Small fat Buxus harlandii

[BB Brian]

all your Buxus are on point by the way!
the bark on this species is crazy

[Grant Bowie]

Hi Grant,

I purchased a Buxus Harlandii a few months ago, cut it back hard, there is a fair bit of new growth now, should I be pinching all the leaves that are not needed on the trunk?

Cheers in advance.

I tend to tip pinch the growth I want to keep all over and completely remove unwanted growth back to the trunk where necessary. Some times you almost have to dig out the growth which can leave a little damage so best to do it early and get healing from the coming season.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

As seen at recent CBS show. Both Buxus were in flower but towards the end of their season.

49 GB Taiwanese Box.jpg

Grey Izumiya pot, accompanying tree is an Ash in a PK pot.

48 GB Taiwanese Box.jpg

Pot by Graham C, accompanying tree is a Satsuki azalea in a colourful Yozan pot.


Grant

[Matthew]

Grant
Beautiful I do like those Buxus and proberly a underused species . Like the pot combo on that azealea to.

[Ulf]

I LOVE this tree! Thank you so much for sharing this, I am going out to find a few for myself!

[Grant Bowie]

Update,

Untrimmed and in a new Australian pot bought at CBS show 18 months ago. All the buxus are growing like crazy at the moment.

IMG_7953.jpg

Grant

[MJL]

Update,

Untrimmed and in a new Australian pot bought at CBS show 18 months ago. All the buxus are growing like crazy at the moment.

IMG_7953.jpg

Grant

Thanks for this thread Grant - much appreciated. The various Buxus pictured are all wonderful. This last photo of the untrimmed Buxus in a new pot is my favourite. Am I right in that this the tree that started the thread?

Also - are you able to provide some guidance on how you decide on pots for your Shohin trees?

I ask because my eye is usually drawn (i.e. - I prefer) the trees slightly offset in a rectangle pot; I think the rectangle is chosen because it allows you to offset the tree to balance the branches that grow to the other side of the pot. Like the example above.

When a round or square pot is chosen, I assume that this is because the tree is nearly an isosceles triangle and thus - there's no need to bias one way or t'other and the tree centred in a round pot creates the base of the triangular design. If that assumption is correct - I then move onto size. What I am having trouble understanding is when a round or square pot is chosen it looks like the broad trunk almost fills the pot (see your update in this thread of December 20, 2016) and I note further, that is often the way with many mature Shohin bonsai when I view other images online.

My amateur eye would be to position such a tree a slightly larger diameter, shallow round pot - to give some negative or free space between the trunk and the sides on the pot. This is clearly not the way many trees are positioned and hence my question ... so that I can better understand the design principles. Again, I guess it is to give the tree a sense of solid foundation - even with its relatively small size.

Any thoughts or guidance would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Mark

[Grant Bowie]

Hi,

With the tree in question it is very fat at the base and the roots dictate to a large extent where it can be positioned. It is positioned slightly off centre to my eye and is not a problem. I really liked the pot when I saw it and I dont feel it needs a shallower pot to show off its base; it’s quite visible as is.

Grant

[MJL]

Thanks Grant. Also, please be assured - I am not questioning your judgment - all the trees look amazing; rather it’s my eye and my mind that I am trying to train. I know that I always over-pot - a habit that I am trying to change! I note that many Shohin trees from many growers are in very snug fits; I can learn from this.

I’ll get there one day, I am a slow learner!


Bonsai teaches me patience.