AusBonsai

The tree recovered quickly as I hoped from the repot and I gave it a little trim the other day. I finally had my needle nose pliers at home today so I used them to get more movement in the branches. I decided to remove the bottom left branch. I had been contemplating this for a while. I liked how it played with the trunk as I turned the tree but felt it was holding the design back. I need to get some more intricacy into the design but I have twisted and turned the branches enough today.

I did my best to get the display just right but the kids were tired of holding all the torches for lighting (thanks for pushing me on the final display Bodi ) I smashed apart a rock to get an accent pot small enough for the moss and the scroll is actually a plate I bought from Target last year just for this sought of display.
The moss and bamboo incorporated in the display may be a little lush for literati But at least they all go together and I like it Isn't part of Literati about doing it different to what is expected
After removing the lower branch as in my last post, I would like to replace the highest branch with one even higher and more to the back to create a little more balance, drama and depth. I have a new bud emerging now for that and it should make a difference to the image before this season is out as these are fast growers.
I think the hooked root at the front of the base is a bit of a distraction and I will endeavour to fix this when it is not on display so I can bury the roots in a deeper pot.
I hope you like

I took some pictures of the tree in the sun showing some other sides and thought I better get another one of the front in case the torch lighting display has let me down

Talking in the Gossip thread with Jarrod about apexes I figure I should show how I envisage the replacement of the highest branch with one yet higher and also towards the back a little. If you look closely at pic 030 you will see too tiny bud growths that I have saved to choose from. Learning literati with Clero is a good idea as it is easy to keep changing your mind

A bit of an update on this one. Shoot it is hard taking nice pics against a garage door Dreaming of a studio
How is everyone else's going?

Seems like the further you go with this one, the more you take off. I reckon your first photos were showing a far better potential tree than what you've ended up with now. At the moment it looks more like a mechanical robotic arm than a tree - especially at the lower end. You have three straight sections with what look like two knuckle joints.

I don't think Clero's lend themselves too well to this style of tree - this is more in the style of a decent Juniper.

Maybe it could benefit from being re-styled into a shape more fitting to a Clerodendron. Perhaps it might also benefit from a decent amount of fertilizer - to really power it on?

Just my - for what it's worth.

Thanks for the laugh DWI. Don't hold back, just the way I like it when critiquing trees. Although I do disagree
This little guy is growing fine lots of nutrients and growing just as fast as I like being trimmed back every few weeks. It was suggested this species not great for literati but I and others that should Know say no problem. Leaves reduce really well and I have found it eally easy to work with.

I moved this one to it's Winter spot the other day and it missed a couple of watering's until Danica watered it for me. A couple of days later this morning I noticed a branch had defoliated itself I picked the tree up and then the rest of the leaves fell off like the seeds on a dandelion I could just blow them off
The freshest shoots looked fine so I figure it is not going to kill the tree but was a healthy survival reaction to drying out.
This afternoon I decided that I might as well make use of the defoliation and wire the tree.
Here is a picture from a couple of months back due for it's monthly trim. Here it is from several angles after defoliation and wiring. Close but still not quite right

nice pot..............

Gee Brett,
what happened.
Looks to me like the tree has thrown its arms out, and with a caption on it as ( thats it , ive had enough of you defoliating me).
But really, im wondering how this tree looks today. How about of an update

Hi Petra
They are tuff buggers, It was partly defoliated again latley. This time by the frost not drought
After Grant was having success with his in the cold I also exposed it to the cold but it didn't like that.
It has leafed out well again now but I have been busy so I will get a pic for you later.
Hope your grandson is doing well.