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:
- I removed the apex and rewired a new apex. I made the crown rounder. I reduced the height roughly about 2 inches.
- 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.
- 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.
- I reduced once of the branches in the back to give it a narrower look and thus more appropriate for the trunk size.
- 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.
