Crab Apples - In Fruit

[Watto]

Here are a couple of my crab apples in fruit. I would have posted them before but this is the latest.
First is a red fruiting crab apple that was dug from a garden in Goulburn a some years ago. Over the last few years I have been trying to build a nabari and I had always thought I would significantly reduce the height of this tree but now I am having second thoughts.
Maybe next season I will put it in a real bonsai pot (its currently in a training pot) and I think that will improve the look.
As always I would appreciate your thoughts and styling suggestions.

[Watto]

This one is a yellow fruiting crab apple and was obtained by air layer. It was in need of a branch to hide a straight bit of the trunk and that was done this season via an in arch graft. It also needs a real bonsai pot, but this will suffice until the graft takes.

[MOGGINATOR]

they are really nice looking trees congrats great effort so far

[Boics]

Awesome!
Love Crab Apples!

[kez]

Lovely trees

[trident76]

Very nice!
Lovely to see bonsai with fruit that is nicely in scale to the size of the tree.
Could you tell us the species or variety name either botanical or common?

[raewynk]

Watto,

Awesome, I agree can you put up the type of crab apple please.
If they were my trees I wouldn't change a thing at all.
How old is the tree?

Looks great, I hope my baby looks half as good and I'd be happy, when mine ages some.

Cheers
Rae

[Watto]

Thanks for the comments.
The red fruit was dug from a garden so I would need to do some research but it is quite common I suspect.
The yellow fruit was taken by air layer from a tree in my yard and I will look it up this afternoon and let you know.

[Isitangus]

They're cracking trees. Do they fruit every year?
Must get some crabapples!!!


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[Phoenix238]

Looking good mate, I definitely wouldn't shorten the first tree

[Sno]

Hi Watto . Great movement in the lower trunks of both trees . I can see why your changing your mind about chopping the first one it has a nice flowing . Still if you chopped it ?, with that lower movement it looks like it has the potential to make a very cool shohin . Either way nice material . Can we please have a photo when it loses it's leaves .
Cheers Sno

[Gerard]

I vote for the reduction, taper in the trunk and branches will be a great improvement. The sooner you start the sooner the scars will heal, enjoy the fruit and then chop!

[Watto]

Both these tree fruit every year, but like many fruit trees, one year it appears to be abundant and the next not so.
The chop on the red fruit one has been doing the rounds in my mind for a while but one of the reasons I haven't taken the plunge is the leaf size. It may look out of proportion if the tree is too small?
I will post again when they are naked and you will then be able to better appreciate if the red fruit one needs to be reduced, and also if you think the graft has been effective on the yellow fruit one. I have attached a couple of photos of the graft and of course I don't know if it has been successful yet, but I am hopeful as the branch has grown about 30 cm during the season..

[bodhidharma]

Very nice Watto and i love the yellow one. I am also for shortening said tree as it will have more impact and movement. It is very basic in its present guise.

[GavinG]

With the bare tree in the August 2014 photo, would you consider lying it over 90deg to the left, making it into a semi-cascade? The trunk k as it is might make something quite dynamic.

Just a thought. The roots might not allow it.

Gavin