An Olive ... I Picked

Forum for discussion of Evergreen bonsai – Buxus, Cotoneaster, Olive etc.
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MJL
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An Olive ... I Picked

Post by MJL »

I picked up this olive tree at a recent Vietnamese Bonsai Show.

On a separate thread, I noted that I was initially was attracted to the pot but I really liked the tree too. I found it very interesting - but with various short falls including: wire marks; a straight section of the back branch that was out of sync with the tree’s other movement; along with the conundrum that the straight back branch is also a fruiting branch - which - apparently - is not overly common.

Boy has it divided opinion at our club - the YVBS.

In short, many really like, some love it. A few dislike it but their comments are polite and some just say - start again. I was pleased last week when a very experienced artist who rarely visits the club was most complimentary - a wistful smile, a nod and a comment to the effect that this tree is what Bonsai is all about.

Most agree that the back branch is the problem but also the fruits growing on older wood are one of the great traits of the tree. If I was to take the temperature of the room, I think most suggested taking it off at the first bend. Yet, others said I’d be mad to touch it!

As is the case with Bonsai - it comes down to me. And the vision of the curator at the time. I am unprepared to cut the back branch off, yet.

Yes, I probably can’t get the movement required to reflect the rest of the tree but I’m gonna try to get some and harmonise accordingly... so here’s my first re-styling.

To be honest, I like it but I liked the original tree too. What changes did I make? Slightly larger pot to give the poor fella a chance; a bend in the straight section of the back branch; moving the tree to be more upright and I have angled and tilted it to the viewer. Various other bends. Removed the baby tears and added moss.

So - let’s see how this little piece of personality in the form of an olive tree progresses over time.

Here’s the original tree and pot
IMG_0013.jpg
And now
IMG_0070.jpg
IMG_0072.jpg
I bent it until it cracked - I hope this is ok?
IMG_0073.jpg
The little man and birds pecking around seem happy enough.
IMG_0071.jpg
... and all the experienced growers sigh and whisper - why does he always put those bits and pieces around his trees?

[SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]




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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by Max »

ahhh the old, do this do that routine :lol: .....I quite liked the original by the way, if anything the lower trunk probably should be shorter than main trunk :2c: now the tree is taller and not leaning the second trunk will have to come back around :2c: :lost: :whistle:. I'm running out of 2c pieces :tounge:
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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by anthonyW »

I like it Mark, you have it nice and compact now :yes:

cheers Anthony
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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by MJL »

Thanks AW and Max.

Thanks for the 4 cents Max - any advice is appreciated. Just to check - do you mean bringing that lower trunk in and towards the front so it is more compact ? Like where I have drawn this arrow?
IMG_0069.jpg
And the little dude is relaxing now - getting baked in the early morning sun too.

I’ll leave it for a few weeks to settle into its new pot too.



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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by Beano »

It looks good. I hope the crack will be ok. Olives are so hard to bend.

The little birds are cute, I don’t have any figurines but it has always been my intention to put a small tire swing on one of mine and also one with a kite stuck in the branches... maybe a small bird nest too, but I’m yet to find the perfect tree.
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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by Max »

That's the one :tu: ..... :lol: :lol: i just spotted the birds 8-) awesome :ugeek:
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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by ReDirtBonsa1 »

I think it’s rare to see fruit on an olive bonsai because most olive bonsai are the non fruiting type. Seems with olive bonsai you get the difficult decision between two choices.

The non fruiting type. Most common for bonsai due to the very small leaves.

The fruiting type. Less common for bonsai because of the larger leaves but you get the nice looking fruit on the tree.
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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by boom64 »

Hi Mark ,Glad to see this on pop up .Interesting new design … definitely have put your stamp on it. Cheers John.
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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by MJL »

boom64 wrote:Hi Mark ,Glad to see this on pop up .Interesting new design … definitely have put your stamp on it. Cheers John.
Thanks for the response John. I think your response is diplomatically neutral and in truth, that is how I feel about my changes; neutral. I have altered it but perhaps but not for better nor worse, just different. That said, attempting to take straight but out with the clamp will improve it, if it works!

Another work in progress, as all bonsai are I guess but this one I find a really interesting and enjoyable challenge.

The next challenge will be to extract oil from the huge bounty of fruit! Ha!


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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by boom64 »

Hi Mark , I to would have put some movement in that back branch. It would have bugged me every time I saw it. These types of Tres are the enjoyable ones ,no set formulas just you and your imagination. I am sure it will develop into something special. Good luck with the oil ,I picked about 15 grapes of my Bonsai Grape tree today .Not much wine this year. Cheers John.
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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by MJL »

Thanks John - yeah you’re spot on - I had to try something with that back branch and I’m glad I did; it is more pleasing to the eye (to me at least) already. It’s probably not ‘traditional’ bonsai practice but noting your reference to wine - I was wondering around with a glass in hand as I was watering this fine evening after work. And here’s the said Olive after an evening drink - for both the olive and I! Cheers!
IMG_0084.jpg

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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by Beano »

Ha! Looks sort of like my old olive clump I posted a couple of years ago. I cut my other two straight branches off and at just doing the single windswept trunk now. If it survives what I did I’ll carve the remaining bit of clump.
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An Olive ... I Picked

Post by MJL »

Cheers Beano, I searched for and found your thread.

Yet another interesting thread of divergent views ... especially around straight trunks.

Hmmm ... I think a few people are going to vomit when I do my next group planting with some tall straight’ish cedrus that I rescued a year or so back ... but that will be another story.

I’d be interested in an update on your olive when you get a chance to update your thread Beano.

Beano’s original thread is below for those wanting to revisit it.

...


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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by Beano »

It looks like this now
IMG_9389.jpg
Wasn’t going to post because not carved up and also a branch has leaves starting to yellow... this one has never appreciated me messing with it.
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Re: An Olive ... I Picked

Post by MJL »

Hi Beano,

I thought you might like to know that progressions like yours help people like me learn. There are a number of reasons why.

Even though some suggested I start from scratch (or just leave as it was!) with my olive; my logic is that why don’t I have a crack at some changes first - then, if I bust a branch or whatever other calamity may come with these amateur hands - I have alway got the option to revert to Plan B; which as your photo shows could well be Plan A.

It’s taken me a while to learn this. For too long I think I was too timid. Now I see something and I am a bit more aggressive in chasing it ...

That’s said, I’m still not a auto-trunk chopper. I like to work my material first.

Anyway - I said I was going to let my olive settle and I didn’t - further work and refinement - but now I’ll stop!!


Here are some photos of my average wiring, look closely and you’ll also see where I have partly snapped at least three branches and repaired with zip ties!!

But — its approaching something like harmony having tried to alter that back branch and bringing it all closer together. I think it will enjoy a little more soil in this slightly larger pot too.

Enjoy Sunday.
IMG_0110.jpg
IMG_0111.jpg
IMG_0112.jpg

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