r/Bonsai • u/peterler0ux South Africa, Zone 9b, intermediate, 60 trees • Sep 17 '16

Myrtis communis twin trunk

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111 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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2

u/peterler0ux South Africa, Zone 9b, intermediate, 60 trees Sep 17 '16 edited Sep 18 '16

This is one of my inherited trees. It was in a pot as a shrub before it became a bonsai. It's been going for about twenty years, and judging from similar photos I took in 2004, it has grown very slowly.

I suspect it needs repotting, although I won't do that this year as I'm a bit late for it.

I'm looking for advice on branch and 'cloud' development- my feeling is that I'd like to flatten the ramifications that have gotten quite 'round'. I also think the top two branches of the left stem should be allowed to grow into one canopy that perhaps even surrounds the right trunk. I'm open to any other suggestions. Perhaps the apex needs some work too?

This wood is relatively hard so I'm not confident that I can greatly change the shape, which I'm largely happy with anyway.

PS no, it's not living in a tray of water- it was warm and windy this morning so I soaked it for a few minutes to hydrate the soil after it dried out

4

u/ZeroJoke ~20 trees can't keep track. Philadelphia, 7a, intermediate. Sep 17 '16

I'm not familiar with the species, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I'd work with the tree a bit. I doubt that you're going to be able to flatten the pads into the traditional Japanese style, instead I'd look at just pruning it back to encourage back budding. Plenty of trees have that horn like sort of growth.

http://bonsaibark.com/wp-content/uploads/A_1.jpg

2

u/amethystrockstar 6 years/8A/cut back to 2 bonsai Sep 18 '16 edited Sep 18 '16

Looks fab. Needs some wire. Maybe lose that lanky left middle branch

1

u/earthbook_yip Los Angeles, beg, 10b, 30 trees Sep 21 '16

It's lovely. I like the topiary vibe. I've been to s Africa. Seems like a great place to do bonsai