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Dwarf English Boxwood

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Old 31-Dec-2002   #1
weirdowl
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Dwarf English Boxwood

Hello,
Here is a Dwarf English Boxwood I got a couple of days ago at Lowe's. It's about nine inches high. I haven't been able to find much information on care for this particular variety. Would it be safe to follow general boxwood care guidelines? I'm very anxious to start trimming away on it but I'm not sure if it would be a good time to. It kinda reminds me of a typical, oldish, very strong looking, very upright deciduous tree. There are a few problems I'm not sure how to deal with. The bar branches bother me but I can't decide if I want to cut the left one off. I like the "big" scar in the front, but I wonder what it will look like once it heals. I've been looking around online and in books at shohin size bonsai and smaller bonsai seem to rely more on essence than on characteristics. I didn't really like shohin bonsai as much until I started looking at them with this in mind. What do you think? Any styling suggestions are very welcome.
OOPS! I tried to change the pic and now I can't put a pic with this message. Pics below.
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Old 31-Dec-2002   #2
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Weirdowl, that looks like some good material.
I'm not yet familiar with boxwood. We have one in our garden, though...
Before I make any suggestions for styling, I'd like to see some other views too.

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Old 31-Dec-2002   #3
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You can kinda see in this pic that the trunk splits into 3 trunks a little above the first branch. The middle one is kind of hidden. I'm planning on doing away with the right side trunk as soon as I can. Somethings gotta give, and this seems like the only one I'll be able to get away with chopping off. I'm hoping I can make the 2 trunk split resemble a large old deciduous tree.
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Old 31-Dec-2002   #4
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You can see the whole nine inches in this pic. I'm not sure about the height I'd like just yet. Probably 3 inches shorter or around that. What do you think?
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Old 2-Jan-2003   #5
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I'm sorry, but I didn't quite follow what you were considering in your second post.

However, I think you have two simple choices for styling.
The first one is the obvious, broom style. If you decide to do this, you should study your tree well and determine the branches you're going to need in the future. I think those three branches you mentioned would be ideal for the broom style.

The second choice is a bit more challenging. I'm thinking of an informal upright, with only one of the three large branches, as the trunk. You'll need to find the suitable branches for this style for yourself, but I'll try to make an example virtual of this style, too.

Below is a broom style virt.


Zeb
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File Type: jpg virtuaalipuksi1.jpg (11.6 KB, 356 views)
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Old 2-Jan-2003   #6
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And the other one. Came out pretty formal after all...
Feel free to comment these.

Zeb
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File Type: jpg virtuaalipuksi2.jpg (10.7 KB, 355 views)
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Old 3-Jan-2003   #7
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Thanks a lot Zeb. I like the first virt best. I keep meaning to start trying to learn how to do virtuals but I'm always doing something else. I'm hoping I can make kind of an informal broom style. I'd like for it to have a branch on the left a little above the first right branch. I'd also like to lower the first right branch and there's a couple back branches that I'd like to lower on the left side. I'm hoping this is all possible. The branches are a little stiff but they're still small and fairly bendable. Thanks again for the virtuals and suggestions.
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Old 6-Jan-2003   #8
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G'day wierdowl,

Boxwood, hmm, don't think that it is deciduous, well at least not over here where I'm writing from.

Very nice tree you've got there, may I suggest that you think Slanting style, [added interest] looks to me that you've tilted your tree to upright it in your photographs, yep, nope?

Wires quite well, 6months should do it to get you on the road,
lives outside, have heard that there's a little maybe for an indoor location.

Slow grower, some say, pruning needs to be very careful, half clipped leaves look unsightly so extra care needs to be taken.
If you half-clip a leaf by accident, carefully remove it entirely, use a magnifying glass, and try to leave some of it's miniscule petiole.

Height reduction can be quite drastic, your tree, your decision, but as you say it's 9 inches, perhaps think 6 inches, what kinda pot do you plan, what size, as for an example if you look into my gallery you'll see a finger-tip Buxus there [got it inside for a few days at the moment, in a cold well-lit corner, our temperatures are jumping between +10 to -5 centigrade, and the poor little thing just might freeze to death, and I don't want that.]

Spring time is the best time for any real work to be done, think positive, patience is one of the more important tools for any bonsai-ist.

Hopefully we shall see what you have done with it after spring has sprung?

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