Metrosideros Excelsa - From tubestock progression

[Patmet]

Metrosideros Excelsa / Pohutukawa / NZ Xmas Tree

Bought as probably a cutting in small pot late 2018. It was left to just grow as a straight stick for a while before I started working with it as I gained more experience. It also developed a large funky root that rolls up around the trunk as I didn't work the roots the spread nicely at a young age. It's just a feature of this tree now.

It has gone into it's first bonsai pot this year. I wanted to tilt it on more of an angle so the first portion of trunk isn't sticking straight vertically out of the ground, but due to the roots I am going to need to tilt gradually over a couple of repots. Still growing the upper canopy.

I like this species it's a very vigorous grower.

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Late 2018

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You can see the big root in front here

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The start of the direction it is in now

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The sort of tilt I want to eventually get to in the bonsai container

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Into a Roman Husmann oval

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A recent photo post spring flush

[fae]

Great photos highlighting its 5 year journey into a bonsai pot.
Looks like you had a plan and stuck to it.
Awesome work and thanks for sharing.
Fiona

[Patmet]

I’ve been feeling very uninspired with the design of this tree, so after some good strong growth I’ve decided to pivot and change tact. I’ve cut it back to try and encourage some more compact growth and wired movement into any of the straight boring branches. I’ve decided to tilt it up quite a lot so fairly soon I’m going to take it out of this bonsai pot and put it back into a deeper grow pot to build roots to suit the new angle.

I’m also leaning towards making the current back the new front view. I do like this tree I think it has potential to be an interesting bonsai in the future. It reminds me of a dragon with the serpent like body and branches like arms and claws.

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The growth

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Previous front

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Previous back

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The sort of new angle and front I’m leaning towards. Also toying with removing the lowest heavy branch on the left.

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New angle other side

[GavinG]

Can I suggest that when you cut to a silhouette, you lose the dynamic trunk in all the foliage. When you opened it out, it came alive. Maybe trim foliage to the branches, so each branch is an event in itself, rather than having an overall line.

Fun trunk, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do.

Gavin