I acquired this rather ugly tree a few weeks back.

I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on how to style to hide the ugly mess of branches in the center. (hopefully visible
in the photos)

The soil is quite poor and the slant I suspect is due to roots being so loose in the pot. I've topped it up with better soil which has helped a small amount. I will repot in early spring into a something more suitable. (or can I repot earlier being indoors?)

Last week lots of new shoots appeared on old branches, so I'm reasonably optimistic it's now healthy enough to start working on.

Being my first indoor tree I'm trying to tread with caution.

Thoughts on styling?

If there are new shoots then it is probably too late to repot; for future reference, repot right at the end of the winter dormancy period.
I wouldn't worry too much about styling as you basically just have a sapling in a pot. Keep potting it up into bigger and bigger pots so that it can grow and pretty much treat it as a houseplant. It's possible that you may want to work on making the tree into a bonsai later in its life, but now is too early.

Ed

It needs more growth before you can look at any real styling, but there is no dormant period as such for these so repot at any time of the year.. I am sure you will have researched general care regime but what works well for mine is constant warmth, high humidity, as much natural light as possible. So it's bathroom windowsill, right up close to the glass, turn it around every week to balance growth.

Dave

ironhorse wrote:

there is no dormant period as such for these so repot at any time of the year

I didn't know that was the case, pardon my mistake.

BonsaiLearner wrote:

ironhorse wrote:

there is no dormant period as such for these so repot at any time of the year

I didn't know that was the case, pardon my mistake.

well.. to be fully accurate.. Dormancy in (sub) tropicals is not the same as dormancy in our outdoor friends. They DO go dormant. Look at ficus, who will slumber for weeks, months on end, and all of the sudden jump in a growing spurt.

I am not sure however when the best time for repotting tropical is. I have done both when dormant as when actively throwing new leaves out. Have not really seend a difference and therefor do it when it suits me.

Once the plant is really growing, so showing good extension on several branches, loko at cleaning up the mess. There are bulges on the branches. dead stumps, multiple branches in a single point (I think). Just make sure the plant that you are growing, ill actually have a future as bonsai, or else all work is for naught.

Thank you all for your comments and advice so far.

I have no intention of putting this into a bonsai pot anytime soon, it definitely needs growth. I was just planning to repot into a bigger plant pot (6") with decent soil mix.

I just wanted to have a rough idea of how it's likely to look so as it grows I can use the 'clip and grow' technique accordingly.

Those stumps from previous branch cuttings are my main concern, they are quite large in comparison to the trunk, and rather ugly. I'm just not sure how to hide them.

dont aim at hiding. Aim at healing. So cut to the size you will want to keep, then let it grow out, to heal the wounds.

Thanks leatherback. I was unsure if this was a sensible option. Still new to Bonsai.

Should I carve and seal now? Or wait until it's gained some growth, and hopefully new shoots from the old branches/stumps?

endlesstrax wrote:

Should I carve and seal now? Or wait until it's gained some growth, and hopefully new shoots from the old branches/stumps?

There's really nothing to "carve", just let it grow.