Small epyphany with a cedar

[MichaelS]

No before shots but it looked something like this first pic.





With the help of a small black rag I convinced myself to do this......To me it looks more like a mature cedar now. Thoughts?
The graft at the base really shits me. It didn't heal evenly.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Yes, Agreed. Tree looks less man made. Time, patience/graft will get better.

 

[sorce]

Thoughts

Don't mention the graft!

Nice!

Sorce

 

[Djtommy]

Pity there is no before but it seems removing them was a good choice.
I like the the apex but now it seems a bit to symmetrical, (same length left and right)

For this tree I’d keep the length on the left and maybe keep it a bit shorter on the right
I’m that case maybe also shorten the branch below the apex on the right.
Or just leave as is at it looks already very good nice tree!

 

[MichaelS]

Pity there is no before but it seems removing them was a good choice.
I like the the apex but now it seems a bit to symmetrical, (same length left and right)

For this tree I’d keep the length on the left and maybe keep it a bit shorter on the right
I’m that case maybe also shorten the branch below the apex on the right.
Or just leave as is at it looks already very good nice tree!

Thanks @Djtommy. Very insightful. A also thought about the right part. And I did shorten it a fraction. The thing is that I want this tree to look (eventually) like a mature cedar not a pine. They grow differently. Cedars have most of their strong branches high in the tree and have a distinctive flat top. The image is more difficult to achieve than the more free form pines because you instinctively fight against it. = Pre programing

Examples below...

 

[MichaelS]

Don't mention the graft!

Nice!

Sorce

I'll never mention it again.

 

[Wilson]

Is this an atlas cedar, or brevifolia? It is a great tree!

 

[AlainK]

Is this an atlas cedar, or brevifolia?

Good question!

It is a great tree!

And I agree with that too

 

[Arcto]

You probably already thought of it, leaving a short Jin on the left branch that was removed may have been a nice feature. I would consider dropping the lower left branch in the apex region a little more to close that negative space on the left a bit. These are little things, a very nice tree.

 

[Djtommy]

You probably already thought of it, leaving a short Jin on the left branch that was removed may have been a nice feature. I would consider dropping the lower left branch in the apex region a little more to close that negative space on the left a bit. These are little things, a very nice tree.

I agree and also not, I also think that closing that negative space a little would not be bad.
The problem I see is that when doing that you probably start creating a more rounded canopy which I don’t think Michael wants and which also doesn’t fit this tree well.
But if it was me I would certainly try this once though just to see

 

[Adair M]

The flat top Cedars are extremely old. Until they reach that height where they cannot grow up any longer they are more conical in shape and the apexes are domed.

The catch is the bark. It only makes sense to have a flat top on a tree with mature bark. Having a flat top on a tree with the smooth juvenile bark is inconsistent. While the tree still has juvenile bark, I think it would look more natural with a domed shaped apex.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

The growth habit of the older cypresses reminds me a lot of the Monterey cypress along the coast in California. I just took a vacation to the the Bug Sur/ Carmel/ Santa Cruz area (from upstate ny). And I took abouta million pictures of the cypresses, really awe inspiring.

 

[MichaelS]

Is this an atlas cedar, or brevifolia? It is a great tree!

It is atlantica ''compacta''. The great thing about it is that it continually puts out new leaders from everywhere so there is always something to chose from. Some of the others have a lot of trouble with this.

 

[MichaelS]

You probably already thought of it, leaving a short Jin on the left branch that was removed may have been a nice feature. I would consider dropping the lower left branch in the apex region a little more to close that negative space on the left a bit. These are little things, a very nice tree.

That space will close naturally without me doing much. The back branches will do that I think.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Cedars*

 

[MichaelS]

Another one just finished being wired. This one is more than 40 years old. It's bark is starting to roughen up. I think I'm slowly getting to understand cedars more. It's the only tree I have acquired which was already shaped (badly) I removed 2 huge low branches on this as well. You can see the scars at the first and second bend. Doing it immediately made the thing look taller, older, more like a cedar and less like a pine. The plan for the future is to make the top flatter and almost twice as wide as now. (well that's the idea).........

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Flat top Monterey Cypresses that I was referring to in my earlier post. After seeing these I have been really fixated on wanting to express that form in bonsai. Very cool to see you using cedrus in a similar form, also honoring their natural growth habit.

 

[MichaelS]

Flat top Monterey Cypresses that I was referring to in my earlier post. After seeing these I have been really fixated on wanting to express that form in bonsai. Very cool to see you using cedrus in a similar form, also honoring their natural growth habit.
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These are fantastic Mike. You absolutely must try to capture that somehow. You could use cedars, pine, spruce or probably even junipers. I don't know how Cupressus responds to bonsai techniques??
We have many Monterey cypress planted here as well. Some are over 150 years old and some old ones in old homesteads look similar to those.
Check out this Asian juniper as well..

 

[my nellie]

Lovely Cedars @MichaelS
And exceptional lively trees on those photos, too!

May I take the opportunity & advantage to ask people here what is the most suitable species of Cedar for the climate conditions of Athens, Greece? Zone 9a and during summer it's very hot and dry.

 

[MichaelS]

Lovely Cedars @MichaelS
And exceptional lively trees on those photos, too!

May I take the opportunity & advantage to ask people here what is the most suitable species of Cedar for the climate conditions of Athens, Greece? Zone 9a and during summer it's very hot and dry.

Any species. Some of the dwarf ones might need a bit more protection but they are all tough. I'm hot and dry in summer as well. Don't bother with deodara.