AusBonsai

Hi All, I have been working on developing a Flat Top Bald Cypress . I was inspired by an article by Gary Marchal in Craig Coussins book Bonsai School. Unfortunately Gary only shows the initial development on his styling. I am happy with the Nebari and the roots below. The jin has not been touched for several years except for a splash of Lime Sulphur when I remember. I was planning on keeping the two bottom branches short and start some ramification this year. That's if they are not to temperamental as they can be. My biggest problem is deciding on the shape of the canopy .Sloping to the Right/Left/ Dead Flat or a combination .....Have goggled the subject but was hoping the good folk at Aus Bonsai might have some suggestions...Thanks John.

hi boom64
i think you are on the right frame of mind training it to be flat top style and i think it is one of the most natural style of bonsai that more of us can strive for.
i would personally remove the jin, wire the main top canopy moving slight to the right as the trunk flows in the same direction. wire both lower branches upward, i don't mean just the branch tips, but the angles in which both branches emerge from the trunk(similar angle to how the top portion of the trunk moved up from the jin).

regards

Tien

if it were mine----I would possibly hollow out the dead wood almost to the lower two branches then try to move the major leader back towards the trunk centre

Guy wrote:if it were mine----I would possibly hollow out the dead wood almost to the lower two branches then try to move the major leader back towards the trunk centre

just to add--after hollowing out the trunk I would first tape and wire that area so it couldn't spread as It was straightened--then start the canopy design

Thanks for the feedback ,Tien and Guy. Always great to hear a few new ideas .I will start work on the canopy soon ,cutting and wiring etc. Unfortunately it is a little to thick to get any movement in the top .Hopefully a pot this coming spring. Cheers John.

after hollowing the trunk I reckon you'd get some straightening with some reo rod and some wire

Hi All ,Thought I would update on my Flat Top. Potted up last Spring and have wired up once and have cut back several times. A few branches are a little to straight in the canopy but will wire once the leaves drop. Still have not done anything with the jin. .Any advice criticism etc greatly appreciated. Cheers John.

Guy wrote:if it were mine----I would possibly hollow out the dead wood almost to the lower two branches then try to move the major leader back towards the trunk centre

Agree with this comment hollow would look awesome on this tree


Cheers dwayne
I'm a bonsai newb

Wow to that nebari.

pebble wrote:

Guy wrote:if it were mine----I would possibly hollow out the dead wood almost to the lower two branches then try to move the major leader back towards the trunk centre

Agree with this comment hollow would look awesome on this tree


Cheers dwayne
I'm a bonsai newb

Agreed with hollowing that trunk out . it would really improve this tree . The tree has alot going for it

Can someone show me a finished tree in the flat-top style? I'm really dubious as to whether there is such a style that would look good as bonsai. Although I've seen trees with flattish angled tops in the wild, I've never seen it done well as bonsai.

Educate me

Adam

Goodness me. One don't see a nebari like that on a BC often I looked and looked until my neck got sore... Think I might turn the monitor on its side now....

Webos wrote:Can someone show me a finished tree in the flat-top style? I'm really dubious as to whether there is such a style that would look good as bonsai. Although I've seen trees with flattish angled tops in the wild, I've never seen it done well as bonsai.

Educate me

Adam

Im not a fan of the flat top either but alot of bald cypress do naturally grow like that . i think this one seems somewhat pleasing to my eye

Hi Boomie and Adam,had a little look around the Internet,and I type in your topic Flat Top Bald Cypress Bonsai images some nice trees come up for what you are looking for.

I have drawn something rough for you,the top I believe does not have to be flat but round to flatish which looks good to me if you don't mind that,I think the hardest part is not the head as you are almost there.. but the lower branching trying to make it convincing,the problem for me is it is little barish,so I tried to bring the branches up at different angles to disguise it,but struggled,the one on the right sitting a little bit higher on the trunk I brought up steeper,and the lower left not as much but still up just little flatter,did not look too bad,if you go that way just keep the foliage lean and lower for illusion of bigger space apart if that all makes sense.

Can understand not to bring branches down from trunk straight away as I can see branch thickness,appreciate that.So I have sketched a roughie with one branch,something I dare say you have considered...Cheers Anthony

And forgot to mention your your jin looks fine to me John..tree looks real good, little tweak here and there,will make a fantastic tree...cheers