Ilex vomitoria 'shillings' clump style

onlyrey

Hi, just recently purchased an Ilex which I had my eyes on for a while from a local nursery. It is in a 15 gallon (about 50 pounds) and the trunk is about 3".

I want to make this into a clump style bonsai. Today I pruned it to see what's going on since it was very busy. Tried digging a little in search of the nebary, but the rain came and couldn't get there.

I'm planing on making it into a clump style similar to this tree (http://www.bonsaicima.com/images/ligb05.jpg).

I pruned it and removed a couple of broken/semi dead and horizontal large branches (you can see the scars). The branches on the top of the tree are the smallest since they didn't get as much sun as the ones on the sides.

I plan to replant into a training box in Spring.

Any comments and ideas are welcome

Pics:
38810 - Front first choice
38811 - Before pic
38812 - second choice for front

Attached Images

	ilex_vomitoria_shillings_.jpg (66.2 KB, 95 views)
	15gallon_ilex.jpg (64.4 KB, 90 views)
	ilex_vomitoria_shillings_secondangle.jpg (48.8 KB, 113 views)

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bwaynef

The part that bothers me about making this into a clump style is that the sub-trunks, as WP calls what most of us call large branches, don't come all the way down to the ground. The example you posted shows branches that originate nearly at the root-crown of the tree. These start further up the trunk.

I'd also suggest removing more of those trunks right now. Don't worry about removing too much so early. Holly will handle that kind of treatment, and its going to need to be done eventually. Notice how in your example there are only a few trunks that form the clump. Those go on to branch further up developing the crown.

Good luck with it. You're further along styling yours than I am with any of my three. You actually have a plan/goal for yours. I'm still trying to see the tree in mine. I have learned how hardy these trees are though. (I dug one up and literally dropped it into a hole I'd dug for it. I didn't even cover it with the dirt I'd dug out of it. It's probably my holly (of 3) with the most potential and it is growing like crazy. I cut it back to a stump too.)

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onlyrey

Bwaynef,

Thanks for the help, and Yes, it is more lilkely to be a broomish style than a clump. I went yesterday and did the extra prunning along the lines that you suggested. I cut off a couple of the redundant side branches, and left most of the top ones as long as they are. I'll let the center(top) branches grow and then see what they do to select the stronger or the ones that fit the future design better.

I just noticed also that the photo had a willing posing model bathing in the hot Florida sun that I had not seen . This little guy/gal is welcome to pose as a branch in any place where it's needed, and in turn can have all the aphids/ants and critters it wants for lunch.

Attached Images

	posing_lizard_ilex.jpg (29.4 KB, 46 views)
	ilex_vomitoria_further_prunning.jpg (41.1 KB, 73 views)

bumblebee

Why is this plant called VOMIToria?

Libby

rockm

It's called vomitoria because it was used by Native Americans to make an emetic tea.

Emetics induce vomiting. Vomiting can make you feel better sometimes, especially if you've eaten something bad, like poisonous plants, rotten meat, etc. Native Americans weren't trying to be Paris Hilton, by the way . They were being practical.

Bonsaifreak

This seems to be the growing tendency of yaupons. Agree in this is not really a clump style. I would select the few usable branches and try the broom style, growing a leader from each one and wire it accordingly while still green (the mature branches are brittle and will not accept wire). Each of these leaders should serve as the future foliage pads for the quasi-broom style. They do accept hard prunning most of the time but would be careful leaving some foliage behind.

Good luck!

Jorge

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mudmantoo

this illex is a twin trunk style, I have a few of these trees in my collection and they make great bonsai....

Attached Images

illex 006.jpg (48.0 KB, 50 views)

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onlyrey

Just wanted to update you guys on the progress of the Ilex. Pruned the shoots/branches coming from the middle of the top of the tree and uncovered what I think is a nice surprise in the taper running to the nebari.

Attached Images

alien_ilex.jpg (66.8 KB, 71 views)

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Disclaimer: All my bonsai are beautiful, the pictures lie.

zen

Wow lookin' good ! It reminds me of a baobab (sp?).
It is almost a sumo style, but looks a bit more tree like than most sumos do.
I can't wait to start work on my Japanese Holly,...it has quite a few "sub-tunks" also, I am about where Wayne is with his hollies, inother words I have no idea what to do, but once I get a photo of it, I can virt around with it and see what will work.
Thanks Wayne, again for the tree. And RedPine is about to send me a camera so I can get to work shooting and showing all my potensai, thanks to you, for that.

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