Bonsai forum

TOPIC:

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62645

  • Clicio
  • Clicio's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 3555
  • Thanks received: 1549
August 2020, got a Loropetalum as a birthday gift.
This is not the Rubrum cultivar (dark burgundy year long), the leaves in this cultivar are mixed green/burgundy, but it blooms more profusely.
Let it get happy with its new home and then the work will start.
Repotting.
Pruning
Wiring if needed (yes, it needs wires).

This message has an attachment image.
Please log in or register to see it.

The following user(s) said Thank You: leatherback

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62655

  • lucR
  • lucR's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 1441
  • Thanks received: 487
Always nice to see unknown tree species ( for me).
Are you keeping the y-shape? My eye always stops there, but I don't think it would be "better" cutting one side off. Or can you wire the left side more downwards?

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62667

  • Clicio
  • Clicio's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 3555
  • Thanks received: 1549

Or can you wire the left side more downwards?


I think I will make the tree a little shorter, and that includes bending the left branch down, yes.
Thanks for commenting.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62676

  • Ivan Mann
  • Ivan Mann's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 1732
  • Thanks received: 600
To me, the right branch looks too straight. I would curve it a little, probably down. Maybe.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Clicio

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62679

  • Clicio
  • Clicio's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 3555
  • Thanks received: 1549

To me, the right branch looks too straight. I would curve it a little, probably down. Maybe.


Thanks for the suggestion!
But...
It has a nice movement back and then front, which is not visible on the photograph.
And bending it is almost impossible, it's not a pine or a Juniper, the wood is old and very brittle...
:-(
The following user(s) said Thank You: Ivan Mann

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Last edit: Post by Clicio.

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62684

  • FrankC
  • FrankC's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Elite Member
  • Elite Member
  • Posts: 265
  • Thanks received: 160
It's a nice little tree, depending on the size, I would dare to remove the left branch . My attention is going from the ground up to the left, by removing the left you virtualy break that line . But it"s possible that your focus is shifting to the "elbow" in the middle.
But I don't think it's related to Hamamelis
The following user(s) said Thank You: Clicio

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Last edit: Post by FrankC.

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62686

  • Clicio
  • Clicio's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 3555
  • Thanks received: 1549

But I don't think it's related to Hamamelis


Yes, it is. There is a Hamamelis used for tea, which is a completely different species.
This Loropetalum is from the Hamamelidaceae family, cousin of the Which Hazel, and in many parts of the world it is known only as "Hamamélis".

Take a quick look:



And from bonsai vendors:



And the Wiki for it:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamamelis_mollis

This message has attachments images.
Please log in or register to see it.

The following user(s) said Thank You: FrankC

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Last edit: Post by Clicio.

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62687

  • Clicio
  • Clicio's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 3555
  • Thanks received: 1549

But it"s possible that your focus is shifting to the "elbow" in the middle.


Humm... I really don't think I would like this elbow design in the long run.
I will try to take my time looking at it before doing something drastic like chopping off the left branch.
Maybe shorten it, maybe bend it down, maybe find another front for the tree...
Time will tell!
Thanks for commenting, Frank .

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62690

  • Clicio
  • Clicio's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 3555
  • Thanks received: 1549
If you guys care to help, there are some alternatives I could use as an initial design that don't include chopping off anything.
Please take a look and post your comments, I would like to hear them all, as crazy as they may be.

So, the current front (slightly turned from the original front at the beginning of this thread).




Alternative Front 01 - rotated to the right




Alternative front 02 - The current back of the bonsai.




Alternative front 03 - The back strongly tilted to the left.




One of the flowers of the Loropetalum

This message has attachments images.
Please log in or register to see it.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Loropetalum - Hamamelis progression starts here 3 years 6 months ago #62691

  • Ivan Mann
  • Ivan Mann's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 1732
  • Thanks received: 600
I was going to mention slanting it, maybe even cascading.

Lots of possibilities.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Clicio, J ROCK

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.