Trident raft

This tree started out in 2000 as an informal upright -- a very poor one. I topped it in 2004 and made the top of the tree into a raft. I wired it into a windswept form, but that's mostly for its winter look. It pretty much loses the windswept-ness when in leaf. Highest point is almost exactly 12 inches from pot rim.



The original tree:

Jim, where did the other trees come from? Are they grafted?

There are no "other" trees. I chopped off the top of the original "bonsai" at approximately the red marks, scarified the undersides of the branches, applied rooting hormone, and planted the top of the tree as a large cutting. What you see is the top of the original tree.

Wow, that was brave - but I guess there wasn't much to lose.

I kept looking for the original tree, but couldn't make any sense of it!

Great transformation Jim! I like your tree.

Here it is at its best (IMO):



Trunks are starting to look more mature, but there's a ways to go.

As always, suggestions appreciated.

Hi Jim,
I would love to have this on my bench. From "this" perspective, I would wire the far right tree trunk upwards to match the inclination of the clump on the left. I might also be tempted to expose roots, if they exist and are hardened off. Nice work!

Thanks, Todd. I haven't really looked at the roots, but this is due to be repotted in the spring, so . . .

sweet little planting Jim!
John

Thanks, John . . . and its just about shohin size, too -- 10-11 inches.

Todd Ellis wrote:I would wire the far right tree trunk upwards to match the inclination of the clump on the left.

That is the one thing that got my eye jump from left to right but i take it as an "imperfection" of the nature.It looks as if there was an area of windflow that made the "junger" lower trunks going the same way but the canopy goes lower and upwards as the wind looses its strenght going over and down the hill. -You did good converting it in to a raft. I like it and would not change a thing-

Very believable Jim, and I liked it in leaf as well.
Keepem coming.
Khaimraj

Thanks, Gaspar, Khaimraj

This was my first trident, and I didn't want to lose it after I totally messed up my first attempt with it.

(Now I have two tridents -- this one and a 4 inch mame, which is a cutting from this one. So maybe I still only have one.)

Very nice!

If I would repot this composition later,,, I would reposition it just a bit to the left.

regards,
jun

TNX

If I would repot this composition later,,, I would reposition it just a bit to the left.

Yup. And there's room.

JimLewis wrote:(Now I have two tridents -- this one and a 4 inch mame, which is a cutting from this one. So maybe I still only have one.)

Heh, you just got yourself confused there, i would too. It does make you think, and even more so when both of them do not look like they were the same once. - must be a great feeling.