Multi-trunk Taxus

[leatherback]

Time and health...
Priority Nr 1.

In the summer of 2008 I found a Taxus laying in a container. I decided to bring it home and plant it in a pot.
Since finding the tree not much was done to it. The main stems were shortened and old branches cut back. For the rest it was left to grow and get back to health. This way the tree responds better to work done, which in this case will include deadwood creation, and after styling it will need a lot of backbudding.



It has been two years and the plant is now strong and healthy. Today is the day.. First styling session!

 

[R0b]

Interesting project I have one very similar. My trunks are a bit bigger so they look like a mass instead of individual trunks. Removed two of them to open up a bit.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Nice one, these are great for carving if you are so inclined...

 

[leatherback]

these are great for carving

Just a bit of gentle work. Still plenty of growing to do and will over time expand the deadwood.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

View attachment 318321

Just a bit of gentle work. Still plenty of growing to do and will over time expand the deadwood.

Right, these are well worth the effort.

 

[leatherback]

Next update.. Spring 2021?
For now the tree can do its thing. Initial deadwood can start aging. Callus can build. Backbudding can happen, branches set. A good trim in 2021 I hope.

 

[Ruben Bouwmeester]

Nice one. Reminds me of a yew from Ron.

Only I don't understand why you are making it a tanuki.

 

[leatherback]

Only I don't understand why you are making it a tanuki

Was not planning to.
I think it will live!

 

[leatherback]

One week down the road.. And the first visible buds are forming on the branches. Gotta love Yews this time of the year!

 

[leatherback]

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I always enjoy checking out your work! One comment about your sharis... I think it is pretty noticeable when someone carves a shari across the grain of the wood and bark. On your one trunk you carved a gentle spiral. I'm not 100% certain whether the top foliage will survive or not, since it appears that you have severed the vascular network all the way around the trunk. However it draws my eye - and does not (to me) look natural. Just a comment.

Otherwise I think this tree is well on its way! The lines are all there and the dimensions look good!

 

[leatherback]

Thank you so much!

I did actually not spiral the trunk. Image is everything.. Like a good magician you just have to ensure people THINK you did. The back is fully connected. I hope it will be OK.

Re. the carving: I try to avoid doing anything in other lines than the grain. So the work done is with the grain, but the shari moves. Not sure how to explain? Who knows. It might just work

I hope to let this grow strong for a a few years building some elevation etc. And I will add more shari in the future.

 

[Rivka]

Do you have any pictures of this from directly above it looking down? I was interested to see what arraignment you were aiming for with that horizontal bracing? Were you fixing some specific errant trunk or moving things generally into or out of a shared plane? Looking forward to a 2021 update.

 

[leatherback]

Do you have any pictures of this from directly above it looking down?

Nope!

I was interested to see what arraignment you were aiming for with that horizontal bracing?

This I can show. I do not have new pictures yet, will take some when I pull it off the bench for wiring and trimming.

 

[Rivka]

so i see that the trunk farthest to the right is pushed outward into its own space, but i still not sure if i can see what the horizontal brace is actually doing?

 

[leatherback]

so i see that the trunk farthest to the right is pushed outward into its own space, but i still not sure if i can see what the horizontal brace is actually doing?

Ehm.. It is pushing the trunk on the right out. What else should it be doing?

 

[Rivka]

That’s exactly what it should be doing but for some strange reason, from the angle of the pictures, it doesn’t look like it is. Optical delusion or something like that I bet.

 

[leatherback]

This weekend it is time.

 

[just.wing.it]

Time for what?

 

[BobbyLane]

He's going to carve the hell out of the trunks!
'its time' for the dremel