THE KING (Pinus mugo)

Hi bonsai friends

It is exactly ten years since I found this impressive mugo pine in the Swiss Alps. The tree took many years to recover and develop a strong root ball. During acclimatization O only worked on dead wood. Six years after collecting i twas planted in a suitable tray and was strong enough to be shaped.The good trunk base and the attractive trunk have already been designed by nature.
This mugo pine is THE KING of my bonsai collection.
I hope you’ll enjoy it. Greetings from Switzerland

Peter

#01 the tree in the wild 1998


#02 back view


#03 acclimatization in a wooden box


#04 side A 2001


#05 side B


#06 2001 work on dead wood


#07


#08


#09


#10

#11 2001


#12 after repotting 2004


#13 -15 various views


#14


#15


#16 nebari


#17 basic styling 2004


#18 backside view

#19 front 2009


#20 backside view


#21 dimensions


This is it. Thanks for be patient
Peter

Crown the King. Beautiful tree...nice find Peter. Just a little smooth-out, hope you don't mind.

__gary

WOW! I had no idea of the scale of this tree till picture 21. It is indeed a king of a bonsai.

Ed

Strewth! I assume during the 6 years it took to collect and establish this stunning tree that you were in the gym?

Anyone else got a tree of this size, or bigger?

@ Garykk. I, too, thought the tree would benefit from the removal of that deadwood. It distracted from the motion of the trunk.

What a pretty mame !

Great tree.

Now that's big.....how did you pack it out - pack horses or helicopter.
Cheers
Gman

Wow! That's some impressive twisting of the trunk for a mugho. I just think the crown is way too big.
And why didn't you clean the whole jin and left some bark on?

this tree is absolutely amazing! it's like McDonald's - i'm lovin it !!

Very impressive and powerful tree.

Hi bonsai lovers
Thanks for your feedbacks.

About the jins : The bigger jin is part of the broken trunk, that’s why I leave the bark. The smaller one looks more natural like this. I don’t want create a Japanese bonsai – this is a tree from the Swiss Alps. I prefer a natuaral bonsai style.

Peter

Beautiful tree, Peter.

You Europeans are very lucky to have this tree growing wild where it is dwarfed naturally and shaped by the elements into forms that make potentially awesome bonsai.

Hi Peter,
tree is fantastic. I just wonder how you managed to transport it. You have beeen lucky enough to have decent road very close or? It must have been over 50kg I guess...

Gman and Maros,

normaly I carry the trees on my back – if they are not more than 50 kg (have a look at the pic). But this one was too heavy, so I hired a bodybuilder to bring it down to my car. It took more than one hour because there was no road close to the place where I found this tree.

Peter

Very impressive and beautiful tree. I agree with you, I very much like the image of the dead wood the way you have presented it. Just because it is dead does not in nature mean that all of the bark will be sheared off by the elements.

Wonderful result Peter, the ten year ritual must give you a deep sense of satisfaction.
Regarding the Jin, Gary, I understand your wanting to remove it but I believe you may be making a judgement based on the two dimensions of that particular photo, given its possition I'm pretty sure it sits very well 'in the round'.

What a marvel to behold!!! Royalty indeed.
Congratulations on your hard work and patience.

Amazing and strong tree !

Great job. Congratulations.

Hi Peter,

what a fantastic job you have done. Congratulations.

Your friend,
Budi

Hi Bonsai friends

Thanks a lot for your kind comments.
If you would like to see how to create a jumbo bonsai in a shorter time than mine, have a look at my article in the new BONSAI FOCUS. Bonsai-Star Gede Merta from Bali did a special demonstration for me …. and for you.

Peter

Enter...King Mugo the First!

You've got a real winner there Ed. Mother Nature presented you with a masterful beginning!

And, my friend, you said "...I don’t want create a Japanese bonsai...I prefer a natuaral bonsai style...". I'm with you all the way...!

Pat

Hi Peter,

I got the magazine yesterday, so that I can read the article of Gede Mertha. Thanks for promoting our Indonesian artist.

Budi

Does anyone else see an eavesdropper on Peter and Paul. There sure seems to be a face peekingout of that Desert Rose.

Rob Kempinski wrote:Does anyone else see an eavesdropper on Peter and Paul. There sure seems to be a face peekingout of that Desert Rose.

It's a dwarf