Yama Beaver

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Just thought I would post a progression . Of my Eastern white cedar . From here foreword . Looking for any ideas and or opinions . Especially about the styling of the dead wood . Tree was collected 7 years ago this spring . From a piece of granite sloping up from a beaver pond . Growing in a rock crack . My fellow toothy Canadian chewed the main trunk off . I believe . To remove it out of his way . So he could slide other trees into the pond . Which damaged the tree more . The challenge so far . Main large root anchoring the tree into the crack was dead . There is only 2 living branches on this tree . Off a living vein on right side in first pic . The live roots ran up the granite slip to access soil . Only moss around the tree . The dead wood . So far has not been touched in any way including preservative . Just allowed to age and rot . For those that are not aware these trees . Are renowned for there rot resistant wood especially . In wet situation . Not really obvious here is the fine branching top that is dead . All the bark on left side does not have living cambium . Under it So far the work had been to get the root mass reduced it was over 4 feet long when I started . If spring ever gets here I’ll get better pics . It is due for a repot . Into at least one more pot before the final pot maybe more tree gas never been styled or wired the 2 bran cheap have been cut back twice to get back budding but allowed to just grow . Tree was very slow to recover from collection . It sulked for a solid 4 years Anyway looking forward to springs repot and start it’s styling . Any thoughts like I said especially on styling the deadwood . Anyone care to take a stab at trees age
 

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Looks like a cool tree. Id keep it wild.
I also have a few beaver pruned trees… they do a really good job.
 

Frozentreehugger

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Looks like a cool tree. Id keep it wild.
I also have a few beaver pruned trees… they do a really good job.
Thanks with the amount of deadwood .a fairly dramatic style is almost necessary. Plus the foliage in these is rather coarse . Pics are last fall at about it’s best colour . Turns outright olive drab ugly . You would think it was dead in winter . You can pinch the foliage and get ramification . But the only truly small tight growth I’ve seen . Is on wild stunted trees from harsh environments. Very difficult to recreate in a pot will get pics of a yamadori I have my eye on to show you guys
 

HorseloverFat

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Cool!

What are your plans after recovery?

. But the only truly small tight growth I’ve seen . Is on wild stunted trees from harsh environments.
I see this in "trail ditches" on deer intersections.. They get gnawed down, stomped, drowned... The ramification is INCREDIBLE.. I know EXACTLY what your speaking of!

Whats your lowest green point on this tree? just for my own reference
 

Frozentreehugger

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The tree was collected 7 years ago . And is recovered due for a downsize repot . I’ll have to get some better photos when it comes out of winter storage . As I said was growing out of a granite rock . It is not a young tree . It has only 2 branches alive . Both are on the only live vein . On right side of central dead wood . Unfortunately one energies just above the other . ASI said the left side bark area is dead . There was never any alive foliage from it but was green cambium . But nothing budded . Tree has some nice aged deadwood and really the enhancing of this . Is where the bonsai exists main reason for this Pist was looking for . Possible deadwood work I have not looked at other opinions so to speak
 

HorseloverFat

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The tree was collected 7 years ago . And is recovered due for a downsize repot . I’ll have to get some better photos when it comes out of winter storage . As I said was growing out of a granite rock . It is not a young tree . It has only 2 branches alive . Both are on the only live vein . On right side of central dead wood . Unfortunately one energies just above the other . ASI said the left side bark area is dead . There was never any alive foliage from it but was green cambium . But nothing budded . Tree has some nice aged deadwood and really the enhancing of this . Is where the bonsai exists main reason for this Pist was looking for . Possible deadwood work I have not looked at other opinions so to speak
Sorry, friend.. I started reading the initial post, got excited and responded! I see now. ;)

Is the trunk too long to run a shapely, shari up that side?... using more convex wood features at the base.. and narrower/LESS-convex wood features near the top?

How long is that section? How "long" do you want the tree.. are you going to build FROM what you have, somewhat upward?
 

Frozentreehugger

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The lowest and only branches are . About 2/3 up the tree . The truly tight foliage I was referring to is not deer chewed . Trimming can duplicate that . Truly small tight ramification is only on . Great Yamadori tortured by wind and cold . Water in captivity makes them grow lushly . I know people tried to duplicate with withholding water . And they have the dead tree to prove it
Sorry, friend.. I started reading the initial post, got excited and responded! I see now. ;)

Is the trunk too long to run a shapely, shari up that side?... using more convex wood features at the base.. and narrower/LESS-convex wood features near the top?

