HB Smith

Rules have fluid priorities with different species of trees. Reverse taper is not as critical on an OLD flowering tree. If we try to correct the 'flaw', we more often then not result in a contrived looking base on an old trunk. We could try to find a better specimen, but it would probably would run several thousand more dollars. Or we could recognize that as far as flowering apricots go, this is a pretty cool trunk whose age and movement "rule' far exceeds the importance of the reverse taper 'rule'.

The same argument can be applied to the branches. Sometimes bar branches, pocket branches, or in this case crossing over branches are not removed because the tree looks better with them. The tree would be awfully bare without the crossover branch in the middle of the second trunk. The additional flowers also make for a more impressive display.

I am not dismissing rules nor do I believe that this tree breaks 'the rules', just rule priorities are being met appropriate to the species. The same could not be said of a Japanese Black Pine for example.

__________________
Sincerely,
Howard

www.BonsaiSmiths.net