Very good progression for a seedling BC. It appears you may need to re-chop the top as you're getting a bit of reverse taper there. The angled cut you made looked to be a bit too soon. If you do re-chop, make it a horizontal cut as you did the first time then let it regrow for a full season before making that angled cut in spring of the next. Makes all the difference in the world as the callus can't overtop the horizontal cut in its initial dynamic growth stage. Then when you do the angle the rollover comes out just right.Here it is today. I took it out of the tub of water it sits in Spring - Fall and I snapped a few pictures. Check out all the roots that escaped the pot. The chop/carves are healing well and should close next year.
If you like I'll be glad to send you a series of drawings I did for a customer detailing how to develop the apex of a bald cypress. Just PM me.Thanks for the comments.
I have a few branches selected, haven't decided which others I want to keep.
I am gonna keep an eye out on the taper issue. The first cut's new leader grew so quickly that it almost completely healed the flat cut in one summer, so one the second I went ahead and carved it ahead of time. Live and learn, at least with bald cypress, it all happens fast., in tree-time anyway.
John
I completely agree. I was in SC for 3 years and saw the flat tops with a lot of deadwood. Now I am in Indiana and see tons of formal upright "Christmas tree" style trees. It all depends on where you are.I have always found the flat top styled bonsai a good design, but not very realistic for the cypress that grwo around here.