Species Spotlight: Myrtus communis

Bruce Winter

Nope!

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sauce

That is some hefty lumber you've got there! Al, I truly appreciate the enthusiasm for bonsai that you bring to this forum, this thread is a good example. Thanks

bonsaial1

Here's an update of where the myrtle is today. The crown of the tree for now will be just hedge trimmed till I get an idea of a leader.

The first branch, or maybe second branch, the left side is lower and I do have some hefty branches there too. I will not really get to see what I have till I repot this monster in the spring. This branch is just smaller than a pencil. These things do grow fast.

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Bruce Winter

Great material Al!
Is there a bud at the base of each leaf? Looks like the branches are a bit brittle. Thanks for the update.

Bruce

Bonsai Barry

Excellent thread, Al. Thanks.

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Bonsai Barry

"Our talent lies in our choices."

bonsaial1

Spring of 2007 is the moment I am to place the tree into a pot for training branches. The tree was removed from the 15 gallon tub and root pruned to fit into the pot. Part of the root ball was trimmed with a chain saw to allow the tree to sit at the appropriate depth. The tree in one season had grown so many roots that this reduction was very easy. This type of tree grows like a pomagranite and is very agressive.

The pot was purchased on Saturday and made ready for the tree by placing some heavy duty screen and heavy duty copper wires thru the tie hole to hold the tree. I used 12 gauge copper wire to tie this in. Once the tree was tied in and the soil placed, I could begin the task of pruning back this monster. Since I had taken about 50 percent of the roots back, I decided that an equal amount of foliage had to go. I started the task of branch selection and wired down all the new leaders into a pleasing shape. Well as pleasing as this "thing" would allow. (note: The previous back is now shown as the front. I feel the trunks shows better from this view as well as the stubs that can be carved later for addtional texture.)

In the coming years carving will have to be done on some of the huge branch stubs that I left when removing the tree from the landscape. Hollowing and carving will introduce some texture to the huge expanse of wood that I have to deal with.

Myrtus Communis(common myrtle)
Height: 24 inches
Trunk: 7 inches
Pot: China 24"x20"x6"

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__________________
I been kidding the last seven years.
no.... really!

Dale Cochoy

Hey Al,
Is there ANYTHING out there in California that has to have any roots on it when collected!!??

Sounds like Florida!

Jealous of Ca.
D.

P.S. Looks like some good carving fun! Party on dude!

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If you want to be Different....
You have to DO something Different!
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Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time....
but, they always seem to make the time to do it over again...
____________________________________________
Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

Mcspeed

Al this is the first of this thread I have seen, nice stumps for sure.

The only other thing I can say is ditto to Dales above post.

Bill

bonsaial1

A virtual I did on the stump when I pruned it for the second time. Today I took this picture thirty days later.

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__________________
I been kidding the last seven years.
no.... really!