Accepting feedback on Corokia semi-cascade

spookybonsai

Hi folks,

What are your thoughts on this Corokia that I've recently trained as a semi-cascade? have posted two angles for your consideration.

cheers,

spooky

Attached Images

	corokiasc.jpg (14.4 KB, 164 views)
	corokiasc2.jpg (39.7 KB, 137 views)

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Tobias

hey spook,

I really enjoy your tree! it's wee, but i think it has decent movement. i put a couple ideas on a picture of the angle i like better for you. let it be known: i have no experience with the species. don't even know what they are supposed to look like, but the foliage looks sparse. i assume that that is how the are supposed to look for this time of year though.

the part labelled "confusing" basically means i'm not sure what i would do with it. in a way the fork up there bothers me, but not really. in a way i think it's too tall, but i'm not sure thats it either. know what i mean?

anyway, good luck with this one. again, i enjoy it.

peace,

toby

Attached Images

Carica virt.jpg (27.5 KB, 84 views)

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spookybonsai

Thanks Tobias,
Yes, it is a small tree. The common name for the corokia cotoneaster is "Wire-netting bush". I have not yet seen one that has lots of ramification, so don't know how it will go in those stakes. As the natural tree develops like a ball of loose twine, all bonsai examples I've seen (eg, google corokia bonsai) have been sparse. Thanks for pointing out some flaws in its styling. I haven't wired every single branch yet; but that's a good point about the branch growing back towards the pot.

Without lopping off the branch that go up then right ('cos I really like it), how would you encourage the semi-cascade trunk to grow thicker in proportion to it?

cheers,

spooky

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Tobias

i understand why you like the branch going off to the right; the tree would probably feel a bit naked without it, or would otherwise seem somehow "wrong."

the problem is i don't think there is really an effective way to get the rest of the tree to substantially bulk up in proportion to this branch. to thicken up a tree you just let it go wild; let it do whatever it wants. grow grow grow, and feed it a high nitrogen feed.

to thicken up the tree in proportion to this one branch, in theory you could let the tree grow wild and consistently trim back this one branch; i think others will agree with me though that the effect of this would be minimal.

another potential is defoliation, which, again, being unfamiliar with this species i'm not sure you could get away with. the idea being if the tree is very healthy and doing well, you could attempt to defoliate (remove the leaves only) of this one branch, while leaving the rest of the tree to grow wild, thus slowing the growth of this one branch. however, in addition to not knowing how this species would react to this, my description of defoliating the one branch here is a bit backwards. that is, you usually defoliate the whole tree, and can leave a couple of branches not defoliated if you want to thicken them up. I have NOT heard of anyone doing what i just described, that is, defoliating only one branch and not the rest of the tree. the potential in my defoliating hypothetical is that the branch could just die off while the tree puts its energy into the rest of the branches.

just some quick ideas here. i'm no expert. i guess if you enjoy the branch just bide your time and think about it. the tree is pleasant, and you'll figure out how to improve it over time. and who cares what i think about the branch anyway!

peace,

toby

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spookybonsai

Thanks Toby,

Perhaps someone else could comment as to what they've attempted to try to address this type of issue? ie, thinning a branch in proportion to the rest of a tree, without killing it.

cheers,

spooky

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idowatsu

this is what it looks like trimmed Havent got mine to ramify but I have minimally trimmed it too I keep staring and it looks ok in a wad so far some day Ill get brave and trim it The back branch on yours could possibly wired more to the left and down into the open space then work on letting it grow more on the apex I know its hard to get them to bud back if they do at all mine keeps getting scale heres an old pic before I trimmed the lower portion

Attached Images

HPIM1163.JPG (49.3 KB, 24 views)

anttal63

i think ramification not important 4 this species if directions and angles change and counter balance themselves at regular intervals. have fun.

ChrisM

spook, looks like a great tree. imo though, the cascading part need a little more movement, it looks too straight at the angle shown. if this angle is the front, some more movement wired in would greatly enhance the look of the tree. just my two cents.

chris

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