Prunus Mahaleb - what to do

[LeoMame]

Hello Bonsai amigos,

I've been gifted this Prunus Mahaleb, and even though I feel strangely attracted to it I'm completely blocked on what to do with it... I can't decide a front, I can't decide on branch selection and I don't have much vision for its future.

I suppose this is all about experience and aestethics, so it would be great to gather ideas from you all. Here's some pictures.





Thanks for any suggestion!

Leo

 

[Cadillactaste]

I like the quirky movement in the trunk. If anything...toss some wire in the canopy and find your triangle shape if you are itching to do something.

 

[LeoMame]

I like the quirky movement in the trunk. If anything...toss some wire in the canopy and find your triangle shape if you are itching to do something.

Perhaps I'll wait for it to elongate and apply the wire in mid spring? Now it feels a bit brittle, I know prunus are tricky when it comes to wire.. what you think?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Perhaps I'll wait for it to elongate and apply the wire in mid spring? Now it feels a bit brittle, I know prunus are tricky when it comes to wire.. what you think?

It looks like young material. But only you know the flexibility of branches. They can get brittle. Guy wires help too moving things slowly with a twist ever so often. if you feel a branch needs lowered slightly. But take it slow. Its got potential...have fun with it.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Your branches are fairly numerous, you have a lot of clusters of 3 or more branches at a single point. Consider going through and pruning out excess branches. Where you have 3 or more at a single point, reduce to 2, the main branch and a single secondary, or just 2 secondary branches. Also where you have 2 branches that look directly opposite, remove on. Doing this will thin out the number of branches. It will make it easier to then pick out a trunk line, and pick out branches to allow to grow. It will make it easier to see the "tree".

You have a nice irregular trunk. I like it.

 

[LeoMame]

A little follow up on this mahaleb. It's been repotted in spring 2021 changing angle and dramatically reducing the apex.



The plant responded well, with great growth. I defoliated in mid May and then restyled it.

 

[LeoMame]

 

[LeoMame]

And this is this year, 2022, flowering in April and after pruning/defoliating in May