Twin Trunk Bald Cypress

Here is a BC that I worked on not too long ago.
What do y'all think.
Ken

looks real good !
can you give tree heights & trunk sizes etc. ?

Hi Art, Thank You.
The tree is 40" tall from the edge of the pot and 11" wide at the soil line.
Ken

I like this very much. How did you get such wonderful taper? I have thought taper such as this was only possible with a large carved or shaved portion. I dont see any trunk scars.

Thank You, it is carved. It was a single trunk stump when it was collected about 12 years ago.
Ken

kenduncan wrote:Hi Art, Thank You.
The tree is 40" tall from the edge of the pot and 11" wide at the soil line.
Ken

Ken
How big & deep is your pot ?

Lovely swamp you have there, one of my favourite styles for bonsai too! I have a couple in development but not so tapered, was it collected? Really wish we had them here in the UK as wildings to go out and collect. I have used field grown/nursery stock. Personally i would remove the small branch at the bottom of the major trunk.

Oh my! I see it now - the space between the trunks is a hollow where the rest of the tree was, correct?! Clever. Gives a very nice effect, at least in the picture. Do you have any other views?

I really liked this! Thanks for sharing. Please post pictures of how its going

I might...well just a tiny bit.......
ciao Leonardo

Ken, I hope we'll see this tree (as is) in Asheville this fall.

BEAUTIFUL TAPER, the proportions looks goood

Nice tree. Leonardo's comment is worth to consider,though.

Budi

I love what you have done with this.

I'm liking this tree a lot! I agree that the lowest branch on the main trunk needs removing. I think I prefer the tree/s the way they are, without any larger clumps of foliage.

And I'm impressed with your technique of creating a twin trunk from a single, larger trunk. I can see me using that idea at some point!

Are these trees suitable for the British climate/weather?

They do quite well in the UK. I've been working on one for a few years in North Wales and have many more from seed. They like more water than most trees, same as Alder or Wisteria. They come from seed, cuttings, airlayer and ground layer easily. They also fatten rapidly if ground grown.

This one is a really imaginative and beautifully executed use of carving one stump to create a twin trunk. I had to give it a really hard stare, after I knew it was carved, to see what had been done.

Thanks for that, Kev. Whilst I prefer native species, I'm beginning to see that as long as a tree can deal with our lovely weather there is no reason not to 'have a go'.
I've added bald cypress to my mental list of possibilities.

Harleyrider wrote:
Are these trees suitable for the British climate/weather?

I think so. Where I live ("Continental" France, zone 8 ) there are may of these in parks, some well over 100 years old. I have sevearl tfrom seeds I planted a couple of years ago, they are all safe and sound after winters with several days below 10° Celsius.

But: in their native habitat, the growing season is longer and they probably develop faster, in particular the base will probably fatten up quicker.

Yet they are fast growers in our old Europe as well : they developp twice as fast as Dunkeld larch in my garden...

This tree looks great in person!

Thanks for that Alain. I think I might just try my luck with a couple of seedlings from Monsieur Kev. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, eh?

I want to think everyone for there comments.

Art, the pot is 22" wide and 5.5" deep.

Mr Treevolution, the tree was collected.

Velodog2, I will post some more pics later, I do not have access to them at this time.

Hi Jim, thank You. I do plan to take it to Asheville. Maybe changed only a little.

Storm, Sixhunter, Leonardo, Budi, Smithy and Harleyrider, Thank you all for your replies.

Hi John Q. I have worked on this one a lot since You last saw it.
Ken

Leonardo,
Thank You for taking the time to do a virtual of my tree. There is a reason that the top of this tree looks the way that it does, it is because most of the Bald Cypress that I see look like this. The so called "flat top style". My intention is to have this tree look as natural as possible. In my opinion If the top was done as most Bonsai it would loose that natural look that I see in the Cypress swamps of South Carolina.
Ken

I pruned this tree on Sunday, it had grown a lot while I was away from home for 10 days.
Here is a before and after.
Ken

Ken,
Thank you for posting.
I.M.H.O. A very convincing, powerful and peaceful image.

Harleyrider wrote:Are these trees suitable for the British climate/weather?

I think you get a few alligators with every tree you keep.

OK, Im slow... you said the two trunks are actually remnants of the original single trunk and that you carved the center out from between the two sections of cambium>

Either way, looks great.

forbey