doing something one way takes too much time as a reason to not start in the first place. The fruit of this approach is spending years looking for the perfect material that wont take too much time and having nothing to call your own or spend the same amount of time looking for stuff that wont take too long but working on stuff that you know will. I speak only for me; enjoying my life doing bonsai is of much more value to me than owning the perfect bonsai regardless of the source, and if some day my work produces "The Perfect Bonsai" then I will be happy just the same.

Well said, and you back up your words as well.

ed

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Wow, fantastic progression

Thanks Vance!
David

 

[Vance Wood]

Thanks Vance!
David

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I'm glad you liked the progression.

 

[Vance Wood]

Well said, and you back up your words as well.

ed

That's a very nice and kind thing to say. If anything this tree is a tribute to persistence and patience. As I mentioned previously this tree has been nothing but trouble from the beginning, due to the fact it is one of the dwarf cultivars. I have found that these guys absolutely do not tolerate spring root disturbance without a major set back in response---- if they don't die.

 

[bonsai barry]

​

The photos not only document the progress of the tree, but your progress as a bonsai artist. Nicely done.

The trunk did develop nicely, didn't it?

 

[Vance Wood]

​

The photos not only document the progress of the tree, but your progress as a bonsai artist. Nicely done.

The trunk did develop nicely, didn't it?

I think the trunk did amazingly, even more than I had hoped for. And thank you for the kind comments. For what it's worth, I may never be a world class bonsai master but I'll never stop trying to get there, not because I want the fame and fortune (yeah right) but I want to produce those kinds of trees. Everybody who has the money and doesn't mind spending it ( God Bless Them) can go out and purchase a masterpiece. If that's your thing then "thing" away with my blessing. As for me, the satisfaction of producing something that first makes me think "Wow! that's beautiful" is my goal.

If I spend my life and never get there only means I still have a lot to learn and a lot of room to grow. As long as I continue to be willing to push myself what more could I want? It's comforting to me to realize that this ladder to bonsai perfection does not have a top rung.

 

[coh]

This is not now, or yet, a great tree but it does dispel one major stereotype that trunks do not develop once the tree is in a bonsai pot. If there is any legacy I may leave to the world of bonsai it is that there is hope for those who do not live where collecting is possible or the price of same is possible. The only price is time, but the time is yours and it is what it is and you cannot get it back you are going to spend it any way. We can buy in to the argument that doing something one way takes too much time as a reason to not start in the first place. The fruit of this approach is spending years looking for the perfect material that wont take too much time and having nothing to call your own or spend the same amount of time looking for stuff that wont take too long but working on stuff that you know will. I speak only for me; enjoying my life doing bonsai is of much more value to me than owning the perfect bonsai regardless of the source, and if some day my work produces "The Perfect Bonsai" then I will be happy just the same.

Yep...I see "that trunk will never develop in a bonsai pot" written on these forums so many times - it's nice to see examples that prove the opposite. Bill V has many trees that he has developed for 40+ years from cuttings, layers, etc, and some have beautiful large trunks. It takes time, but it is possible.

I really like seeing these kinds of progressions and hope you'll keep posting them.

Chris

 

[Neli]

For what it's worth, I may never be a world class bonsai master but I'll never stop trying to get there, not because I want the fame and fortune (yeah right) but I want to produce those kinds of trees. Everybody who has the money and doesn't mind spending it ( God Bless Them) can go out and purchase a masterpiece. If that's your thing then "thing" away with my blessing. As for me, the satisfaction of producing something that first makes me think "Wow! that's beautiful" is my goal.

If I spend my life and never get there only means I still have a lot to learn and a lot of room to grow. As long as I continue to be willing to push myself what more could I want? It's comforting to me to realize that this ladder to bonsai perfection does not have a top rung.


enjoying my life doing bonsai is of much more value to me than owning the perfect bonsai regardless of the source, and if some day my work produces "The Perfect Bonsai" then I will be happy just the same.

Wise words!

 

[QuintinBonsai]

Yep...I see "that trunk will never develop in a bonsai pot" written on these forums so many times - it's nice to see examples that prove the opposite. Bill V has many trees that he has developed for 40+ years from cuttings, layers, etc, and some have beautiful large trunks. It takes time, but it is possible.

I really like seeing these kinds of progressions and hope you'll keep posting them.

Chris

I've seen that all too often on this site as well other places. "You can't do anything with that twig in a pot, put 'er in the ground!" And to an extent, they are right, but I don't believe what they were saying is "it's that the trunk will never develop within a bonsai pot. It's the fact that a trunk will take a lot longer to develop than if you had planted in the ground." What took 27 years to achieve could have been shortened. I'm not talking down on his mugo at all. I personally think it's an awesome tree. I believe for someone to grow this since '85 in several pots has great patience, but that's the art of bonsai anyways.