How long is that section? How "long" do you want the tree.. are you going to build FROM what you have, somewhat upward?
my fault the pics are not clear . I’m to used to seeing the tree you are not . Last 2 pics are best . The deadwood is not treated . The Center section is a natural Shari look closely most of the exposed roots are dead the top of the tree is dead . 80 percent of this tree is dead . The bark exist in first pic but section is dead
 

Frozentreehugger

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The bonsai I see is Fukinagashi leaning slightly more than it is now . To the left in the first pic . With the windswept style foliage going to the right . And the rest carve enhanced deadwood . There is some very nice delicate deadwood . At the Nebari and the top of the tree . Been looking into techniques using steam . To bend deadwood . To bend it to enhance the wind effect
 

HorseloverFat

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The lowest and only branches are . About 2/3 up the tree . The truly tight foliage I was referring to is not deer chewed . Trimming can duplicate that . Truly small tight ramification is only on . Great Yamadori tortured by wind and cold . Water in captivity makes them grow lushly . I know people tried to duplicate with withholding water . And they have the dead tree to prove it

my fault the pics are not clear . I’m to used to seeing the tree you are not . Last 2 pics are best . The deadwood is not treated . The Center section is a natural Shari look closely most of the exposed roots are dead the top of the tree is dead . 80 percent of this tree is dead . The bark exist in first pic but section is dead
Ok.. NOW i understand!!
Sorry.. my phone is smashed up also.. so I really had to zoom in..

I could tell you were, nicely trying to say, "No, No, Bredda.. Wah Gwan!? You still no undehstand de ting!"

Haha!!!

Materials like this have always fascinated me.. I've seen several worked, actually, I'm going to try to find the videos..

So basically, my FIRST idea.. is that I'd carve the deadwood to be overall more shapely.. with an elegant, slight taper up.. keep those big, gnarly spots fairly accentuated. Then find the best angle and front that you can tip, or CONTINUE to tip (depending on where your "best angle/front ends up)... and develop and wire the branches to fill the areas creating your triangle.

That's the first thought
 

HorseloverFat

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The bonsai I see is Fukinagashi leaning slightly more than it is now . To the left in the first pic . With the windswept style foliage going to the right . And the rest carve enhanced deadwood . There is some very nice delicate deadwood . At the Nebari and the top of the tree . Been looking into techniques using steam . To bend deadwood . To bend it to enhance the wind effect
YES!
 

Frozentreehugger

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Going to go slow with the carving . After all deadwood don’t grow back 😂😂😂😂😂 there is a nice spread at the base but reverse taper higher up that can be carved out . I left the wood alone so far . This spring repot remove the dead bark . And scrub the wood with brushes . Then reevaluate .
 

ShadyStump

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Eegadz!!!
I see your dilemma. Impossible material impossible to pass up.

So I'm understanding right, you're thinking the trunk leaning into the wind, the branches trailing leeward?
The curve of the trunk arching from the ground upward?

I have no experience with the species, so you'll have to fill me in on things like back budding and the like. If there's still live bark on a patch with no branches after 7 years, that's intriguing.
 

Frozentreehugger

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Thuja occidentalis Eastern Arborvitae . American Arborvitae . White cedar Algonquin Indians . Name tree of life . Wood has exceptional rot resistance very light weight. . Used in high moisture environments . Like posts I. The water it wet ground . Foliage is coarse flat fan like turns down right ugly olive drab almost brown in winter . Very cold tolerant . Wood is white western arborvitae. Grows larger and wood is slight red . Called western red cedar heavily used for decks . Both are used for hedges . As bonsai white cedar biggest asset is its rot resistant wood makes great deadwood . Pinching will compact the foliage but it will always have a coarse look about it . Colour can be nice in summer and many nursery plants are grown with improved colour . They grow on you . Moisture loving tree . Can withstand incredible cold and hardship in the wild . In a pot can dry out fast in hot weather and die . Especially after collection or repot . Reliable once established full sun fir best compact growth . Dead wood on mine is all natural bad pics make some of it hard to see . Allowed. To age without touching it since collection . All life is on the right side in the pics . 2 branches since collection allowed to grow and cut back several times . We’re a lot more leggy happy with the back budding I have got there . Left side was main trunk severed by beaver . Thee was a small live Vein running up . The still remaining bark here but no luck . Getting buds . It’s all dead under the bark on l/s The aged bark and character of the dead wood . Told me it was not young . But for a small tree 27 inches to top of fine deadwood at apex . It surprised me the single large root anchoring it in the ground ring count says it was 68 years old when the beaver killed the top . So it’s at least 75 this spring tree will make a lot more sense to you guys that are not used to them . When it is repotted and cleaned this spring . Which will be never as it was looking like spring last week but it’s . A late snow fall today . Like all trees that seem to look best in natural climate . These moisture loving trees . Look there best on a moist day after it rains in summer . The inner bark cinnamon colour comes out when wet . And foliage is at its darkest green . They are known to live over a thousand years . Resistant to pests and disease . Arch enemy is fire 🔥 they make great kindling . Foliage is high in vitamin c and aromatic . Natives made tea from it for medicinal reasons . Life saving winter food for white tail deer .
 

