Thanks to all who offered advice...on the Ponderosa Pine

[Cadillactaste]

Ponderosa no more. Thanks to @Adair M , @Mellow Mullet , and @JudyB for the sound advice and food for thought. Many know I have looked for a gnarly "me" maple for awhile and gave up looking. Well...I passed on the Ponderosa I was looking at. Adair you gave me amazing Pros and Con list and that was an amazing list. But, also your con list though small...was a not so small issue. That, with the tree that I thought was 16" via phone conversation ended up being 25" tall. I'm afraid that too was a hinderance on a bum shoulder I have. So...it is with pleasure...that I say...that I can also thank @Paradox with her maple tree. And our conversation where she got it. Had me browsing their site. And stumbled upon a sweet tree. Now, it may not be everyone's cup of tea. And it does need buried deeper in my honest opinion. I can hear Jim's cometary in my mind. And his great length discussions on hot mess of roots. So it will be eventually buried deeper. So is this a raft, turtle back, or a clump? (With intentions of planting deeper.)

Japanese Maple...

 

[justBonsai]

Looks like a cool tree. You could make a nice raft or clump bonsai out of it. As far as burying it deeper I'd agree that doing so will help development of some of the roots but I would do so only temporarily. At a later date assuming sufficient development of desired roots, re-expose the base such that the horizontal main trunk is suspended in the air. Maybe if you get good development and growth on the outer roots you could cut back and reduce the large root in the center.

I remember seeing lingnan bonsai like that where the clump or raft was suspended in the air by several long roots leading into the pot. Looked pretty cool in my opinion and would make for an interesting tree. Can't find a picture but maybe someone else knows what I'm talking about.

 

[yenling83]

Hmmm... If I owned this I would layer it to make it a multi trunk or sell. I tend to dislike maples when the roots are not combed out during each re potting. Exposed root style is good too, but there should be more graceful movement in the roots created by the roots growing over large irregularly shaped pumice.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Looks like a cool tree. You could make a nice raft or clump bonsai out of it. As far as burying it deeper I'd agree that doing so will help development of some of the roots but I would do so only temporarily. At a later date assuming sufficient development of desired roots, re-expose the base such that the horizontal main trunk is suspended in the air. Maybe if you get good development and growth on the outer roots you could cut back and reduce the large root in the center.

I remember seeing lingnan bonsai like that where the clump or raft was suspended in the air by several long roots leading into the pot. Looked pretty cool in my opinion and would make for an interesting tree. Can't find a picture but maybe someone else knows what I'm talking about.

Thanks!
Totally agree with allowing that horizontal branch that is suspended in air exposed! Never thought to allow them to develop more. Food for though. I'm not worried about the larger root at this time. It's just gnarly...and I'm thrilled to have found it. I'm thinking I may have seen that tree you speak of. It was cool.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Hmmm... If I owned this I would layer it to make it a multi trunk or sell. I tend to dislike maples when the roots are not combed out during each re potting. Exposed root style is good too, but there should be more graceful movement in the roots created by the roots growing over large irregularly shaped pumice.

You're allowed that thought process. But, to separate and make two trees...removes the character. Which makes it different than most trees. Again...I'm not calling this an exposed root. I don't envision it as such. It needs buried deeper. Jim would shiver in his grave at those roots. But wish to keep the roots exposed to they horizontal tree.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I'm leaning more to this for surface roots. But will ponder allowing them to be buried for now, to develop more until my mind is totally set.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Neat maple! Is this a particular cultivar? Exposed root or clump, I'd bury it deeper as you considered for more roots.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Neat maple! Is this a particular cultivar? Exposed root or clump, I'd bury it deeper as you considered for more roots.

It only stated Exposed Root Japanese Maple. So that's all I know. Funny story is first time I glanced at it. I wrinkled my nose and said,"what a hot mess". And scrolled on. But...I went back later looking for maples...and thought what is it that they see in this thing. And went through the photo's and seen the one angle I shared. I then...seen less roots showing and cropping the photo gives a gnarly tree. Matt Smith calls maples that all connect turtle back. I'm not sure what one will call this once it's buried deeper and less roots exposed. A clump maybe?
@MACH5 what would you call it? I don't quite think its a raft. A Grove? I just see a gnarly unusual piece. Once I envision the hot mess of roots no longer a distraction by planting deeper until I decide to remove them for sure. Though I've no pot for this tree. So...that will have to wait until next year I imagine anyways. Pot hunting when I have no clue what may look good. For one it will need to be deeper than necessary until I decide on direction of roots.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Nice little maple, but I agree, it needs to be deeper.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Nice little maple, but I agree, it needs to be deeper.

