Chamaecyparis obtusa nana gracillis 2009

I want to show you my Chamaecyparis,this bonsai is one off my favorites
I hope you like it to.
Greetings Ed

This is a wonderful rendering of a difficult species. Having some experience with Hinokis I can imagine the amount of work and attention that created the this image. Very nice----World class. It is nice to see someone take this tree seriously, most people wont touch them.

Well said, Vance! These things are bears to work with and Ed's done a superb job.

Kindest~
-d

I'm adding my humble two groats worth to the appreciation. On an issue of scale, is this the tree you are working on in your Avatar pic? If so, I can admire even more as it is quite a size.

Brilliant!

Fiona

Hi Ed,

I know that this tree has quite a pedigree, having won a Noelanders nomination a couple of years ago and had its first styling at the EBA event in Stratford upon Avon in 1999, you keep this tree in great condition as it is a very difficult species to both style AND maintain... great stuff Ed

Suthin has another Chamaecyparis - a shohin-sized tree - that's also quite worthy of note. Having seen this up close and personal, it's even more impressive when it's in front of you!

http://www.royalbonsaigarden.com/cgi-bin/workshoparchive.cgi?1111946996 ..to visit a few images.

Kindest~
-d

I LIKE IT!!

Mike

Thank you all for the compliments,nice to hear that you like this tree
And thank you Tony,yes this tree was the first I compete with at the Noelanders trophy in 2007.
And I will never forget that day,drinking beer with my bonsai-favorites like Kevin Wilson and Tony Tickle and Hans van Meer and others,this day was to good to be true
And Fiona,yes this tree is the one where I am working on in my avatar pic
Now I am working on two shohin size Chamaecyparis tree's,and will show it next year to you.
I like this species,and hope more people will make bonsai from it.
Greetings Ed

Ed van der Reek wrote:I like this species,and hope more people will make bonsai from it.
Greetings Ed

One of the most ignored species used for bonsai. I have a question for you Ed if I may. What is your thinking on the construction of the foliage pads?

Nice tree.
My two comments:

The jin at the very top of the tree looks like jin, not like deadwood found in nature.
The tree seems unbalanced to me. If it was my tree I would plant it more straight. Not completely straight, but not so far slanted to the left.

shimsuki wrote:Nice tree.
My two comments:

The jin at the very top of the tree looks like jin, not like deadwood found in nature.
The tree seems unbalanced to me. If it was my tree I would plant it more straight. Not completely straight, but not so far slanted to the left.

I like the 'tension' with the slanting of the tree, and the style/design make sense. The tree is growing as it would in nature, the opposite to where the 'damage' jin/shari has happened to the tree, and the fullness of the foliage is good, creating a mature 'image' I like the naturalness of this tree. To plant the tree more 'upright' would loose the impact. keep it just the way it is Ed!

Ed...Ah yes... I remember the celebration with you in the Bar at the Noelanders... you could not quite believe it

Nice tree. I don't know about this species but I might thin out the top a bit.
Also I would center the tree on the stand for the photo. That almost always going to make the best picture.

Hi Vance,Tony has answered your question already
And Tony,this tree I will thin out a little bit and that is all what I will change on it
Greetings Ed

Update from this tree now,almost show-ready
Gr Ed

hi, nice tree !

between the 2009 picture and the last image what have been the pruning / pinching techniques you have been using on the foliage please ? I found the 'bonsai art of japan episode 4' film the other day on utube showing the totally amazing hinoki at the nursery and the pruning techniques used on that tree.

(i have a big old hinoki also and am looking to refine it to a high standard over the coming years as it is a very natural balanced tree).

I like the slant - and the tree creates a very balanced image of dead wood one side and foliage on the opposite side - as it would actually occur for real.

Hi Marcus,I will give you more information how to treat this species
I will give you some advice how to keep them in good shape and very healthy.
This type of tree has foliage that can be challenging for bonsai but is not impossible at all.
The Chamaecyparis loves full sun and If this bonsai is not provided adequate sun, the lower and inner branches turn brown and eventually will die.
This species does well in most conditions, with the exception of cold freezing winds and you must protect them good against frost.
The challenge is that this tree needs a lot of water, especially during an active growth season.
For watering the Chamaecyparis, make sure the soil never dries out but that it is also never waterlogged.
It is vulnerable to root rot, along with most Cypress species
To supplement the ongoing need for water, you can mist the foliage.
This species needs to be fed weekly from early spring to mid fall,I give fish emulsion with a NPK5-2-2 and Nitrogen free fertiliser 0-10-10 from KAIZEN this is an excellent late season feed containing,only phosphates and potash.
I give this tree one week the fish emulsion and a week later the Fertiliser from KAIZEN and so on.
For pruning, again with the fan-like foliate and rapid growth, this becomes some kind of a challenge.
you will need constantly reshape the tree by pinching off any new foliage.
Always use your hands for the tips off the leaf, never scissors, which will cause the foliage to turn brown.
For taking away bigger parts you can use a scissor,and long thick upright shoots you must prune this always because this will take away to much energy from the tree.
I hope this will help you a bit.
Gr Ed

Ed,
WOW! This tree is amazing! I have a penchant for saying "nice" trees look lovely or beautiful and they are. Your tree however is one of the nicest Cypress trees I have ever seen anywhere on the internet or in pictures. I can only imagine how it looks in person. There is so much movement in the way it is planted. Exquisite!
Best,
Todd

I can only follow all the above comments for your tree!

May I ask a photo of the backside to be presented, please.
Thank you.

Thank you Todd,it is always nice to hear from others that they love your work also
And my nellie,thank you for your nice reply to.
I haven't got a photo from the back right now,maybe another time.
Gr Ed

Very nice tree Ed. It is show ready.
A good inspiration for creating a nice bonsai out of a very unattractive simple straight trunk.

regards,
jun

Beautiful..

hello all,
this obtusa is terrific and i also do like this species. i'd like to start growing some but they are always grafted...
i'm new to the ibc and as my first post i would like to ask a question about chamae obtusa nana gracilis,

does anyone succsessfully airlayed one of those trees?

thanks for your experience