HorseloverFat

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Thuja occidentalis Eastern Arborvitae . American Arborvitae . White cedar Algonquin Indians . Name tree of life . Wood has exceptional rot resistance very light weight. . Used in high moisture environments . Like posts I. The water it wet ground . Foliage is coarse flat fan like turns down right ugly olive drab almost brown in winter . Very cold tolerant . Wood is white western arborvitae. Grows larger and wood is slight red . Called western red cedar heavily used for decks . Both are used for hedges . As bonsai white cedar biggest asset is its rot resistant wood makes great deadwood . Pinching will compact the foliage but it will always have a coarse look about it . Colour can be nice in summer and many nursery plants are grown with improved colour . They grow on you . Moisture loving tree . Can withstand incredible cold and hardship in the wild . In a pot can dry out fast in hot weather and die . Especially after collection or repot . Reliable once established full sun fir best compact growth . Dead wood on mine is all natural bad pics make some of it hard to see . Allowed. To age without touching it since collection . All life is on the right side in the pics . 2 branches since collection allowed to grow and cut back several times . We’re a lot more leggy happy with the back budding I have got there . Left side was main trunk severed by beaver . Thee was a small live Vein running up . The still remaining bark here but no luck . Getting buds . It’s all dead under the bark on l/s The aged bark and character of the dead wood . Told me it was not young . But for a small tree 27 inches to top of fine deadwood at apex . It surprised me the single large root anchoring it in the ground ring count says it was 68 years old when the beaver killed the top . So it’s at least 75 this spring tree will make a lot more sense to you guys that are not used to them . When it is repotted and cleaned this spring . Which will be never as it was looking like spring last week but it’s . A late snow fall today . Like all trees that seem to look best in natural climate . These moisture loving trees . Look there best on a moist day after it rains in summer . The inner bark cinnamon colour comes out when wet . And foliage is at its darkest green . They are known to live over a thousand years . Resistant to pests and disease . Arch enemy is fire 🔥 they make great kindling . Foliage is high in vitamin c and aromatic . Natives made tea from it for medicinal reasons . Life saving winter food for white tail deer .
Are you familiar with @mattspiniken 's impressive Thuja work?

Here's one. ;)

 

HorseloverFat

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Going to go slow with the carving . After all deadwood don’t grow back 😂😂😂😂😂 there is a nice spread at the base but reverse taper higher up that can be carved out . I left the wood alone so far . This spring repot remove the dead bark . And scrub the wood with brushes . Then reevaluate .
This sounds like a solid plan.
 

Frozentreehugger

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Thanks Matt . I have been looking at your trees . Very very nice . Seen your big one . Good thing the wood is light . 😂😂. Incredible tree . I have my eye on a wind tortured one . Island on a lake . Close to the water . Crack green tree . It’s growing in a rock crack it’s loose . Going to see if I can inlarge the crack . Gat some growing growing medium in there . For future collect . As for this tree pics were on my phone from last summer . When I get it out of storage I’ll get better . Pics it’s ready for a repot . Smaller pot . And going to clean the deadwood . Would be very interested in what your thoughts of it will be thanks .
 

Frozentreehugger

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The long anticipated dead bark removal . Still needs more work . Chased inside buy the rain . No power tools yet just peel and scrap with blades slowly all day . Not like peeling fresh live bark to make a Jin . This dry stuff is seriously on there . It’s just carefull try to carve only the bark off . Give you guys a better perspective and wanted it done before repot . Also possible next pots . Fresh out of winter storage The down right ugly foliage colour . Is seen here indicative of the species . But always as bad as any I have seen on this tree . . May be due to age and wild tree . But it always greens right up in spring . Thought it was dead it’s first winter
 

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Frozentreehugger

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More pics . The hollow at the base is a new surprise . Dug most of the rotten wood out to revealed it . Considering the legendary rot resistance If the species . Especially in wet conditions .
 

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