Cascade Ponderosa Pine

I recently picked this ponderosa pine up and am struggling a bit with what to do with it.

I can pull the upper branch completely back and upward into the main descending trunk creating an apex, but that will leave a lot of space between it and the lower limb.

Or, I can bring it over and on top of the lower branch but then that leaves a very long trunk from base to foliage.

What about bringing the around in front of the trunk slightly below its current position to form a pad and then developing a lower pad from the extension of the main trunk? The branch could even be two related pads.

just a note of caution... at the walter pall bonsai academy, he indicated that pines do not like to have a branch below the roots and will try to cast it off...
(not so with junipers and other "evergreens")

i do not know if that holds true when ALL of the foliage is below the roots as in this case, as that would effectively be suicide...
but you may be in a constant struggle to maintain vigor...

it would be my guess that the current orientation may not be how it was actually growing.
and of course i say that without seeing how the roots are structured, but all of that should be taken in consideration when making design decisions.

Very interesting observation Kevin. I would agree with you.

I did actually wonder if it had a different orientation at some point. I don't believe it has. It does appear to emerge from the root zone in a manner that suggests that's the way its grown.

If I bring the primary up I could also dispense with the lower branch.

But this is sort what I have in mind.

http://www.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai/limber-pine-no-6?width=1060&height=700

Obviously not of the same caliber.

if ryan is doing something like that, then maybe they do not cast off a branch below the soil if that is the ONLY foliage there is...

but i would also be willing to bet that ryans was also not growing as now oriented...

Tip it so the foliage is above the roots.

yeah mike... thats what our guy steve is doing with his...

beer city snake wrote:yeah mike... thats what our guy steve is doing with his...

Smart man.