Newbei Thuja

boguz

Mame
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Hello
I got this thuja from a neighbour. Its nebari is so beautiful. I didn't see much thuja bonsai. Do you guys have any ideas? I choped it not short for now. I found those last 2 pictures, seems i have a long way

20170325_155538.jpg 20170325_155555.jpg 20170325_155606.jpg thuja_bonsai1.jpg thuja_bonsai.jpg
 

Bonsai Nut

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I didn't see much thuja bonsai. Do you guys have any ideas?

The two thuja species that occur natively in the United States are rarely used as bonsai because of their leggy growth and their flat spreading branchlets. They are very difficult to wire and train, and the foliage cannot be reduced. In order to make a convincing bonsai, they have to be pretty large trees.

I am not as familiar with the Korean and Japanese thuja which may be smaller trees(?) or may be easier to maintain. Do you know what species you have?
 

Gene Deci

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They are so plentiful in northern Michigan that everyone tries them. Like all collected material, the better it is to start with, the more likely you are to end up with something you are proud of. I have seen some real nice ones. The tree you have shown has a lot to recommend it but the lack of taper may be the fatal flaw. I'll be interested to see what people here suggest. This is the place to be for innovative ideas
 

sorce

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I found those last 2 pictures, seems i have a long way

Those 2......

If you remove the shitty foilage, off the shitty branch placement, the only thing thats left is a shitty trunk!

Do you guys have any ideas?

Don't use those 2 as a go-to subject.

I'd chop yours to the lowest large branch..
And have a longer way to go.

But a longer road to something nice.

Sorce
 

M. Frary

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They are so plentiful in northern Michigan that everyone tries them
Not me. I don't like them for the reasons you stated.
Although I do know where some with great trunks are.
I'm going to learn grafting and maybe try to put some hinoki cypress foliage on one.
 

just.wing.it

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Not me. I don't like them for the reasons you stated.
Although I do know where some with great trunks are.
I'm going to learn grafting and maybe try to put some hinoki cypress foliage on one.
That would be cool!
Maybe throw in a random Ume branch too!
 

M. Frary

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That would be cool!
Maybe throw in a random Ume branch too!
I'm sure it would work. They graft hinoki onto arborvite.
Same thing.
I just need to practice me some grafting this year.
Good thing MarkyScott did up the grafting thread so well.
I don't need to look elsewhere to learn.
 

just.wing.it

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I'm sure it would work. They graft hinoki onto arborvite.
Same thing.
I just need to practice me some grafting this year.
Good thing MarkyScott did up the grafting thread so well.
I don't need to look elsewhere to learn.
It would! Do it dude!
 

0soyoung

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Do you guys have any ideas?
Here's a Nic Lenz tree that could be good inspiration for what you've got

dc7613e89baedf5e172cc83b03df31fd.jpg

I have a Korean arborvitae that I found as a volunteer in my yard about a decade ago. It highlights many of the problems, thoug the foliage can be sheared like a hedge or carefully/tediously trimmed into threads giving very different appearances. As BNut said 'very difficult to wire and train', but my view is that if I wanted easy, I'd just buy a fabulous bonsai and pay someone to keep it that way. ;)

full
 

Mark

Mame
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EWC are wonderful trees and can make excellent Bonsai including small sizes
Chuhin and Shohin Bonsai. They require time, dedication and knowledge. The results can be rewarding.
 

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M. Frary

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EWC are wonderful trees and can make excellent Bonsai including small sizes
Chuhin and Shohin Bonsai. They require time, dedication and knowledge. The results can be rewarding.
Is it yours?
 

Cadillactaste

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The material you have...and the photo you shared of the specimen have years difference under their belt. I'm not sure that is a realistic goal. Thuja have great bark...and yours has a nice base. But lack of taper...is an issue. Possibly if you could find a couple more and toss into a grouping. Then...instead of being mediocre,they become something more. I mean three at staggered heights could be interesting.

I've had this thuja planting two years and the branches don't thinken over night. Notice how thick that first right branch is on your specimen you wished to recreate...that was surly many years in the making.

@mattspiniken has an AMAZING collected one from the wild. Folks in Canida also collect yamadori and make fascinating bonsai, but their trees are massive.

image.jpg
 

Bonsai Nut

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EWC are wonderful trees and can make excellent Bonsai including small sizes
Chuhin and Shohin Bonsai. They require time, dedication and knowledge. The results can be rewarding.

Probably the nicest example I have ever seen.
 

boguz

Mame
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Thanks for the comments guys.
Firstly, i have no idea what the species of thuja. It isn't from a nursery. It was on a street, my neighbour was using it in his parking spot
In my country, these trees doesn't grow in nature, just in nurseries for hedge plants.
Yes, there is no taper here. I just loved its base/nebari, and tought i can do something. Maybe i should chop it much more
 
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EWC are wonderful trees and can make excellent Bonsai including small sizes
Chuhin and Shohin Bonsai. They require time, dedication and knowledge. The results can be rewarding.
Thank you for posting your tree, I have seen it before and always admired it. Do you mind sharing its story? Also can you give us some foliage tips?
 
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