Juniper procumbins root over rock 1st styling

[alpineart]

This was purchased from a nursery in a large tube a couple of years ago .I planted it on a large volcanic rock "over kill at the time" but i had a vision for the future

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.It was power fed and a wire was placed on the lower trunk for movement and flow with the rock .Once set the wire was removed and it was basically rotated periodically and allowed to grow unhindered .This is the initial styling for the future vision

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. It needs to double in thickness to give some substance to the jins planned for . The area's to be jinned have been wired and spiralled to aid with the depth later on .I have decided to rotate the tree 45 degree's as the rock itself has a feature hollow that doesn't distract from the tree

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but then again i could always rotate it back next re-pot

[alpineart]

O.k so i bit the bullet and slip potted it into a 400mm training pot and rotated it .

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The pot being 30% larger than the previous pot will give it some much needed root run.This is the planned design for the tree

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Cheers Alpineart

[nealweb]

Nice vision! I like it

[alpineart]

Hi Nielweb , plenty off food and a season or two it should be ready for a final style , rampant growth tends to thicken the trunks quickly coupled with root run it may be ready in 1 season .I will see how it goes .Cheers Alpine

[Guy]

love root over rock---looking good--in the last picture I think it would improve the overall if the trunk was tilted or bent ( if possible)so that it emerged a little lower from the front of the rock-say about a little above where the first right hand branch emerges- I think this would show the rock pinnacle and shape to more advantage and move the apex out to the right.
yes? no?

[alpineart]

Hi Guy , i can see your ideas , unfortunately the tree was planted in a depression and with volcanic rock such as this piece it has large crevices and the roots have penetrated and securely anchored the tree in place . I will remove the moss next season to expose the roots .The rock weighs around 4 kgms and i have lifted it by the trunk . When it was positioned i didn't think it would rise in height so to speak as the left branch was set well below the rock leading edge . I hope to tilt it as you say to the right and attempt to bend the mid upper section of the main trunk .The base is about 25mm thick at the lower bend and i very rigid .Whilst it appears to have a straight section when it actually bends backward . Rotating the tree may not have been the best idea i've had , it could rotate back by 20 degree's and that would show the rock outline in keeping with the tree movement . Cheers Alpine

[lennard]

Rotating the tree may not have been the best idea i've had , it could rotate back by 20 degree's and that would show the rock outline in keeping with the tree movement . Cheers Alpine

Nice project. I also liked it more from the side view. With the new front the trunk disappears and the rock becomes the new trunk.

Lennard

[alpineart]

Hi Lennard , next re-pot i will have to adjust it , by then it may be added movement to the upper trunk .Cheers Alpine

[bodhidharma]

I have studied it Alpine and it is more of a tree clinging to a rock instead of a root over rock yes anyway i like it Did you expose the cambium to get it to attach to the rock I know procumbens are common but heck, they make good Bonsai material.

[alpineart]

Hi Bodhi , ahhhh now it sits in a pocket and the roots run inside down through the crevices and out over the sides and face of rock ,it ran its own course once they thicken in a crevice they stay put . The segmented piece of volcanic rock was chosen for the natural crevices and hollows rather than a solid volcanic piece that would need carving . The roots are hidden by the moss so i doesn't dry out from the direct sun heating the rock . So it could be a clinging root over rock , i don't really know what one would honestly call it .

The roots that cascade over the rock vary from fine feeder to 6mm plus as do the ones that penetrate the crevices .I will expose them once i'm satisfied the rock wont over heat and cook the tender little tackers . With a full canopy is should shelter the rock from the direct sun , the black training pot didn't help with heat either .I like the ease of styling involved with Procumbins and Sabina junipers .I have made use of the cuttings striking new plants in the past but now i'm too slack to bother , easier to go and buy a couple of dozen established plants .Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

This has just gone through the second shaping and styling over the last 2 days . I removed the alluminium wire and re-wired loosely with coated electrical wire mainly on the branches that will be the jin material .After removing around 50 % of the foliage ,

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i wired the remaining branches with finer copper wire ,

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these will be the foliage pads that remain to for the tree .

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The apex has been raised and had a re-work and a simple additional curve added

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.Current height is 500mm it is 60mm wide and 400mm deep . When finished i'm aiming for 500mm high 400mm wide and 350mm deep . Hopefully the growth this year will allow for the branches to be shortened then stripped back for the jins .

Cheers Alpineart

[Craig]

Great work Alpine, it looks very nice mate, i don't mind the right view either but understand the movement in the trunk may not allow it as a possible front. cheers mate

[Jamie]

Hi Ian,

mate, I like this and where its going.

one thing I do see when I look at this setting as a root over rock is the lack of root over rock persay.. Im not trying to be rude or anything but the roots seem to be just fibrous roots we normally see lower in the pot. have you considered getting a few tubestock juni and grafting them in over the rock to the lower trunk? this would not only help in the overall look but it would also help in tapering the lower trunk and give you some interesting roots over the rock

just an idea

[alpineart]

Hi Craig , its coming along fine .The right side is rather good looking unfortunately all the hard work has gone into the front to show off the future Jins .The left is out of character but it is all jin with only 2-3 foliage pads that will be seen and of course the apex .

.Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

Hi Jamie , root over rock can't only be defined as a plant on top of the rock with roots growing over and down . This has a ledge in which the tree sits and the roots cascade over the ledge and down into the pot .So is it a root on rock or root over rock , that's is the Question .

The rock sits 60-70mm inside the pot , i'm in the throws of slip potting it into a larger oval tray , this will expose the roots over the lower section of the rock , so will it then be a "root on rock" or "root over rock" . Man this is a tuff style to actually nail down to a certain class or clarification .

I'm thinking of slipping or rather removing it off the rock its on as its solid volcanic and heavy as a dead horse , then putting it back onto some scoria . I have several pieces that float , makes for a very light setting except for the 600mm tray i will be sitting it in . Maybe then it will definitely be a Root over Rock or a Root on Rock .

Cheers Alpine