AusBonsai

My dad got me this tree for Christmas 5 years ago. The total age would be almost 7 at a guess.

Its a Mall-sia. I don't remember exactly what the label said it was. It came in a pot with a little water reservoir and its own fisherman figurine (No pics of that ). I still have the one sided A4 sheet of care instructions somewhere but its not dead.

These pictures are from about 1.5years ago. The tree had been worked a bit before this but I had taken me a while to get comfortable with the tree. While the over all design hasn't changed in that time, I have just working on refinement and tried out different potting angles. I have always seen it in this sloping style and worked accordingly, but its not a natural refined style.
But this is the before pictures (Kinda)

Note: the stealth object for scale in the background and the same bad camera phone quality that I still produce.

I'm starting to think about how best to work the tree for a more than 7 years plan. I need to work on secondary and tertiary branches development, I know that. I still need to grow out the low covered first branch. The pot isn't right either, I think it needs a lower profile and a more centred position. Or just put into a grow pot for a while.

I guess I'm just trying to get some insight into what is possible for this tree if I had a bit more experience. So here is how it sits now, what do you think?

Width: 29cm
Height:21cm
Depth:17cm

I think it would start to look better if you wire all the branch down

hi guys.

this tree has a line in which a nice informal upright could be made from with some correct wiring on the trunk and then branching. it has a good lay out of branches to creat this.

i could go into more detail if you wish but i would stray away from a semi cascade/cascade style, even though the tree is that way right now just for an idea put something under the pot to stand the tree up straighter and then see if you see it.

J.

A daylight photo of the tree. The pot looks nicer in this light.

Is this what you meant Jamie? I would like some more detail on what you mean (if not for this tree for future ideas).

From the pics I like the possibilities of the left view (pic 6) it would require saying bye bye to the tail though.
Hi Jamie, I would also like to hear your ideas or a virt...good to see you back mate
Keep us posted on what you do time8...have fun!
Cheers, Dario.

I woudl be looking to a Semi cascade with that trunk Shape myself

Tilt some more so the tail is level with the pot almost, as this will have the trunk not vertical out of the soil.
Remove some of the branching as it does not all flow the same direction, and Wire the remaing ones to flow from left to right and down to follow the trunk line

Ken

Air layer it further up the trunk and turn this bad boy into the raft its already, naturally aspiring to be

But then again im partial to rafts haha.

Thanks to everyone for their input and thanks for the virt Ken. . Made me think about the tree in a few different ways.

So I cut a few branches off today (ok, it was only 2 but it still seemed like a lot) because I'm going to go through and wire everything, like Goff suggested. It will take some time but I will save on regrets later on.

I'm still not sure on the narrative for this tree, and with all the different suggestions of directions I could go from here, I am starting to think that is the biggest problem for the tree in 20 years time.

After spending some more time wiring the tree and spending some time looking at the tree while thinking about it I had a moment as I was going to sleep last night. It still seems like a good idea in the light of day. Change the tree by changing very little and simply make it a full cascade.
The new direction: What the thoughts?
I figure it will require some heavy bending of the trunk and another new pot.