Swamp Cypress

[Shane]

When I first bought this swamp cypress many years ago, I was unaware of their naturally straight trunk growth habit, and I really liked the twists; so I'll never be entirely happy with this bonsai, but it has been a great education. This progression series only picks up in May 2012 when I got this great phone, and in the next couple of days I'll post the changes to date, Jan 2013. It had been a bit neglected until then and allowed to grow rather too tall.

Cheers S.
Bonsai was supposed to keep me away from the computer; so I got a smart phone to take outside to my trees.

[Shane]

In Aug 2012, after cutting off the overgrown top, I repotted for the first time in five years. It had been in this black training pot the entire time, and having finally disposed of a deceased liquid amber, I had this drum pot spare. It took three hours to cut it out of the black pot; I didn't take a good photo of the tangle of roots

[Shane]

Draping a cloth over branches or the trunk as you contemplate their removal is a useful technique.

As is engaging your offspring in a discussion of what looks better.

[Bougy Fan]

I like the trunk with the movement The first pic doesn't seem to show a healty tree - was it shedding when it was taken ? I see you had it in a gravel tray - that and heaps of DL will pile on the growth if that's what you want

[Shane]

Finished repot. Further styling would have to wait for another time.

Fortuitously, Andrew Ward was the visiting AABC demonstrator to Bonsai Northwest in Oct-2012, just two months later. He created this swamp cypress forest and gave lots of excellent advice about swamp cypresses.

Notice the solitary wooden peg and extreme downard angles of the branch wiring.

Inspired by seeing Andrew wire his branches down so extremely, I went home and did likewise. I had previously been loath to, as swamp cypresses creak loudly and are prone to snapping.

He also recommended pegging wooden pegs to small branchlets to weight them down instead of wiring. Wooden, not plastic pegs are important, as when you water they soak up the water and weigh more, mimicking snow drifts.

I happily endured the comments about my Christmas Peg Tree, when I brought this in to BNW in December. To my delight, for the first time, secondary and even tertiary branching is developing on my swamp cypress.

[Qitianlong]

wooden pegs... genius!! Lovely tree!

[Shane]

The tree today without pegs. Time to wire it more, when I get time.

[Shane]

Minor styling update. Thinned out the top jin, shortened foliage on the rhs, given the lhs lean, and thinned some foliage at the top to get better light on the lower branches.

[dibly_w]

Looks awesome mate . Great reduction , nice movement also.
I dont think the swampys get enough street credit in aus . They may be easy but man they are some of my favorite trees .
Very cool

[Andrew Legg]

I don't have any swamp cypress, but they are popular bonsai here. To avoid the unnatural curves at the base of branches the people here break the base away from the trunk where it joins. They break it from the top down with SERIOUS caution on now breaking off totally. Then, in the top crack, they drop in a small stone which holds the branch away and pointing down. In time the branch refuses and the stone just disappears inside. Obviously caution is needed for a number of years thereafter to avoid damaging the weaker union. Give it a try......but learn on rough stock.