Trident Maple Design

[jimlau]

I may acquire this trident. I like the nebari and buttress, but I'm not thrilled with the 2 straight sections of the trunk, with a reverse taper above the first branch, and near the trunk where it changes direction (which I can cut better).

What is the best strategy here? I could cut the top straight section part way up, then wire the new leader to go up, slightly left of vertical.

Or I could just trunk chop above the first branch, put it in a bigger pot, and thicken that first branch as the new leader.

Or I could try to get a new branch to continue the main straight trunk and remove all that goes up to the left (shown below)

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[Smoke]

or.. you could just look for a better piece of material.




Don't fall into the "It is there so I must buy it " syndrome.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

My suggestion: do not aquire this tree.

It is not well-grown material: small and long surface roots, bad knot in the trunk, reverse taper, and no branches along one side of the trunk.

This is one of those trees someone new to bonsai buys as their "first big tree", then spends 5 years trying to correct the flaws you've already identified, until they're frustrated enough to sell at a club meeting to the next victim for half of what you paid.

 

[Nybonsai12]

My suggestion: do not aquire this tree.

It is not well-grown material: small and long surface roots, bad knot in the trunk, reverse taper, and no branches along one side of the trunk.

This is one of those trees someone new to bonsai buys as their "first big tree", then spends 5 years trying to correct the flaws you've already identified, until they're frustrated enough to sell at a club meeting to the next victim for half of what you paid.

Unfortunately what brian said is spot on. And I say unfortunately because I did just as he described, only I haven't become frustrated enough yet to sell it. The only upside is that I spent very little on mine and am currently trying to air layer the top few inches to make a shohin.