Help Please - Hokkaido Elm. Currently Multi trunk

[deepeetee]

Hi all,

I would really like some help with this Hokkaido Elm, i originally and obviously thought a multi trunk would be good. Possibly keeping all trunks, but now im thinking it may be a little busy.

But just unsure on where i should start, or where i should be looking

Was hoping for some other ideas / opinions.

Would like to keep this a smallish tree maybe upwards of 300-400mm. The pictures basically encompass that area.

Any assistance would be great

Cheers Dave

Hokkaido Elm 151211 1.jpg

Hokkaido Elm 151211 2.jpg

Hokkaido Elm 151211 3.jpg

Hokkaido Elm 151211 4.jpg

[Handy Mick]

Hey Dave, what if you chopped it down by about 2/3's? This is what I would do from what I see in your photos.

Mick

[MattA]

Hey Dave,

Its hard to tell from the pics but it looks like the trunks are all actually branches starting above ground level, they would be good for thickening the base but none except maybe the outer most would be really suited to keeping for a twin trunk. For now tho it needs a few years to just grow & do its thing.

Hokkeido are notoriously slow to thicken

Or

If your happy with a light trunk you could cut it down to about 2/3rds of what you show in the pics, once it has reshot select your branches & let them grow a while before cutting back short and start to build some ramification. Once you have a few sections of branch layed out you could go to constant pinching like the little cloud tree of mine. Pinch pinc pinch pinch every time it extends beyond a few leaves, keep this up along with the occasional removal of any upward or downward growing shoots & it doesnt take too long to fill out some nice thin clouds to go with the trunks. Ultra shallow tray with some stone finishes the picture.

Matt

[emi93m]

Hi Mate

I bought a similar tree bosed of the exact tree that was approx 20 years old I have shaped it a exact replica to the tree that was on show at a local bonsai shop.
I had the multiple trunk ( brabches as you have now, I attached a pic of my tree to see if that is any help to you.
Regards mick

[Bretts]

Here is what I did with mine that is similar but maybe your trunks are even more out of proportion that mine? The inner trunk will usually need to be the strongest/biggest for this type of composition to work.
Maybe chopping back hard and leaving only one trunk as I was coaxed to do would be a better option for yours?

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