Restyling a Pinus Contorta

I wrote about this tree earlier this year https://wordpress.com/post/81919794/15/.  I’ve also been wanting to restyle this tree as the top has become visually heavy for the size of trunk it has.   This is a Pinus Contorta (Lodge Pole pine or Shore Pine).  I’ve envisioned this tree as  a “bunjin” or literati style  which should have a sparse top and usually a lone skinny trunk.

This past growing season I just fed the tree and let it grow.   For this restyling, I did the following:

  1. I removed the apex and rewired a new apex.  I  made the crown rounder.  I reduced the height roughly about 2 inches.
  2. I removed some of the older needles to clean up the tree and also more evenly distribute the needle mass, allow more light in and distribute energy more evenly.
  3. I removed all old wires and rewired the entire tree.  Directing branches more in a synchronized downward direction.  Also, compacted the look by moving some of the branches closer to the trunk.
  4. I reduced once of the branches in the back to give it a narrower look and thus more appropriate for the trunk size.
  5. Finally had the guts to removed one of the lower branches that I kept for a while.  This branch I see as redundant to the next branch up.  It’s also growing almost to the inside of a curve.  By removing this branch and making is as a “jin” it will emphasize the natural trunk contortion which I think is the most interesting part of this tree.  Making this branch into a “jin” also gives it an much older look.

FUTURE:  I plan to repot this tree into a “nanban” pot.  An irregular pot that looks rustic and will be shallower.  Hope to do that in Spring 2016.

 

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Published by tony bonsaiko

My little trees are my daily reminders of our grand connection to this beautiful and mysterious universe.

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