Literati juniper

[mds_1978]

Morning everyone.

I've had this juniper sat on my bench for a few years now, not really sure what to do with it. Over the weekend I decided to re-style it as a literati after getting some inspiration from the book Literati Style Penjing by Qingquan Zhao.

I've realise I've taken off a lot of foliage, so I'm hoping it copes with that. I left a chunk of foliage at the crown, which I'll jin or remove completely some time next year.

Any feedback would be most welcome.

Before


After (I)


After (II)

 

[Shibui]

I like where this one is headed and have no doubt there's plenty of foliage left to keep it going.
Looks like after(I) with the paper shows there's no rear branches?? Is there any depth in the current trunk movement or branching?

There's always alternative approaches but FWIW I'd be considering a top jin from the apex you have left in place instead of the wispy little shoots you have up there now but maybe they'll thicken up in time.
I'm also drawn to just the lower 3 branches as a possible entire tree. Literati - less is more.

 

[mds_1978]

I like where this one is headed and have no doubt there's plenty of foliage left to keep it going.
Looks like after(I) with the paper shows there's no rear branches?? Is there any depth in the current trunk movement or branching?

There's always alternative approaches but FWIW I'd be considering a top jin from the apex you have left in place instead of the wispy little shoots you have up there now but maybe they'll thicken up in time.
I'm also drawn to just the lower 3 branches as a possible entire tree. Literati - less is more.

Hey - thanks for the feedback.

Correct, there are no definite rear branches, but there is some depth to the foliage and movement in the trunk, so I'm hoping that will keep it from being too two dimensional.

I wasn't very clear about the jin-ing. I was envisaging the wispy shoots (blue) growing out into a new apex to create some taper and movement in the upper section of the trunk, and creating a jin from the original apex (red).

I'm happy with it as it is, but I'm intrigued by really paring it back to 3 branches. Something to look at next year...

Side view

 

[Potawatomi13]

At this thread:

"On the hunt for young virginia pine to develop"​

Is video by Bjorn developing Literati , also explaining Literati/Bunjin trees. After video finished shows video by Peter Heron developing Literati from difficult tree. May prove helpful to you.

Also balance between roots and foliage must be maintained. Too much foliage grows too many vigorous roots for minimal foliage. Too many roots creates too much vigor for minimal foliage. If roots too vigorous larger/more foliage develops for "struggling" image of Literati. One suggestion to grow taller tree for longer(proportionally)thinner trunk.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

At this thread:

"On the hunt for young virginia pine to develop"​

Is video by Bjorn developing Literati , also explaining Literati/Bunjin trees. After video finished shows video by Peter Heron developing Literati from difficult tree. May prove helpful to you.

Also balance between roots and foliage must be maintained. Too much foliage grows too many vigorous roots for minimal foliage. Too many roots creates too much vigor for minimal foliage. If roots too vigorous larger/more foliage develops for "struggling" image of Literati. One suggestion to grow taller tree for longer(proportionally)thinner trunk.

Pots - can you include the link to this video you are recommending?

@mds_1978 - this is a nice start, I like where you are going. Give this some time. I might consider rotating this off your current front so the new front gives a peek at the depth the side view reveals. But you will have to play around with how much. 10 degrees? 15 degrees, 45 degrees? 90 degrees? I think 90 is too much, see what looks right to you.

 

[brentwood]

Nvm, I missed something...

 

[mds_1978]

At this thread:

"On the hunt for young virginia pine to develop"​

Is video by Bjorn developing Literati , also explaining Literati/Bunjin trees. After video finished shows video by Peter Heron developing Literati from difficult tree. May prove helpful to you.

Also balance between roots and foliage must be maintained. Too much foliage grows too many vigorous roots for minimal foliage. Too many roots creates too much vigor for minimal foliage. If roots too vigorous larger/more foliage develops for "struggling" image of Literati. One suggestion to grow taller tree for longer(proportionally)thinner trunk.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm guessing any root work should wait until spring next year?

Pots - can you include the link to this video you are recommending?

@mds_1978 - this is a nice start, I like where you are going. Give this some time. I might consider rotating this off your current front so the new front gives a peek at the depth the side view reveals. But you will have to play around with how much. 10 degrees? 15 degrees, 45 degrees? 90 degrees? I think 90 is too much, see what looks right to you.

Thank you. As you say, no hurry with this - I'll see how it responds to the work I've done and take it forward next year. I'm thinking of moving it to a round pot next year, so that will give me more scope to assess rotating it.

Potential pot

 

[Potawatomi13]

Pots - can you include the link to this video you are recommending?

@mds_1978 - this is a nice start, I like where you are going. Give this some time. I might consider rotating this off your current front so the new front gives a peek at the depth the side view reveals. But you will have to play around with how much. 10 degrees? 15 degrees, 45 degrees? 90 degrees? I think 90 is too much, see what looks right to you.

HMMMM? Maybe this works? https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/on-the-hunt-for-young-virginia-pine-to-develop.57143/

 

[Potawatomi13]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm guessing any root work should wait until spring next year?


Thank you. As you say, no hurry with this - I'll see how it responds to the work I've done and take it forward next year. I'm thinking of moving it to a round pot next year, so that will give me more scope to assess rotating it.

Potential pot
View attachment 454081

Personally have done most work on upper tree first and am doing "step down" in pot next Spring season. Will have to do a couple more times likely.