AusBonsai

Hey guys , I like this tree but since I inherited it i do not wish to removed and if the main branches (3 from the same place) .
Any suggestions for a style ? .
I know the pot is not suited also .
Thanks for your ideas .

Hi dilby,
Probably not the response you wanted to hear but I reckon I would remove the central trunk & consider bringing the right hand side foliage down & making a new apex out of the left side.

To keep all three branches you risk reverse taper but having said that it isn't uncommon to see that in the wild. If you are clear you don't want to cut any branches, suggest that you bring the two side branches below the point where they start to end up with an inverted 'Y' and then let the central leader run rampant for a couple of years while controlling the two side branches.

It's a Brachychiton so don't expect it to fit any classic style. Also not much point trying to bring branches down to anywhere near horizontal. They have a natural tendency to grow pretty vertical and I have found that wiring branches down generally causes them to die off.

They will back bud readily, normally near the cut ends. So 2 ideas for development;

- either let grow long and cut back. This will develop more thickness to the trunk and a larger pot would be needed to facilitate this.

- or, trim it back very regularly back to 2 or 3 leaves to allow it to ramify.

Good luck

Isn't that a gumtree?

I dont thinks its a gum . Three star leaves on it and bark doesnt resemble a gum .
I like the idea of the 2 branches . Its an inherited tree and it takes serious consideration to chop a branch and ill be left with an awkward scar also they all branch from the crown of the trunk .

Perhaps stepping down the apexs and stepping the ramification up could improve it .

Definitely not a gum. It's a Brachychiton. I have one the same labelled as Brachychiton acerifolius, but not sure if it's a cultivar or hybrid. The leaf shape is the same as my seedlings of B. acerifolius. I also have another that looks like a hybrid between B. acerifolius and B. rupestris.

You can cut the middle branch and the scar will heal well. However, don't be tempted by classical styling of left, right, back.

Dansai thanks for the ideas ,
What are you suggesting then for the style by perhaps keeping clear of the "classic " style

dansai wrote:Definitely not a gum. It's a Brachychiton. I have one the same labelled as Brachychiton acerifolius, but not sure if it's a cultivar or hybrid. The leaf shape is the same as my seedlings of B. acerifolius. I also have another that looks like a hybrid between B. acerifolius and B. rupestris.

You can cut the middle branch and the scar will heal well. However, don't be tempted by classical styling of left, right, back.

Hi dibly
Thats a great gift, Without a clear look at the leaf it looks like one of the Kurrajong , Brachychiton Populneus.
Can you post a pic of a flattened out leaf. ( Front and back.)
This is the time to work on them and will take hard pruning on the top as well as hard root pruning.
Once the branches harden its hard to change direction of the branches , so I would cut back hard and lightly wire the new branches out but not below horizontal .
You can repot at the same time, which will enable to see if you can expose more of the root system as some develop interesting root systems if pot bound for too long.
Repot into a larger pot or training pot to give root some room, and water and fert well during growing period (now till about Apr)
I have some pics to show these steps I have mentioned.
The pics are of several Bottle trees (Rupestris ) but the result will be the same.
You could cut the centre branch out or leave it in and cut all three branches bach leaving about 10 to 15 mm on each. Its important to seal all cuts to keep moisture in (do not use wood hardener) I intend to let it grow for another year before I blend the cuts into the branches , bur have a pic of one of my test trees With what I have learnt over the last few years, I was able to cut a 1.5 metre brachy down, place in a bonsai pot and grow a good head of branches in 12 month from Aug last year. Good luck which ever way you go with your tree

Milo

nice work Milo

Hi Dilby
Its nearly Aug again, What have you done to your Brachychiton and how has it responded over the last 12months .

Milo