Liquidambar cave

This began as a 20 foot tree dug from the landscape. All of the above ground parts have been removed, and the current interesting trunk was part of the root structure below ground. The trunk and branches are all formed from suckers off of the root mass. At some point, i split the tree in two. The other half is coming along as well, and some time i may plant the two together as a small grouping. The sides of the resulting hollow sealed over, forming an intriguing cave from the main front view.The branching is coming along, although it is still too coarse and simple. Getting Liquidambar to be anything but coarse is a bit of a challenge. It is 19 inches high, currently.

rear view

other half:

jonathan e wrote:This began as a 20 foot tree dug from the landscape. All of the above ground parts have been removed, and the current interesting trunk was part of the root structure below ground. The trunk and branches are all formed from suckers off of the root mass. At some point, i split the tree in two. The other half is coming along as well, and some time i may plant the two together as a small grouping. The sides of the resulting hollow sealed over, forming an intriguing cave from the main front view.The branching is coming along, although it is still too coarse and simple. Getting Liquidambar to be anything but coarse is a bit of a challenge. It is 19 inches high, currently.

Awesome material, Jonathan! My only comment is I'd remove that short straight section poking up on the lower left branch.

Zach

Zach,
That might work. Will take it into consideration

it also might make it look too bonsai-like. worth considering, tho...

I LOVE it! Sweetgum are tough trees to bonsai and you have done a great job -- one of the best I've seen.

I like this a lot, Jonathan - thanks for sharing it. I love the main hollow.

Also, the rear side of the tree looks very much like an embarrassed, naked man. Or is it just me?

This is another tree, the tree is another aspect? I like this way, both attitude and shape are good.

Does anyone have any suggestions or virtuals for the second tree, or for combining the two?

thanks,
-jonathan