Styling recommendations for Dwarf Jade

[Inspector34]

Hi Everyone,

I recently bought a dwarf jade. I've never owned one and it's highly addicting. I trimmed some unnecessary branches off right away that I didn't like and now I have a cutting forest.... I'm looking for some suggestions on styling direction. I have some ideas but I would love to read some ideas from those of you who have styled jades more long term.

I'd like to develop the trunk and the tree height and strengthen the branches out so I want to start with a clear direction. I marked up one image with an idea I had but I'm not 100% sure. The tree has a great slanted trunk so I'm leaning toward informal upright. Let me know what you all think. Thanks!

 

[Srt8madness]

Poor mockup, but I would go more extreme with something like this, taking advantage of taper and existing lower branch. The others would need to be grown out. Could add some others. To fill out.

Are you growing it outside? If so, the above would work. If not, it probably won't have enough juice to grow that out.

 

[Inspector34]

Your sketch gets the point across well, so thank you. We have cold winters so I have it in a warm room inside in a grow station with grow lights and mini shelf-greenhouse. in the summer, I bring it outside and it's been doing quite well with that. even in the grow lights, it's been exploding with new buds everywhere in the last 2 weeks. I just wasn't sure if I could realistically grow it tall. Was hoping for something around 18" at apex. But maybe I'm dreaming.

I like your idea though. I was just hoping to grow it taller and wider instead of making it a shohin. If you think my climate isn't suited for that, I may elect to go with your idea. Thanks for the mock-up.

 

[Srt8madness]

How tall is it now? You can make it as tall as you want, only difference is time. The taller it is, the bigger the trunk diameter needed to make it look good (subjective, of course).

I don't see much of a use for the lowest branch outside of being a sacrifice, especially if it is a taller tree. It's too low, at least for traditional bonsai design. You want some branchless "trunk" shown or else it'll just look like a manicured bush.

 

[Inspector34]

You’re absolutely right. I was stubbornly trying to make the bottom branch work but I knew it wasn’t doing anything good so I took it off. Today was a nice day so I took it outside and worked on it. I think I did a fairly decent job balancing it out with a good taper. Let me know what you guys think. It’s my first real jade shaping. We’ll see how it turns out as it fills in. Come spring I’ll toss it in a grow box and develop it bigger. Thanks for your input.

 

[Srt8madness]

Looks great!