Japanese Privet Ideas

[sevan]

I mentioned in the 2023 yamadori thread that I'm planning to clear out some invasives from my yard this year and one of them is a Japanese Privet that I particularly like. I'm not sure if the previous owner planted it or if a bird did (there's privet everywhere here), but I think it is a pretty tree. Its coming out no matter what, so I'm just trying to decide what I want to do with it.

Below are pictures from a few angles. The current branches split three ways about 3' from ground level. I really like the trunk all the way up to the branches, but the branches lose interest quickly. My current thoughts are:

1) Chop the branches near the blue line, grow back out as a smaller patio tree (maybe 5-6' tall finished) - not a bonsai, but I get to keep all of the trunk that I enjoy
2) Also chop at the blue lines, but grow back out as a 4' flat top style bonsai (see inspiration pic at the bottom)
3) Chop at the green line and grow out as a ~3' flat top or ~4' broom style
4) Chop at the red line and spend the next 10+ years growing out the rest of the trunk line, likely for an informal upright style

Right now I'm leaning towards the first two options, what do you all think?





Possible flat top inspiration (this one is a BRT):

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Hello, I've got a bunch of these in my yard too. You could cut high and wait for buds to pop lower if you are concerned but I'd just find the best front, nebari wise, and go for an aggressive angle cut from the start. I chopped a few in my yard over the past few years and they all sprouted near the top of the cut

 

[Shibui]

3' seems a long way to the first branches. By the time you grow a canopy the tree will be over 4' tall and that's quite a big bonsai. Think of the work involved in repotting and regular maintenance. I'd be going shorter despite the nice trunk lines.

 

[Soup Dragon]

If you decide to go for a low chop, consider air-layering off the top portion first, and build a second tree from that (with taper and movement). With privet, air-layering should be quick. In fact, I have planted a chopped 10cm (3'')-wide trunk directly in soil and it rooted, so you could try that if you don't want to wait for an air-layer.

 

[sevan]

Great ideas, maybe I will reduce it to two branches and air layer it about where the large knot is in the second photo. Then I can give it another year to decide what to do with the main trunk.