My Japanese Red Pine (Akamatsu)

[Shun]

Hello!

I've been enjoying bonsai for a few years now and living in an apartment always with poor sunlight and little space restricted me to only get just a few (and small) trees.
Recently I've been renting space in my local bonsai store so I could leave my trees there as I was worried some of them were not growing nicely and had dull colors on their leafs, I knew I didn't have the best place for them

Now with this new space and better growing conditios I went ahead and bought a big (to me) JRP.. I felt I wanted an "iconic" piece in my "collection". Sharing some pics and a small 360 video of it.

Big akamatsu pre bonsai 2022

www.youtube.com

2 concerns:
1- I'm kinda lost on how on earth I'm going to repot this tree as my experience on bonsai is restricted to mame and shohin plants
2- styling. I saw potential in this JRP and big trunked ones are very hard to come by here in Brazil so i just bit the bullet

Hope you guys like it!

Thanks!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Tree has possibilities. However beware Red pine brittleness when making bends. Any Bonsai club or other keeper to help or mentor you locally.

 

[Shun]

Tree has possibilities. However beware Red pine brittleness when making bends. Any Bonsai club or other keeper to help or mentor you locally.

Humm! Is it that much brittle than a JBP? I will keep that in mind!

Got in touch with an bonsai professional locally and we are planning on working on this very soon! in a couple of weeks! Will update the thread with more pics and maybe videos of it as we go!

I'm really anxious about making a fist styling on it! Oh boy! Just hoping not to mess it up hehehe

 

[LanceMac10]

Doesn't look like a great medium for growing, with the moss, lichen, weeds....your gonna' get this in some good soil and a more appropriate container, right?

Is your weather late summer, early fall temperature there?

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Very nice trunkline, and the bark is amazing.

Without seeing in person, I'd remove the lowest branch as it appears too large to lower
and is currently parallel to the second trunk section in your preferred front.
I see this as a tall elegant slender tree.

 

[Shun]

Doesn't look like a great medium for growing, with the moss, lichen, weeds....your gonna' get this in some good soil and a more appropriate container, right?

Is your weather late summer, early fall temperature there?

Oh yes sir! Plan on repotting in better soil! It has been sitting in this big pot for at least 6 years. Already planning on an adequate container, also!

Here where I live we are in the middle/end of Fall. Current temperature is around 4C (39F) to 10C (50F).

 

[Shun]

Very nice trunkline, and the bark is amazing.

Without seeing in person, I'd remove the lowest branch as it appears too large to lower
and is currently parallel to the second trunk section in your preferred front.
I see this as a tall elegant slender tree.

I too like the trunkline and bark! Thank you!

The first branch will be lowered with guy wires to break the parallel lines and proper positioning, Me and the bonsai professional whom I will partner with to work on it decided to make it the fisr branch also the main/directional branch, actually!

The trunk is about 6 inches wide (16cm~) so I dont see it as much as a tall and slender tree!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Humm! Is it that much brittle than a JBP? I will keep that in mind!

Got in touch with an bonsai professional locally and we are planning on working on this very soon! in a couple of weeks! Will update the thread with more pics and maybe videos of it as we go!

I'm really anxious about making a fist styling on it! Oh boy! Just hoping not to mess it up hehehe

"Brittleness" seems common opinion on here that is passed on. Do not have one personally. Wishing the best for you and love lower branch.

 

[Clicio]

Hello!

I've been enjoying bonsai for a few years now and living in an apartment always with poor sunlight and little space restricted me to only get just a few (and small) trees.
Recently I've been renting space in my local bonsai store so I could leave my trees there as I was worried some of them were not growing nicely and had dull colors on their leafs, I knew I didn't have the best place for them

Now with this new space and better growing conditios I went ahead and bought a big (to me) JRP.. I felt I wanted an "iconic" piece in my "collection". Sharing some pics and a small 360 video of it.

