Flat-top Style

Hello,

does anyone have any information on this new style, or seen any good articles on it on the web?

G O O G L E

There's a thread by sunip from Jan. 23, 2011 that discusses different styles and there is refernce to a website www.pretoriabonsaikai.org that you may find of interest. As for some species adaptable to this style, Bald Cypress is just one.


P.S. The thread by sunip was "Bonsai Styles of the World"

Here is a collection of images and some personal thoughts on the subject...but I am only a student on the topic.
I took most of the images in this video but there are also several borrowed ones. I think a couple came from a Jim Lewis post on the old IBC:) Several more came from Vaughan Banting's website.

First is a pic of a couple that I am working to develop...


And now the video...

The Chinese have a style called Yangzhou style.

John,
Thank you for the picture tutorial! Great images and explanations. Everytime I look at Vaughn Bantings Cypress at the National Arboretum or see pictures of it I am amazed! The staff and volunteers who are maintaining it are talented as well. The tree looks like it was plucked out of the swamp!
Billy, that pine is amazing.
Best,
Todd

the john naka 'bonsai techmiques' books have some good images and line drawings of flat topped trees and bonsai - always makes me think of Africa and the grassy plains. I like the idea of having different styles in a bonsai collection, and a variety of species too - then you get seasonal variation and a more interesting tree collection to enjoy.

The book Charles S Ceronio, is a book about bonsaistyles
It has a chapter about "African Styles"....
Baobab style
Pierneef style....wicth has a flat top
Flat crown style
Bushveld style...also flat.

The book is also about all other styles, and is very nice reading, ( clump styles, and so on)

Kind regards Yvonne

There is a thread in the archive along these lines.
Here is one of the trees that was posted for that discussion:

Buddleja Saligna

Thank you everyone!!! I have a Macano which I've been thinkinf of for a flat-top.

How do these trees get flat in nature? Something makes it happen this way or is it specific spoecies only that do this?

AK_Panama wrote:
Thank you everyone!!! I have a Macano which I've been thinking of for a flat-top.

How do these trees get flat in nature? Something makes it happen this way or is it specific species only that do this?

What is a Macano?

Bald Cypress grow in crowded conditions where lower branches get shaded out. If a Bald Cypress is grown with enough space all around they don't get the flat top.

Wind might also shape a tree, the pines along the California coast come to mind.

GREAT topic and thanks for posting...
Keep it going, please.

Buddleja Saligna
[/quote]

I have this photo in my book...it is a typical Pierneef-style.
The flat Top Style is compleetely flat, and all branches is growing upwards.

Kind regards Yvonne

Billy M. Rhodes wrote:

Bald Cypress grow in crowded conditions where lower branches get shaded out. If a Bald Cypress is grown with enough space all around they don't get the flat tops.

Often they do get flat tops when growing in the open...check out some of the photos from the video...but they often maintain lower branches which are shaded out when growing close together.

Loblolly and other pines in the southeast US also develop similar flattops once they have grown above the canopy of other trees.

Here is a picture of a Macano...this isn´t mine but rather, one I found on the web. When you rip and crush the leaves it smells like cat urine.

Thanks for the great video Gene, I hadn´t seen until now!! It give me a better understanding on how it look in nature in the new world.

Looks like a Tamarind.

...Macano is a local name. different from Tamarind. member of the Fabaceae- legume family. "Diphysa americana". The leaves are indeed similar to tamarind and "malunggay".
It will bear small lovely yellow flowers.

regards,
jun

Noo.. this isn´t a Tamarind. That one´s called Tamarindo locally

Same family. If you crush the leaves of the Macano it smells like cat urine!