Entry #63
Judge #3: Suggest major thinning of deadwood to decrease feeling of inverse taper.
Bald Cypress (Taxodium Distichum)
USA
106.6cm (42") / 73.6cm (29")
Before
This tree was purchased in Napa Valley, CA from a closing nursery 3 hours away from my house. The owner passed away and his son was liquidating off all the stock. I selected this bald cypress because of it’s interesting deadwood and exposed root. However I’m not sure I will keep the root in the final design. The new leader(not the main new trunk, i’m referring to the smaller branch like one that I will use) that is growing away from the deadwood has great potential: I see an almost literaiti style developing, where the tree takes on the apperance of being high on a mountain side, far from the veiwer’s stand point….well, we’ll see if we get there! (and these tree do not grow on mountains so imagination is key here)
I guess I’m going for a lightning stricken old redwood.
One Quarter Progression
No styling yet, let tree to grow out in late summer to thicken primary branches.
Half Way
It is now late autumn and the leaves have fallen. I reduced the two trunks and pruned back the primary branches.
Three Quarter Progression
In this 3/4 progression I’ve wired some of the primary branches to bring them down. You can see a long sacrifice branch that I prune in the spring before final entry. I’ve left it to help roll over some callus tissue on the secondary trunk.
Final
I am very pleased with the end result on this tree. I was doubtful that the tree would produce enough growth by the due date – I had more than enough and actually thined the foliage a bit.
Styling Work:
Fine wiring of new growth; loose. Difficult; new growth is easily damaged.
I carved the deadwood on the trunk, making it semi hollow. I added detail to the shari on the lower trunk.
The sacrifice branch was removed
I kept the exposed root for future development: Bald Cypress will develop “knuckles” or “knees” at their base. So I will cover the base of this tree with high moisture substrate for a couple years and keep heavily watered during the growning season. Ramification will be encouraged by pinching out new grown at branch tips.
Overall impresssion: a nice start with good potential. Goals will be devlopment/thickening of the lower trunk and ramification of selected branching.