Big akamatsu pre bonsai 2022

www.youtube.com

View attachment 436758
View attachment 436760
View attachment 436762
View attachment 436765



2 concerns:
1- I'm kinda lost on how on earth I'm going to repot this tree as my experience on bonsai is restricted to mame and shohin plants
2- styling. I saw potential in this JRP and big trunked ones are very hard to come by here in Brazil so i just bit the bullet

Hope you guys like it!

Thanks!

Beautiful tree, Shun.
Yes, it´s dificult to find Red pines as big as this one in Brazil, so enjoy the journey!
I have a couple here in Sao Paulo and they take as much sun as it comes, but they usually are more fussy than JBP; sometimes they are showing signs of stress while the JBP are thriving and very happy.
Please keep us posted about the development of your Akamatsu, parabéns!

 

[Mike Westervelt]

I too like the trunkline and bark! Thank you!

The first branch will be lowered with guy wires to break the parallel lines and proper positioning, Me and the bonsai professional whom I will partner with to work on it decided to make it the fisr branch also the main/directional branch, actually!

The trunk is about 6 inches wide (16cm~) so I dont see it as much as a tall and slender tree!

Whoa! didn't realize how large the trunk was.

Keep us posted, looking forward to seeing your progress.

 

[Mayank]

I too like the trunkline and bark! Thank you!

The first branch will be lowered with guy wires to break the parallel lines and proper positioning, Me and the bonsai professional whom I will partner with to work on it decided to make it the fisr branch also the main/directional branch, actually!

The trunk is about 6 inches wide (16cm~) so I dont see it as much as a tall and slender tree!

I definitely would not remove that lower first branch. I'm glad you're keeping it.

 

[MichaelS]

I'm really anxious about making a fist styling on it! Oh boy! Just hoping not to mess it up hehehe

This is brilliant material. I strongly recommend you just clean it up by light pruning and old needle removal and look at it for a few months before you even contemplate going near it with wire.
It has a marvelous natural and wild appearance and it would be a real shame if you lost that.

 

[Shun]

thank you guys for your words!

This is brilliant material. I strongly recommend you just clean it up by light pruning and old needle removal and look at it for a few months before you even contemplate going near it with wire.
It has a marvelous natural and wild appearance and it would be a real shame if you lost that.

This plant has already been thinned and is ready to be styled, we are going to make a project for it before touching it!

Beautiful tree, Shun.
Yes, it´s dificult to find Red pines as big as this one in Brazil, so enjoy the journey!
I have a couple here in Sao Paulo and they take as much sun as it comes, but they usually are more fussy than JBP; sometimes they are showing signs of stress while the JBP are thriving and very happy.
Please keep us posted about the development of your Akamatsu, parabéns!

Thank you, Clicio! I'm hoping to do a good job on this bonsai and hopefully in 5-10 years time have it somewhat refined. Lets enjoy the process until there! Obrigado!

Here`s another short video of it

Akamatsu Japanese Red Pine Pre work 2022

youtube.com

 

[Potawatomi13]

thank you guys for your words!

This plant has already been thinned and is ready to be styled, we are going to make a project for it before touching it!


Thank you, Clicio! I'm hoping to do a good job on this bonsai and hopefully in 5-10 years time have it somewhat refined. Lets enjoy the process until there! Obrigado!

Here`s another short video of it

Akamatsu Japanese Red Pine Pre work 2022

youtube.com

Never showed back of tree.

 

[Shun]

Never showed back of tree.

Backside



Right side



Left side

 

[Potawatomi13]

Aahh! Much better thank you. 2 dimensionalness removed tree looks much better.

 

[Shun]

First iteration! I'm quite pleased with the result!

Still debating on cutting off the lowest right branch, its cascading and im not sure im going that direction with this bonsai!

Thanks!

 

[LanceMac10]

I like the traditional styling. Looks really nice......just needs a new container!!!


....start saving, this tree deserves something real suave!!

Cue the Rico Sauve track!!

 

[Shun]

With a high quality edition on the image.. a little more foliage on the top and without the branchlet on the right side.. I'm thinking the tree will look more balanced without the main branch flowing too far off

what do you guys think?

 

[ptolomeo]

I would personally keep the first right branch, move the apex more towards the right and shorten the branches on the left side