Yamadori Korean Hornbeam I - Part III

Just finished working on this over the weekend.  The apex branch spent all of last year wrapped in rafia and large wire.  I managed to get some considerable movement from this and the two small branches in that region are keepers.

Karin

This is my first and only Chinese Quince I’ve ever grown. This tree was originally trained using the clip and grow method from a cutting by Luigi Trapani. I believe the cutting was taken from Bill Pfeiffer’s parent tree, growing in his landscape. It has a very small leaf, making it ideal for bonsai. No large trunk on this slant, but nice subtle movement in the trunkline. This was the tree’s first growing season in the Midwest and it grew like a weed. I was trimming constantly just to keep the branch diameter in scale. When the weather cooled in early fall, there was another flush of growth, some of which is yet to die off even after freezing temperatures. The bark also peeled exorbitantly this summer shedding its skin from the root base all the way up to the apex. I believe some of this can be attributed to transplanting in spring and a consistent dose of fertilizer during the growing season. Wiring this tree was a cinch since the branches are extremely flexible. I decided to incorporate some jin-I thought the deadwood provided a nice variation in color, especially when paired with the bark. It will be a fun one to pick a container for eventually, but the branches held by the guy wire will need to sit for at least one growing season.

Before and after photos…

My bonsai assistant, Cali

Arakawa

This Rough Bark Japanese maple is easy on the eyes and is a fine example of a twin trunk. I can’t take credit for the design - I’ve only refined it the last three years. It was one of Suthin Sukosolvisit’s creations. I particularly enjoy this tree during dormancy, when its truly exposed for what it is. Since the Arakawa has a regular-sized Acer palmatum leaf, it’s not easily reduced and Japanese maple have not typically responded well to defoliation for me, regardless of the environmental conditions. So, I won’t be ready to display this tree during the growing season until I’m able to moderate the leaf size.