Huge Old Collected Vine Maple

[JasonG]

Hello Everyone...

Here is a tree I finished the other day.... Please see my blog http://www.jasonsbonsai.blogspot.com/
for the full story, many more progression photos and even a cool video of the tree.
Before

After many, many ,many, many feet of wire!!!

And as an added bonus...My apple that is on my blog as well. Looking good!

Thanks, Jason

 

[bonsai barry]

Wow that apple deserves its own post. I have apple envy!

 

[TheSteve]

The maple is too wide. Great tree. Can't wait to move it to my yard.

 

[RyanFrye]

I love the apple! Thanks for sharing.

 

[JasonG]

The maple is too wide. Great tree. Can't wait to move it to my yard.

You will need to save your $$ for a long time before you move it to your yard! Besides, I don't think you would know what to do with a REAL tree in your yard! haha

I love the apple! Thanks for sharing.

Wow that apple deserves its own post. I have apple envy!

Hi Ryan and Barry,

Yes, I love this apple too, it is very beautiful right now...many more pics of it on my blog.

Thanks, Jason

 

[RyanFrye]

...many more pics of it on my blog.

I enjoy your blog! I'll be sure to check it out.

 

[ghues]

Hi Jason,
A great Vine Maple, one of my favourites..... you guys have a mean set up too.
Hey about the age of it..... we are finding that our PNW conifers and deciduous trees are having a "lamus growth"....a secondary flush due to a cool wet early summer after the first flush......global warming perhaps. From the guys that really know their tree aging stuff....... its been found in older trees too. However, I do agree that it is an old guy....like me middle aged lol.
Cheers Graham

 

[Tiberious]

Boy I sure do love that trunk on the vine. I have thing for vine maples and I have a few in my collection to remind me of the my past home-the pacific northwest to which I shall go back too, after I am done with business in this god-awful crap hole state that I now reside in.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Hey Jason - do you have a sketch of where you are going with the design? I see the new apex and the fact that you will be keeping the second trunk - I am curious about where you see the foilage lines ending up relative to the two trunks...

 

[Bill S]

I'm guessing that it won't be a twin trunk, or the right branch will be in for a good pruning, the second trunk goes right into the branching of the apex doesn't work for me unless it becomes a tree not two. I'tll make a nice tree though, never seen anything around here like that, closest might be bittersweet vines cut back.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I'm guessing that it won't be a twin trunk

Yes - my note was a nice way of saying "Jason what are you doing?!" because right now I don't see it. I know he's up to something...

 

[rlist]

The maple is too wide. Great tree. Can't wait to move it to my yard.

Nice try. This tree cost me a pair of cutters - as in they are still on the mountain in the hole that we left behind... So, I got dibs...

People walked by this tree - a lot. One master did not even grant it the courtesy of a rating... Nut is right in that Jason has a plan - which I would guess is to make it the best it can be. It will never be a great tree under traditional bonsai classifications, but it is unique and because of that when it is done more that The Steve and I will appreciate it. It might even make it to "Steel"...

 

[JasonG]

Thanks for the conversation on this tree guys. The second trunk is alive up to about 2 inches above the soil then it is dead. I only left it long like this because it is actually an anchor for a guy wire.....I could pull it off the main trunk then remove the 2nd one all together..... might be something I do this fall.

Greg, I don't have an actual sketch of the final design, the image is in my head and hoenstly it will take many years to get to a finished state. This is a very slow growing tree, 1 small push of growth per year which is typical of older vine maples. The owner of OregonBonsai has seen this in all of his as well.

My plan is next spring get it into a pot, or I might wait another year beyond that. Rich is right, this isn't the typical tree for bonsai by the book, but this is the type of bonsai many in Europe would kill for. Personally I love the wildness of it, the trunk is full of "muscles" and the fall colors can't be touched by another tree. I love this tree, and for me it has much soul and tells me a strong story of survival and now it is time for me to pamper her and add to her beauty. Some day, the nay sayers will come around and realize they are living inside a narrow box...

Thanks, jason

 

[Widgeon]

Jason, I am with you, I think it is a great tree and tells a great story. With some time and a nice pot this tree will be a killer maple. Steve and I are saving our pennies so hurry up and get that thing done. lol

Tony

 

[reddog]

Jason, I am curious to hear what ryan neil would think of this tree? I really like the color of those leaves and the age of the trunk. Might have to keep my eyes open in the future.

 

[TheSteve]

Jason, I am curious to hear what ryan neil would think of this tree?

In all due respect I think this is where forums have altered the perception of how we see trees. With so many people at hand to critique I think we forget that bonsai is still a personal journey not a public one. I for one have never wondered what anybody would think about my tree while working on them. Both praise and suggestions are equally welcome but in the end it's my tree and has to make me happy. Although I would want Ryan or Walter or someone to like my tree it's not the first thing on my mind. the same goes when looking at someone elses tree.

Reddog I'm not attacking your post please don't take it that way. It's just a trend I'm seeing and I guess I'm just thinking out loud.

 

[JasonG]

Jason, I am curious to hear what ryan neil would think of this tree? I really like the color of those leaves and the age of the trunk. Might have to keep my eyes open in the future.

Hey Reddog,

Like most everyone else Ryan had very little to say about the tree before....but he really liked the styling and his words were "loving the maple".... A few other notables really liked it too, so that was excellent for me to hear.

As with most trees, pictures do not do it justice.

You should come out sometime.....

Jason