Ironwood (Hornbeam) Collection

Misspeled_Name

Here is a photo of the Ironwood tree I would like to collect, and a virt of what I want to do with it . Everything is to scale. I think I might make the pads and apex a little smaller than shown, but you get the general idea. I have trenched half way around the tree. Next year I will do the other half and remove it from the ground. Any tips on collecting, potting, wintering, ect. ?

Attached Images

	Ironwood front.jpg (64.2 KB, 424 views)
	Iron wood virt.jpg (42.9 KB, 265 views)

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TreeBay

I think it's pretty clear you'd probably want to remove one of the two trunks, most likely the one on the left, at least from the view you've provided, that would be the logical choice.

Some (fondly?) call trees with two trunks that diverge up high like that "slingshots"

Regards,

Matt

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Misspeled_Name

Thanks for your input . However, what is wrong with trees with the "sling shot look"? I have seen trees in the wild like this.

Ralph

Bonsai is an art form that is an illusion, not a mimic of nature. Have a look at your virtual, and you may begin to see the imperfections. First thing that draws your eye is most obviously the "Y" where the trunks fork. Your eye does not easily flow up and down the peice. The second flaw with this view is the nebari (rrot flare), and the eye poking root sticking straight out, once again drawing attention away from the whole image.
By removing one trunk, and turning it about 60 degrees, you eliminate these two distrations in the peice.
Bonsai as an art form has specific conventions (guide lines) for the development of good bonsai.
The perfect reference for an introduction into bonsai design is
Bonsai Techniques I by John Naka.
A good follow-on read is
Bonsai Techniques II
You can get thse from your local bonsai club, from the library, or from here:
http://www.dallasbonsai.com/store/b...ks_english.html

Good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of bonsai!

__________________
Emerging from winter slumber
Bonsai trees burst buds anew
Spring is upon us!


-Paul S.

rockm

Is this the trunk you say needs a horse to remove it? I think you may be overestimating things. Carolina hornbeam can take barerooting and drastic root reduction in early to mid spring before buds break. You could probably remove this one completely next year by sawing roots off six inches out and five inches deep. Bareroot, plant in SMALLISH container--just big enough to accommodate the rootball. Use regular bonsai soil to fill it. Put it in the shade and leave it alone for a year or two, even when new growth appears

However, you will have significant problems with this tree, as you definitely have to remove one of the slingshot trunks for any worthwhile design--the one on the left being the most likely sacrifice. Removal of one of either of these will leave a pretty big scar that will not heal anytime soon. You are ahead of the game leaderwise, though, since reducing the remainng leading trunk by at least half will allow some room for some attainable, believable taper. The lower trunk on this tree is pretty good, but I'd bet if scratched the soil away from neighboring smaller trees, you'd wind up with a much less coarse nebari (Three or four big roots don't make a really good nebari) --and an easier tree to dig...

Misspeled_Name

Thanks for everyones input, but I think all of you are missing the point of "real" bonsai. You are right, bonsai is art. But where your wrong is there is no such thing as proper art.


"Bonsai as an art form has specific conventions (guide lines) for the development of good bonsai."

lol , This is a good point of what I mean.

Misspeled_Name

rockm,

"Is this the trunk you say needs a horse to remove it? I think you may be overestimating things."

where the trunk splits into two it is a little over 5 inches in diameter. And the whole tree is 24 inches tall.

"Carolina hornbeam can take barerooting and drastic root reduction in early to mid spring before buds break. You could probably remove this one completely next year by sawing roots off six inches out and five inches deep. Bareroot, plant in SMALLISH container--just big enough to accommodate the rootball. Use regular bonsai soil to fill it. Put it in the shade and leave it alone for a year or two, even when new growth appears"

Thank you, this is very helpfull.

TreeBay

Symmetric growth (like the slingshot) is a growth pattern of shrubs. Some other things shrubs do, include the following:

• extremely low branching
• multiple branches coming from the same node
• lacking any defined boughs and being
• roughly a ball of foliage with a simple silhouette
• lacking a defined trunkline, with several branches competing for attention
• often smooth-barked
• branches that do not taper or "move"
• branches that are roughly the same size
• branches that grow sharply upward near the bottom of the plant
• lacking an exposed radial root system

The above are some visual cues that make the plant appear less treelike (large) and more shrublike (small), so we endeavor to eliminate the shrublike qualities and enhance the treelike qualities

Regards,
Matt

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TreeBay

I don't really know what you mean, but why bother asking questions if you already know all the answers? It wastes everyone's time.

Regards,

Matt

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