Blue Moss Cypress/ Die Back

Jay

Hi all,
I have several Blue Moss Cypress. They are mostly small potensai type. One of these trees has a problem. The large lower branches are still green (well I should say Blue) at the end perhaps one third. The inner two thirds. is brown. What is causing this? Could it be normal or a problem? Do I need to remove the brown branch parts? I live in southern Orange Co NY Zone 5/6 and we have had a couple of nights already that the temp has dropped below freezing.

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A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

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Dr.Bonsai

Hi Jay,

As a trees with scale foliage (juniper, false cypress, etc.) grow, _Small green branches thicken and as they do they will shed their scales and become corky with bark.

This is a natural process of lignification, which allows photosynthesizing twigs to to evolve into branches that later form the scaffolding that supports the tree and transports nutrients. _ The changes that occur with lignification should be distinguished from "die-back", which occurs at the growing tip.

Dead interior scale growth can frequently be removed after it has well dried by rubbing with the fingertip or using a chopstick

Let's discuss true Dieback:

Dieback of interior branches is a natural process with trees, but a common problem with bonsai. _The interior branches are less efficient and have poor access to light and ventilation. _The tree's solution is to shed them and to put on growth at the exterior where conditions are more favorable. _In our bonsai, we are trying to recreate the illusion of a tree in miniature, and the small interior branches are important to create that sense of scale and to avoid having the tree look like a shrub. _So, we need to favor these interior and lower branches thorugh thinning, pruning and pinching.
[*]Pinching done is with the fingertips while the branches are actively growing will reduce the silhouette of the tree and create auxins in the tree that promote back budding and invigoration of interior growth. _It also promotes the development of smaller leaves.
[*]Thinning is done with scissors to open up the structure of the tree so that those precious interior branches can see the light of day, photosynthesize and flourish.
[*]Pruning is a more aggressive form of thinning used to remove oversize and misplaced branches to increase the apparent refinement of the branch, making its structure more pleasing or improving its shape. _

Typically more thinning, pinching and pruning are done at the most vigorous points of the tree, which tend to be its silhouette, and in particular the apices of branches and the trees top.

I hope this information will help you manage this plant's health.