Restyling of a Jaboticaba

Thinning out the branch structure.

Amazing view and branch structure, reminiscent of old, ancient trees.

Note the similarity between the giant tree and the branching of the Jaboticaba bonsai. Please Enjoy!!!

The happy owner, my friend and student, Manuel Pérez.

After placing the tree in its new pot. Note the beautiful ramification. The whole restyling process took exactly two years. Some drastic pruning of mayor branches was performed in order to display the natural movement of the main structure. Please enjoy!!!

Nice work Jose. I am going to start work on mine soon and will show you. I see that Cyrtostachys....nice.
Gary

Jose Luis,

Your way of designing is so natural and interesting. I like it.

Your friend,
Budi

Jose, nice tree, very natural interesting
Thanks for sharing

Saludos....

Hello all,

The design process of tropical trees is quite different from the way of styling temperate specimens. In a way, shaping trees like buttonwood, pemphis, premna and other procumbent tropicals is quite similar to styling junipers and pines. Their growth habit is very wild and flatenned because of wind, salt spray and other weather conditions.

Ficus, Celtis and other broad leaf tropicals grow in a different manner, thus the styling tecniques used for the creation of branches is quite different. Like the species mentioned in the preceding parragraph, weather conditions dictate the formation of the branch structure of this trees in their natural setting.

As can be concluded in my assesment for tropicals, i like to emulate the natural forms i see in nature and transport these to my bonsai creations. This is only my point of view and i urge others to find their own voice in bonsai. Also, i will like to mention that my design process is a bit hard to swallow and that i consider traditional designs as a very beautiful and valid form of bonsai expression.

Kind regards,
Jose Luis

Budi,

Thanks for your kind words,

your friend,
Jose Luis

Gary,

Cyrtostachis is very popular among people interested in gardening in Puerto Rico. On a funnier note, many years ago these palms were brought over by a very prominent holticulturist. For quite a while they were never propagated. The gardener of this horticulturist saved all the seeds and began cultivation on his own, without the knowledge of the proprietor. After the years passed, the gardener made a fortune selling these, enought to make quite a living. I believe thats a true lesson in Carpe Diem!!!

Kind regards,
Jose Luis

Fantastic Ramification!
It very remembers the plant in our nature.
A lesson.
Shalom Luciano.
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It's that time of the year. A real pair of jaboticaba fruit. Interesting story about the palm tree Jose Luis.
Gary

I love jaboticaba. Solita Rosade has several spectacular specimens I get to see frequently. Wonderful trees. I hope to have one someday soon!!!

buen trabajo de verdad que esta precioso es uno de los mejores arboles que yo he visto de verda yo estoy pensando en mudarme para puerto rico despues de mi boda con mi esposa si lo hago te quisiera contactar para tenerte como mi maestro en este arte de verdad que yo admiro demaciado todos tus trabajos como te dije antes eres uno de mis inspiraciones de verdad sigue asi haciendo preciosas obras maestras y ayudando y ensenando personas sobre este maravilloso arte que dios te bendiga un monton y te siga dando suerte y sabiduria en este arte eres uno de los mejores sigue asi espero escuchar de ti pronto

tu amigo en el arte de bonsai
jonathan

Jonathan,

Thanks for the kind words. I think everyone in this forum shares an interest in teaching others their experiences in this art. From experience, even the smallest detail or question a newbie asks is valid and serves the purpose of teaching and sharing. Like other art forms, bonsai has various schools of thought and the diversity of opinions and the further acceptance of divergent criteria is what makes the bonsai experience truly exceptional.

Feel free to contact me whenever you visit Puerto Rico.

A friend in bonsai,
Jose Luis

Great jaboticaba, Jose Luis.
I do notice that the foliage is far from the main trunk line. I have a much smaller jaboticaba here in South Carolina which I over winter in a greenhouse...I have trouble with getting any back budding at all. I prune back to one or two leaf pairs but new growqth seems restricted to the distal ends of branches. I have had this tree for a number of years. Is this characteristic of the tree in your experience?
I do now have fruit similar to that pictured above on the tree as well!

John,

Thanks for the comments. As you say, this tree has foliage that is placed far away from the trunk line. In my designs, i like to emphasize the line of the trunk and branches as much as possible. In my opinion, the branch structure is the most important element of the tree.

If you wish to develop foliage closer to the trunk, it is possible for you to cut the branch at the desired location, seal the cut and place the tree in a semi shade location. Depending on the climate (in P.R. it takes 2 weeks), in a few weeks new shoots will emerge from the cut point.

Kind regards,
Jose Luis

I love this tree. Es muy lindo.

John, I have a Jaboticaba that I pruned hard in the spring. It has budded back vigorously all the way to the trunk. It seems to respond well to pruning.

Please share what you find as information on this tree is pretty sparse.

Thanks,
Ed

Thanks, guys! I'll be a little more agressive with pruning.