Apex, Crowns , Leaders. Top of Bonsai,

To be correct, more than one top to any Single Bonsai tree, acceptable ??. Thoughts please

Hi ,
For me! The Best is single apex..multiple are just to hide deffects of tree or neglect on our part to ramify it diligently...we all are guilty of this even curve branches we forgot to wire. But practice makes perfect.. Thanks for sharing your quiry

Regards

Ogie ,Thank you ,in the middle of de wiring and came across this one pine which due to lack off attention on my part, threw up the
addition of new growth which made me think which direction to go. Confess i had a mental block as what was correct, and present day thinking.
My intention is to rest up quite a number of the trees and let them have a break.
Having not long come home from Hospital with know bonsai help, i am limited to as that which i can cope with.
With Best regards Hope we have and share our thoughts in the future. Roger South Wales U.K.

Hi Roger,
Im glad we all learn from each other tru this forum and have fun in discussion..i too am sometimes confuse which should choose..but i try to sketch, take picture, etc then make the final descision..just take your time regret is forever and it takes a second to cut..hehe never too late to do it later..you take care..i also love suiseki stone appreciation too..less maintenance :-)

Regards and cheers,
Alex aka ogie

A single branch apex would be a young image. To get an older image you can use multiple branches

Arihato, many thanks for your thoughts,another two pines de wired, i mentioned they are all going to be rested, and i hope to concentrate
on the Junipers. of interest we have in Wales a blight on the Larch and forests are condemned , so i am watching mine with care some are throwing
fruits so at the right time will see if i am able to germinate some of the seeds,
My regards Roger

If you want to create trees that are "styled" single top, single apex is the goal. The stylized, abstract, archetypal pine tree has a single apex.

If you want a tree that is naturalistic, and actually looks like a tree from nature, use nature as your model. Notice that very seldom do deciduous trees have a single apex. Notice that most young pines have single apex, and a significant percentage of old pines have multiple apex. Some old pines do indeed have a single apex.

If you are styling a spruce, larch, or fir, generally in nature these have single a single apex.

If you are using a flexible, easy to style species such as Juniper, to mimic, or create the feel of a more difficult species to grow to scale - such as Giant Sequoia, then it is ok to style the Juniper like a Sequoia. Junipers can be shaped to mimic the style of, or serve as a stand in for just about any species of conifer. They can be shaped to imitate pines, spruces, firs and a host of other species. Here again, one apex or more would depend on the species and age of the species you are trying to create the image of.

Similarly the Trident maple is the "Silly Putty" of deciduous trees, and can be made to mimic (image wise) just about any deciduous tree style.

There is no definitive right or wrong. The answer to your question depends on your goal. Are you trying to make a copy of a tree from a book? A idealized Tree? a scene from nature? A scene with a feeling but not necessarily representing anything from nature? Fantasy tree? Young tree? Old tree?

Decide what your goal is, then you can decide whether one or more apexes will meet your goal.

I think people have different concept or definition of what single and multiple apex is.

I personally prefer single apex trees...but again, some trees that I define as single apex may fall under multiple apex to others.

Leo thank you for your information, interestingly De wired yet one more pine tree, and again I have more than one apex, will not rush, this tree is to be rested, Have cleared out a lot of the cack. Notice also suffering from heavy wire cutting damage , Guilty as charged,Already removed as is possible,
will re view next seasons new growth,. many thanks again, and kind regards Roger South Wales

Alex, My late brother , always stated that i should give up trees and collect postage stamps, this because he lived in the Isle of Wight
which is of the south coast of the U K .I have loved and lost , given away trees /material. so Bonsai plus plants are all that is my Main
interest, although i do the rounds of Flea markets and the like looking for display stands.
Well of the moment, we have sunshine for South Wales it is inclined to be a wet area because of the Mountains and hills. You mention suiseki
Although it is some time, one of are well known Bonsai and stones collectors, was a avid exhibitor his name was Craig Cousans?, Unusual
He built ballet shoes, married to a Russian Ballerina, the last, I found on Facebook He had retired and the collections were for sale as he and his wife were
to take time out to tour the world. There i go chountering on, DO take care with my best Roger

Yes Roger the loved on both arts bring back and forth interest..once u start the interest is still there..never leave you... I was fortunate to have an aquaintance of a Korean guy who has special skill in Suiseki but he later left us due to sickness but the education he has impart is what i can share tru IBC... We are fortunate to have the likes of Chris Cochrane Here to guide us always and learn from each other.
I will soon post again for i was quite busy for several months.
Hope you stay well and take care my friend

Best Regards,
Alex

Were the last two posted in the wrong forum? They seem a bit off topic. Maybe mis-posted from squinting at those &^%$# tiny hand held screens and "keyboards?"

Jim, hands up guilty guilty. the squinting remark is closer to the point. Thank you .