Korean hornbeam literati

makarovnik

Mame
Messages
127
Reaction score
142
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
I started this art last year and my first year was not a good one. Out of the 5 trees I had only 2 survived the winter, my korean hornbeam and a maple from a seed that fell from a neighbors tree. I got this last year from a nursery and after letting it grow I repotted it this year. I put it into a bonsai pot but learned it was going to slow growth so i made a pot myself. When I started pruning it I saw a long skinny trunk with what I think has nice movement. I removed all small branches from the trunk and anything that I did not think fits. I wish I had a pic before the prune. I am not planning on using any wiring I will shape by pruning, I will let the tree shape itself. I like literati a lot and I am happy, I think, that this has potential to be one.
Here is what I got so far. Let me know what you think.
 

Attachments

  • 20170411_101434.jpg
    20170411_101434.jpg
    179.2 KB · Views: 290
  • 20170415_220555.jpg
    20170415_220555.jpg
    161.1 KB · Views: 297
  • 20170415_214712.jpg
    20170415_214712.jpg
    131.3 KB · Views: 286

makarovnik

Mame
Messages
127
Reaction score
142
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
Here is the latest pic. I want to try and give a 360 but it won't insert the other 3 pics. If it's hard to tell what's going on with it let me know I can bring it in and take pics with a dark background.
Please if any suggestions let me know
 

Attachments

  • 20170419_121426.jpg
    20170419_121426.jpg
    207.4 KB · Views: 273

GGB

Masterpiece
Messages
2,067
Reaction score
2,222
Location
Bethlehem, PA
USDA Zone
7a
Hey PA, I'm pretty new to the hobby as well (I'm 27, started around 24) but I haven't had trouble over wintering anything here. Feel free to message me anytime if you have questions or want to talk "winter theory". I'm pretty hands off so maybe it's just the species I use. I'm in Southeastern PA, maybe different climates if you're in the mountains
ANYWAY, I also love literati and I think this tre is moving in a good direction. I'd be happy with it on my bench, personally I would have left the upper branches just to thicken the main trunk for a few more seasons, but that's just my personal opinion. Sometimes I like my literati with a little heft, this one works well thin
 

makarovnik

Mame
Messages
127
Reaction score
142
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
I'm in southeastern PA also, delware county. I had 2 azeleas and a fukien tea. The fukien tea was from my own neglect but the azeleas I don't know why they did not survive the winter.
 

GGB

Masterpiece
Messages
2,067
Reaction score
2,222
Location
Bethlehem, PA
USDA Zone
7a
@makarovnik it's a little bit early in the season to call a tree dead. I trust you if you say it is, but my bald cypress was looking a little scary, I snapped a twig and saw nothing but brown. This week the entire bastard was covered in buds. Azaleas from what I remember in my landscape, at an old apartment, can look pretty sick and fugly through the winter
 

makarovnik

Mame
Messages
127
Reaction score
142
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
That's how I am now don't know which one I want to keep
I like all three of the branches right now. I will let them grow for the rest of the season and then before next spring I will decide which one of the three has to go. And then let it grow again and remove another, process of elimination. Hopefully in two or three years it will be where it should be.
 

makarovnik

Mame
Messages
127
Reaction score
142
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
@makarovnik it's a little bit early in the season to call a tree dead. I trust you if you say it is, but my bald cypress was looking a little scary, I snapped a twig and saw nothing but brown. This week the entire bastard was covered in buds. Azaleas from what I remember in my landscape, at an old apartment, can look pretty sick and fugly through the winter
I hope I'm wrong I still have one of them it if does not bud I will sadly get rid of it
 

makarovnik

Mame
Messages
127
Reaction score
142
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
Just an update
I removed 2 more branches that I did not like. One of them was blocking sunlight from the lower branch. I took a before pic but for some reason it did not save.
I'm not sure which one is going to stay, I like both, I will just let it grow for now.
20170531_200949.jpg
20170531_235021.jpg
20170531_235128.jpg
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,908
Reaction score
45,579
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
I Like the tighter angle.
Seems an old literate bonsai faster.

Where the bigger angle makes its look like a sapling in a box.

Ish.

Sorce
 

makarovnik

Mame
Messages
127
Reaction score
142
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
I am leaning towards the tighter angle a little more.

I will keep both and see how they grow. The bigger angle might surprise us later.

I will update in another month

Thanks
 

makarovnik

Mame
Messages
127
Reaction score
142
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
I am happy with the size so I think I am ready to start ramification. It may take a few years but this is one of my ideas. I plan on keeping the one going down no matter what. The question for me would be either get rid of the mid and top, just one of them, or keep both. I dont think it will be literati with all three. I am planing on maybe starting them when the branches get thick enough and do another elimination next summer.

I never attempted to ratify anything yet so this will be my first try

20170811_125544.jpg
 

AlainK

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
5,394
Reaction score
9,486
Location
Orléans, France, Europe
USDA Zone
9A
Not sure at all this species is suited for 'literati' style.

Well... Er..,

Actually, I think (personal opinion) that it will never ever make at least a "fairly good" "literati"...

That's not the way they grow.
 

makarovnik

Mame
Messages
127
Reaction score
142
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
Not sure at all this species is suited for 'literati' style.

Well... Er..,

Actually, I think (personal opinion) that it will never ever make at least a "fairly good" "literati"...

That's not the way they grow.

Let me pick your brain then.

What makes a fairly good literati?

What growth habit should the tree have in order to be literati?
 

AlainK

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
5,394
Reaction score
9,486
Location
Orléans, France, Europe
USDA Zone
9A
Well, it should have several "breaks" in the trunk before the first live branch. Friends of mine who learned with a Japanese master told me it should be 7, but I think 5 is all right.

The trunk should display some movement, twists or angles before the canopy (see what I mean).

So far, so good.

But the top should be in scale with the trunk. Here, it means very short internodes, and leaves, which is something that will be hard to reach.

Not impossible, but not so evident ;)
 
Top Bottom