AusBonsai

Finally got an old and decent sized one today.
Seeking for styling ideas.
Feel free to share your expert ideas.

From the photos the last: 20170701 looks to me to be the most attractive tachiagari (lower trunk).
Trunks look best when they move away from the viewer initially then eventually come back toward the front closer to the apex. 2D pictures are often hard to interpret in 3D so please confirm that I am seeing in the pictures what is really there.

I would like to see a photo of the whole tree from that angle and maybe also turned a little more clockwise from there to see what the possibilities for branch structure could be with what already exists.

shibui wrote:From the photos the last: 20170701 looks to me to be the most attractive tachiagari (lower trunk).
Trunks look best when they move away from the viewer initially then eventually come back toward the front closer to the apex. 2D pictures are often hard to interpret in 3D so please confirm that I am seeing in the pictures what is really there.

I would like to see a photo of the whole tree from that angle and maybe also turned a little more clockwise from there to see what the possibilities for branch structure could be with what already exists.

This one? almost the same angle as the last one. I prefer this angle too

Needs to come to the right a bit, The trunk moves direclty away too much and you lose the movement IMHO in that last view

Ken

Will air layer at the red mark.
That part of trunk is too straight and too long
What do you think? Your opinions please.
There is no branch under the proposed air layer, does that matter?

Bonbon wrote: There is no branch under the proposed air layer, does that matter?

Only if you do not want the lower section
Needs growth on it to survive IMHO

Ken

Don't air layer it. You're risking years of rare and difficult tree development if you do that. The stock you have has tonnes of potential.

kcpoole wrote:

Bonbon wrote: There is no branch under the proposed air layer, does that matter?

Only if you do not want the lower section
Needs growth on it to survive IMHO

Ken

I thought it will shoot from bare wood

kcpoole wrote:

Bonbon wrote: There is no branch under the proposed air layer, does that matter?

Only if you do not want the lower section
Needs growth on it to survive IMHO

Ken

So, forget about air layering. If I just remove all existing branches, the tree will die?

Beano wrote:Don't air layer it. You're risking years of rare and difficult tree development if you do that. The stock you have has tonnes of potential.

What do you suggest? elaborate the potential you see please.
I find that the long and straight portion quite annoying

It might. People have had them sprout from bare wood and layered them before but they are a finicky tree and take a long time to develop to such a nice level as yours. I think you said that was from a batch from the 70s? There's a reason why you don't see them everywhere. I think you'd be better off working with what you have there, than risking it all with an air layer.

Bonbon wrote:

Beano wrote:Don't air layer it. You're risking years of rare and difficult tree development if you do that. The stock you have has tonnes of potential.

What do you suggest? elaborate the potential you see please.
I find that the long and straight portion quite annoying

Take anonter pic just a bit further zoomed out 5than your last photo in the OP but with the trunk turned a little to the right some more.
I think there is a cracker tree in that view

Ken

I think I like the second picture as the front. (in the first post). Just select one leader and go from there?

treeman wrote:I think I like the second picture as the front. (in the first post). Just select one leader and go from there?

Wired a bit and see how thing go.
Which one is your prefer front?

I don't know whether the roots would permit it, but would you consider lying over 90deg. to the right, making a semi-cascade? My problem with it at the moment is that the trunk goes way off line, and then returns to vertical - if those two sections went up and out in the same general direction it might harmonise the trunk a bit.

Just my 2c. I certainly wouldn't layer it and expect the base to reshoot. Roll the trunk around in three dimensions until something gels for you. Tilt, swing, lean, rotate. All that stuff.

Gavin