Swamp cypress- Looking for advice

[Brod]

I have been on these forums a lot over the past few months and have learned some interesting things. This is the first post i have made so please be nice.
I have been interested in bonsai for a few years and started a collection that is growing fast about 18 months ago. I have a good variety of trees of different sizes and styles but my latest tree has me a bit stumped.

I purchased this swamp cypress today and thought it had some great potential. However i'm unsure exactly how to go about style it. I think the top half needs to go but i'm unsure how it will react. I bought the tree because i liked the nebari and the bark on the trunk. Any advise on the next step to take would be greatly appreciated.

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My thoughts are to chop it at the top of the last photo.

[Guy]

I would chop it a little higher than that--allow it a few more places to shoot from which should give more vigour----you need to address that crossover root and try to radiate the roots as much as possible

[Bougy Fan]

I think the biggest problem is the two sections of trunk that have no taper. You could chop it about 75mm above the transition and let it grow. A sacrifice branch down low would help thicken the base. Either let it root through that pot into the ground or a gravel tray, or put it in a bigger pot. Feed it with lots of chook poo and chemical fertiliser and lots of water.

Oh and welcome too

[dark1]

G'day Brod. Ah Swamp Cypress one of the great trees for bonsai or not, I love taxodiums period. Yes this has no taper and a big chop at the top and some spindle branches and a dicky cross over root but hey it's a swampie! Now view two to me looks like the better front, root position wise but you will have to cut off that root that crosses over. Next cut back to 50 or 60mm above the original chop position, this will bring the height down and bring more emphasis to the lower trunk. If you can reduce the original chop area by carving down from the chop at the new back of the tree and seal with cut paste,( the tube type is better for this). One of the beaut., things about swampie's is the fact that you can remove all branches on stock such as this and within a couple of weeks there will be new shoots all over the tree, this allows you to choose exactly where you want the branches. Leave the shoots that are in the right place and rub off the rest. However you must wait until the weather is a bit warmer and there is definite sign of growth.If this is the way you are going, put the tree in a poly box, give it a root prune, use a good quality potting mix and water daily, plenty of water. When things are well under way and the weather is kinder, give the tree plenty of fertilizer, I use dynamic lifter at this stage and plenty of it and keep watering. You can keep your branch selection going too by removing any that don't fit the design or any new shoots that appear in the wrong places. Welcome to the world of bonsai, enjoy. Michael.

[gerald randall]

Brod

I would have said exactly what Michael said. The tree needs a lot of feeding and room for the roots to grow strong and thick. It greatly assists with taper. A good draining mix. The problem with that is obviously that Swamps like water, so the poly container will have to go into another container which holds a couple of inches/centimetres of water permanently. With the constant water source, the roots will also grow strong towards it. The Nebari is improved and so will the taper.

I'm not convinced to cut too much on it. Not my tree and Michael clearly knows a lot about Swamps as it is his favourite species. But, if you give it room for its roots to grow, water, fertilizer; then I would imagine you need to just let it get on with developing that taper. Limiting to top growth will influence how rapidly the roots develop. I do however agree, when the new growth comes, carefully start selecting your branches, remove the rest. Perceptually, to the eye, the tree will already have an improved taper, by cutting at the point Michael has proposed. If that is the way you are going, then allow the tree to get on with it after that. Again, choosing the main branches you want to keep.

Curve ball, remember the top of the tree can also be a sacrifice branch, it does not have to go early on. The top of the tree growing strongly in a swamp does help the rest of the tree to develop.

I will probably over the next few weeks be posting my photos for some ideas and advice on my swamps. I find it a challenging species, until you get that one which is absolutely spectacular. Good luck.

[kcpoole]

Welcome
Like the others have said needs a chop, but I would leave about 2 times the distance you have intimated and then chop.
They will backbud easily and like bougy says, let a few of the lowest branches go mad to help bulk up the base of the tree,

Repot into a wider shallower pot, Cut the offending roots, let it go mad while growing the top section for taper

Lovely lower trunk and this will not take long to develop into a nice tree

Ken

[Brod]

Thanks guys, Great advice. I will try to get my hands on a poly box tomorrow and put it into that, while i am repotting it i will also take care of the cross over root and have a better look at the roots under the soil level. Is it worth me chopping off most of the branches at the same time and leaving the height or would it be better to just leave it all and let it get established into the new pot?

[kcpoole]

Chop them all now that you do not want to keep

Ken

[Ray M]

Hi Brod,
Good on you for putting up a post. I am going to suggest something much more radical than what the other members have said. To preface anything I will say is the fact that this is your tree and I'm sure you will make a good decision on it's future.

The reasons for what I am about to suggest are: There is a lot of cuts where larger branches have been removed. Above the bottom branch there appears to be some swelling causing some reverse taper. Below the bottom branch you have a nice clean trunk. I would like to suggest that you cut the tree just below the bottom branch. You will get a large number of new shoots that will sprout up. Select one of the new shoots to develop as a new leader. Let it thicken and repeat this process as many times as required to develop the taper you would like.

I have posted a link to a swampy I am developing at the moment. If you have a look toward the bottom of the thread you will see how I'm developing a new leader. You will also see how many new shoots grew after cutting the trunk.

Swamp Cyprus

As mentioned by others. Wait until you see new shoots. Make sure you give the tree a lot of water. During summer I have all my Swamp Cyprus in water trays.

Brod, please remember these are only suggestions.

Regards Ray

[Brod]

Had a bit of a play with it today, decided i didn't like the positioning of any of the branches so decided to get rid of them all and wait to see where it shoots from. I took care of the crossing roots and potted it into a poly box and gave it a good drink. I decided to leave the top of it for now and use it as a sacrifice branch later on like Gerald suggested. I Was contemplating whether it would be a good idea to cut some of the swelling off where old branches have been removed. would this give me better taper or just leave me with a big scar instead of the multiple smaller scars it has already?

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[Isitangus]

Ahhh it's friend is a monster...

[Guy]

before this growing season I would halve the overall height and try to strike the offcut

[Boics]

What is it's "friend"?

[siddhar]

What is it's "friend"?

Crabapple or any of the many other fruiting/flowering varieties!

[Brod]

It's a Jade snowflake Melia Azedarach.