Wee Chamaecyparis

[Velodog2]

Here is a fun little dwarf cedar I've been playing with for about six years. It's less than 4 inches tall and lots of fussy fun to wire with hair-thin copper. I don't really consider it a serious bonsai as the trunk is really way too skinny for the size and style, although the movement is nice enough. As it is with this species and the lack of back budding the branches keep getting longer and will eventually just not work anymore at all with this design, so it's a temporary thing. It's also planted a bit too high in the pot right now and that will be fixed this spring.

I am beginning to think ahead to when the lower branches are too long and considering how to make it into a tiny bunjin.

 

[Velodog2]

Well here it is again after a few months of steady growth, a little more wire, and just a little trimming. It's cliche to say the tree looks better in real life, but there it is. I just felt like posting something even if it didn't look that great. It seems I was excessively negative about it in my initial posting. I actually like it quite a bit, and in fact this little thing is the one tree most commented on by visitors to my yard who take any interest at all in my trees.

The right side continues to need to fill in and just generally seems weaker for some reason. It doesn't give me a lot to work with there to create pads of foliage. And the thin trunk will always be thus. Alas. But the root flare is nice. Comments are fine, if anyone has any.

 

[jmw_bonsai]

Love this, look forward to its future!

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Ooh, I like it. Maybe remove most of the one section that sticks out the most to the left for a little more balance? Consider rotating to get the other side to fill in more.

 

[sorce]

Missed this in March!

Velo...I remember reading you are a bit reluctant to share your trees.
Dont be!

Love em all!

That are all what they SHOULD be!

Nice!

Sorce

 

[just.wing.it]

It's nice looking...
Does it back but on old wood?

 

[Velodog2]

Well thanks everyone. I appreciate your feedback and compliments as always. This tree was actually a leftover that didn't fit into an interesting forest I'd made that I worked on a bit over the weekend as well, and that I may post eventually. I wasn't happy with that pic so I took another after tweaking the branches a bit more - the tree is so tiny little changes make a difference.



Comparing pics I'm really surprised at how much it's filled in during only 5 months. It's been kept in shade this year and fed weekly with miracid, which I use with all my trees. The left side should be thinned out more, maybe even losing a foliage pad or most of one as MrFP suggests, for balance. It keeps getting wider with growth, which so far I just find interesting and will continue to allow for some time I think. I have been rotating it on the bench, and again comparing pics I'm not sure the right is growing less strongly than the left at this point, it's just playing catch-up.

And no, it does not bud back, but so far that hasn't been too much of an issue, but may eventually ruin it. That's possibly when it will become a tiny literati! I've also considered splitting the trunk lengthwise on the back and flaring it out to create more width just above the base, which has worked ok for me with junipers, but not sure it's worth the risk. And thanks again for the encouragement Sorce, I'll keep posting.

 

[defra]

Nice !
Maybe not the right size according to the "rules" with this trunk thicknes but it dies look like a tree to me so thats more important imo.

You probably already know this but anyway:

http://bonsaiwonders-art.blogspot.nl/2008/01/taming-hinoki-cypress.html?m=1

Good info on how to keep thus foliage in check !

Looking forward to this progression!

 

[Velodog2]

Thanks defra. I've read the article. There is only so much you can do. The best way to kill a branch I've found yet is to pinch it too much. I've never seen back budding even on dark green wood, so pinching too much of the actively growing bright green is dangerous. And, since the brown and dark green areas progress steadily outward, there is no magic for keeping branches short other than cultivating side-whorls wherever possible and then cutting back to those when needed. Nonetheless, this tree has been in that pot for six or seven years now and I could shorten most of the longer branches if I wanted to still. So everything is temporary, but it still has some good years.

As for posting trees here, I admit among other reservations that I find it frustrating due to the difficulty of capturing the trees in a 2d picture. I've posted two this week and still am not happy that I've shown how nice this tree actually looks. I figure everyone has the same problem tho and when I see a nice pic here I assume I would like it even more in real life.

 

[defra]

I too take pics of trees and sometimes it realy doesnt look any good on the photo 2D no depth misplaced branches wich are actualy in the right spot

To few people do what i do sometimes in cases like that
i take the tree put it on the turntable grab my phone and make a short video wich i upload on youtube to be posted on the forum

Maybe something to consider to do with this tree

 

[sorce]

It's less than 4 inches tall a

Holy shit!

Totally missed that!

This is amazing then!

I'm bored poking around....

You see in the first pic the top two branch's pads are at the same level....
But then by the filled out pics they have a bit better level separation...

That's good.

I think it's rather subliminal....
The appreciation of pad height Being the same as branch exit height.
But of you further this separation, this will get better.

I like how you have compensated on the lec t side for lack of branches in the middle.

Looking at it...
That dropped down fronty...

Leave that for your Future bunjjin...

But Damn!

At that size....

It will be non-existent!

Love the base...

Can we get a size compare item?

This is amazing!

Sorce

 

[Velodog2]

Lol, love u Sorce. Thank you for that. Not noticing how small it was from the photos is a great compliment. I will get another pic soon. The small size is why making little adjustments to pad location affects the appearance so much, as you imply. Dropping that front branch was done on a whim when first styling it. I expected I would cut it off eventually, but then decided it worked and added character as well as balance.

 

[Eric Group]

It's nice looking...
Does it back but on old wood?

You's a fine mutha ****er when you back but on old wood!

 

[just.wing.it]

You's a fine mutha ****er when you back but on old wood!

Hehehee! I didn't even see that one....

 

[my nellie]

View attachment 156771 ... ...It seems I was excessively negative about it in my initial posting. I actually like it quite a bit... ...

This is exactly what I thought : "Why does Velodog feels like that about this tiny, cute tree?"

... ...I've also considered splitting the trunk lengthwise on the back and flaring it out to create more width just above the base, which has worked ok for me with junipers, but not sure it's worth the risk... ...

If I may share my opinion, I would also say not worth it.

... ...Nonetheless, this tree has been in that pot for six or seven years now and I could shorten most of the longer branches if I wanted to still. So everything is temporary, but it still has some good years... ...

You can still enjoy your little gem in its present form and renew your enjoyment in its future bunjin form

 

[Velodog2]

I should just let this thread die as this tree just did, but of course won’t. I found myself very unexpectedly in the hospital last October and then facing a difficult recovery, and not all my trees got put into winter storage properly. It’s also possible I overestimated the amount of water they got from rain while I was indisposed. They seemed fine until just recently but as I remember now, winter damage often doesn’t manifest until the trees try to wake up in spring, when they suddenly collapse. Others are also suddenly not looking very swanky and I face the prospect of a spring full of unpleasant surprises comprised of deaths and damage.

Well I can’t help the anger and frustration even as I try not to blame myself, as usual. This is why I’m inclined to focus more on stand building in the future. They all weathered the winter just fine.

 

[just.wing.it]

At least you're back in action!

 

[Carol 83]

I think being in the hospital and having a difficult recovery is reason enough not to blame yourself. Hopefully, the damage will be minimal.