MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
I'm starting a thread on this Japanese maple I purchased last year from one of our BNut members. Originally the tree was collected by Randy Knight from an old nursery. The maple was one of a few that apparently had been growing in the ground for many, many years.
I became very interested in this tree mainly for its non-traditional qualities. This tree has a quality that's more akin to an ancient oak than to a Japanese maple which tend to be more refined and elegant in appearance. For whatever the reason many areas including one of its larger trunks had died back over the years imparting the tree with character and an aged appearance. Below is a series of photographs showing the tree from all angles as it was offered for sale.
This is the original front of the tree. And for good reason since both trunks lean forward towards the viewer.
Below are two side angles.
Upon examining the tree carefully and inspecting the root base I decided on this angle. The pic below shows the former back as the tree's new front.
However, although some of its surface roots were nice, going deeper into the soil with a chopstick I discovered an even better and more interesting base. From this angle the entire tree faced away from the front. Since it was getting repotted, the planting angle was changed by roughly 45 degrees so that the whole tree came further forward. In the process more deadwood was uncovered which now became the tree's main feature.
Below is the newly repotted maple in a beautiful plastic oil drain pan
As can be seen the tree gained in height by planting it a lot higher and uncovering its interesting and robust 7" base. I took off all the wires and edited the canopy somewhat. I will leave it be this year and next spring it will undergo detailed wiring. I plan on refining the deadwood areas at some point this year.
I became very interested in this tree mainly for its non-traditional qualities. This tree has a quality that's more akin to an ancient oak than to a Japanese maple which tend to be more refined and elegant in appearance. For whatever the reason many areas including one of its larger trunks had died back over the years imparting the tree with character and an aged appearance. Below is a series of photographs showing the tree from all angles as it was offered for sale.
This is the original front of the tree. And for good reason since both trunks lean forward towards the viewer.
Below are two side angles.
Upon examining the tree carefully and inspecting the root base I decided on this angle. The pic below shows the former back as the tree's new front.
However, although some of its surface roots were nice, going deeper into the soil with a chopstick I discovered an even better and more interesting base. From this angle the entire tree faced away from the front. Since it was getting repotted, the planting angle was changed by roughly 45 degrees so that the whole tree came further forward. In the process more deadwood was uncovered which now became the tree's main feature.
Below is the newly repotted maple in a beautiful plastic oil drain pan
As can be seen the tree gained in height by planting it a lot higher and uncovering its interesting and robust 7" base. I took off all the wires and edited the canopy somewhat. I will leave it be this year and next spring it will undergo detailed wiring. I plan on refining the deadwood areas at some point this year.
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Only a few days ago I thought my front was the first pic. Then I ended up with the back as my new front and a whole new base. So... I guess what I am saying is I'm letting it tell me what it wants to be 
, course, you already know that
