Mame common ash (Fraxinus Excelsior)

Hello from France,
My project, in training since 2006. Not really easy with fraxinus species.

What do you think about ?

Hi Pascal. Good to see your using a native. Ash dont seem very popular as bonsai, but ive just collected one from a graveyard that needed tidying. Yours looks very promising and good leaf size too.

Yes you have certainly done a good job of leaf reduction! Anything with compound leaves is going to be a challenge to bonsai, and especially as a mame, but you have done a credible job here.

Good start...

I apologize but i think it looks like a branch stuck in the ground. Accuse elves of dirty tricks

Good job for a beginner ! Keep working !

"Good job for a beginner ! Keep working "

some of my works....!

...enjoy !

Well, they dont look like branches stuck in the ground! Good work and nice to see the history.

Pascal . . .

It's difficult to make a compound leafed tree into a mini-bonsai. Good start. I think your last picture (where you are measuring it with your fingers) shows where your bonsai really is.

I'd air later just below the sharp bend (below).

Like most places in the UK, my house is surrounded by Ash trees. In fact I don't think you're ever more than 50ft from one anywhere in this country!
I've often wondered about their suitability for bonsai, but everything I've read tells me they are too much trouble. I know Walter Pall has done some, and Kev Bailey has mentioned that it is do-able, but I wouldn't know where to start.
Is there any chance of a quick explanation as to how you achieved this remarkable transformation, Pascal?

Oh, and not for the first time today, I agree with Jim. I think losing the short straight section of trunk would give the tree even more character, as well as make it even smaller than it is!

If I was going to air layer this tree I would remove the bark at the same place but at a 45 degree angle. Left high sloping down to the right. Then plant the tree sloping to the left.

Something like this.

will baddeley wrote:Something like this.

Much better

..thanks !!! for air layering..i wait... the trunk is really small and not thick at time.


"Is there any chance of a quick explanation as to how you achieved this remarkable transformation, Pascal?
"
...no secret (I try with my bad english) ! It's a young tree from a seed (5 years old) who grew with difficult in my garden and with no care. I've collected it because of a small nodes serie on the trunk : a real candidate for a small tree. After cutting it, i put it in a small pot (spring 2006), and let it grow for a new structure...the result was very interesting : many small branches pierced the trunk.

09/2007, i've just stopped strong branches


09/2008, same work


04/2009, well ,it's time for back budding.


06/2009 after defoliating

you can find detail here (sorry, it's in french !)
http://www.parlonsbonsai.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=12844&view=findpost&p=510831

after this first defoliating....big leaves, but nice back budding !


End of august 2009, i decide to defoliate it a second time ! (not a problem with ash)
...nice result !

update !

It may not be "suitable" for bonsai,but I think your perseverance is paying off...keep it up!! I agree about the airlayering...good job!!

I can see that you didn't use wound sealant (mastic à cicatriser) : I found out that for deciduous trees, it helps a lot for the cut to heal.

I know your other ash trees, they're fantastic, so much for those who think that this species is not suitable for bonsai

I'm working on a couple of these, for instance this one that was made from a cutting as big as my thumb (taken in February a few years ago) :