Thanks! Yes...the roots as it is...you lose the tree in that hot mess. I hate the exposed roots to the degree they are shown currently. (Wrinkling nose)

 

[namnhi]

The root need to be cleaned up if they are going to be exposed. Too many hairy feeder roots expose right now. Expose roots should only be large roots. I haven't seen an exposed root maple so it is unique in that sense. Quite interesting material.

 

[Adair M]

When I first saw the picture, I thought it was a root over rock, that had just been exposed.

Those tiny roots that are up high... being exposed the way they are may dry up and die on you. Then you would just have the big roots.

There is potential for a clump or raft, both of which mean the soil needs to be raised a lot!

I know you like the hot mess of roots style. I have a couple exposed root style trees, too.

Good luck with it.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks @Adair M . These are a bit to much for me even. The Late Jim's words of such a mess plays in my mind. I hated it when I first seen it. But bury them...let them develop, or decide later to chop and remove to have a shallower pot at some point. I have no deep 10" wide pots. But would like to put this deeper. And ponder it's direction longer. It will be a quirky piece. But I don't the roots to be so distracting you lose the tree above.

 

[MACH5]

Sorry I did not have time to read in detail but what's underneath all the roots?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Sorry I did not have time to read in detail but what's underneath all the roots?

Nothing...from the description other than roots.

Product Description
Exposed Root Japanese Maple. An interesting, quite unusual specimen that is quite beautiful.

The roots are buried ( sometimes over a rock but in this case it is not) for a number of years, then gradually exposed when they are larger and can act like surface roots and trunk.

Clump base of trunk is 5″. Trunks are 1″ and a little smaller. 12″ tall. 10″ pot.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Lol just realized they classifying it as a "clump" so my question is answered.

 

[milehigh_7]

Intriguing, I think it could be many things right now. This is a tree that I need to just stare at and drink a beer or two and think. It's unusual but not in a bad way. Like the others have said you need to decide what aspects you intend to enhance and which ones need to be eliminated. Then make the necessary (and only the necessary) horticultural moves to accomplish that. For example, as @Adair M says, "Those tiny roots that are up high... being exposed the way they are may dry up and die on you. " If you want them figure out how to save them for now until it speaks to you more.

 

[sorce]

Forgive me....

Don't know where this tree is coming from....

But to me, it ain't that far off from the, "now why would someone do that" rock tree!

Rookie move enough for me to question seller integrity.

That said....

If you can get it to root up nice it could be wicked dope!

Like the small pic up there!

I love the trunks....great start besides the....
Cornsposed roots!

Sorce

 

[Cadillactaste]

Intriguing, I think it could be many things right now. This is a tree that I need to just stare at and drink a beer or two and think. It's unusual but not in a bad way. Like the others have said you need to decide what aspects you intend to enhance and which ones need to be eliminated. Then make the necessary (and only the necessary) horticultural moves to accomplish that. For example, as @Adair M says, "Those tiny roots that are up high... being exposed the way they are may dry up and die on you. " If you want them figure out how to save them for now until it speaks to you more.

Thanks...I'm just glad I'm on a place in my journey where...I can let a tree sit on my bench until I know what it's whispering to me. My only intentions are to somehow...protect those smaller roots until I decide that I defiantly don't want to use them. So a larger pot...is my thinking. And safely bury them for now. And...just, stare at it for a good long while. Thanks, yes intriguing to me as well. I agree with all who feel this was unearthed a bit to soon. Which makes it seem way to high in the pot. Or, it may always feel that way. But...it needs buried deeper for sure and will be once I get a pot for it. No special pot. Just one fitting the desire of covering those roots. Trying to decide...oval,or rectangular.

 

[sorce]

I would like to see you work them out a bit more than just burying it deeper.

It seems a right difficult problem to solve.

But the play of the trunks is way too cool to not perfect "feet" for it.

I would almost surely cut off that one root to the right, connecting that small trunk.

Is this in your posession yet?

I don't see any of those fine roots making it much longer out of the soil.

Sorce