[2015-] Cork Bark Chinese Elm II

Alain

Hi Guys spring signs are already showing (scary fast this year) and this little one is waking up fast

I will be working on it this weekend so if you have any advise let me know please, repot in a shallower pot is on the list but can I cut some branches at the same time ? if so which ones you'd go for











thank you

I would love to have that mess right now to work on. Perfect time and condition to really choose your trunk lines and branch structure. Alas, working from  a photo I would not be able to help much. But if you lived near by, I would gladly visit and help you sort this wonderful mess out.

Do you know anyone nearby that could sit with you and help you sort out which to keep and which to cut?

By the above I mean I see wonderful options for this tree. This could quickly become a very top notch, high class shohin bonsai in one growing season. And now is the perfect time to do the branch selection. Wow, a great little tree there.

Hi Leo

Thank you for chiming in, unfortunately I'm a lonely wolf in the bonsai world where I live.

I wasn't able to repot today due to family obligations but I will work on it Tuesday (took 1/2 day off work)

I know that working from a picture is not ideal but I would really appreciate any input I'm desperate to get something good out of it.


thanks again for your kind words

The tree was repotted in a more flat container and I removed only one big branch that was bothering me

I don't really have an idea of what to do next, so if anyone cares to help I'd be glad

One thing with small trees is that they are visually very demanding. Slight problems are emphasised.

I would recommend you focus on proportion at this stage.

In any natural tall tree the tendency is for the thickest branches to be at the bottom, and they are often lateral or bend down. As you go higher they are thinner and can be more upswept.

Your tree could use a careful edit of the branches based on the idea of achieving visual proportion.

This will not necessarily produce a cookie cutter result - there is likely a very natural style to be achieved. However it will give some balance to the tree which should reduce the jarring effect of the inverse taper?

Do some edits/virts of the photos in which you remove the thickest highest branches and I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the result - enough to get your cutters out...