Advice on Viminalis styling

[Bonsai Turtle]

Hi all,

New member here. I live in the USA (Florida, zone 9B) I have two viminalis that were collected "yardadori" in late spring-early summer 2021. They have pretty substantial trunks so I have high hopes for them. I just repotted them into bonsai substrate after spending a year in just garden soil.

I am trying to find similar examples and/or suggestions on styling. I really wish I could get them to "weep" as bonsai but it doesn't appear that they will do that w/o wiring and constantly maintaining that wiring on new growth. Any help would be appreciated.

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[dansai]

Nice stumps. Yeah, I think the weeping comes with and long spindly on larger trees. Not easy to achieve on Bonsai.

Looks like you may need some more time to get taper to move gradually from the stumps into the new trunk lines. Callistemon will back bud profusely after a big chop so it would be ok to let it all grow out until thickness of new section is about 2/3 the section below, cut back and do it all again.

[Phil Rabl]

A while ago, I posted a summary of AusBonsai discussion threads on callistemon. Here is a link: viewtopic.php?f=55&t=29478 Hopefully you will find some useful advice in it.

[TimIAm]

I've got a Callistemon that never puts out new growth below what is already there. I've been waiting 2 years for something to be able to trunk chop. It just started flowering and this year I'm thinking of just going for it once it finishes flowering and trunk chop quite low.

Has anyone trunk chopped a Callistemon below the lowest green with success?

[KIRKY]

Welcome to AB,
You have collected some great stump's possibly a bit on the short side for your weeping style.
You can create a weeping style but you will need to either weigh the branches down or wire. Wire will achieve a better result. These trees do naturally weep with age in the garden but that comes with time and no trimming/styling that we do on a bonsai.
The same problem exists when trying to bonsai a Willow, branches tend to grow up, and need to be wired down and then they tend to be too long etc.
Your third photo with all the new upward growth would need to be wired down once it reaches a height you are happy with. Once you have the height you want, don’t wait too long before you wire branches. Once they harden off they become brittle and difficult to wire.
Look at the following post on https://bonsaibark.com/2018/12/22/happy ... ristmas-3/ photo and tree from Nacho Marin. He is on Facebook and instagram if this helps.
If you look closely at the first top photo of the decorated tree the branch directly under the centre blue ball (second ball down centre tree) you can just make out the wire on that branch as an indication of what is require to develop the weeping style you are looking to achieve.
Wire, wire and more wire just make sure not to leave the wire too long that it cuts it. In your climate this tree will grow quickly and it doesn’t take long for the wires to cut in. It helps to use a slightly bigger wire than one that is too fine as the finer wire will cut in quicker.
Cheers
Kirky

[dansai]

I've got a Callistemon that never puts out new growth below what is already there. I've been waiting 2 years for something to be able to trunk chop. It just started flowering and this year I'm thinking of just going for it once it finishes flowering and trunk chop quite low.

Has anyone trunk chopped a Callistemon below the lowest green with success?

Most callistemon will back bud on bare wood if you cut below the green. If you don't, more likely to bud just below your cut.

[Bonsai Turtle]

I've got a Callistemon that never puts out new growth below what is already there. I've been waiting 2 years for something to be able to trunk chop. It just started flowering and this year I'm thinking of just going for it once it finishes flowering and trunk chop quite low.

Has anyone trunk chopped a Callistemon below the lowest green with success?

These guys were trunk chopped and pulled from the ground by the homeowner who offered them for free. They were definitely full grown trees. In the early days they were sprouting everywhere even close to the soil line.

[Bonsai Turtle]

Thank you all. Keep them coming I figured I should come ask the people who are most likely to know them best.

I am not married to the weeping, but I would like to do it at least on one of them. I have a third tree that is much younger, and more easily replaced so I am willing to take more chances with it. I will try my hand at wiring a weeping tree with it.