Nice color!

My take would be it's got great trunk caliper for the height, and good movement, but it thins out too quickly on top, both in trunk caliper and foliage -- perhaps letting it grow up more and then pruning back would make a more proportional crown?

Jim

Thanks, Jim. I plan on growing out the apex into a more rounded, full shape. This is the first real year of training so the top is not real developed yet. Any suggestions for a pot color and style ?

Excellent shohin. Definitely a cut above as a tree - gives me hope for my cotoneasters growing in the ground.

Something small, compact and chunky in browny/red would suit this.

The tree has a quite a squat, rugged but curvy look to it. An oval or roundy cornered, classic Tokoname rectangle may suit. You could go a bit deeper than the usual depth/=trunk base width convention as well

Anything too wide and shallow would be saying that "I'm a tree growing far away in a field." Which this clearly isn't.

Have a look at this one from the Shohin Europe site by Morten Albeck - just the job!

Hope this helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: Shohin Europe

Thanks for your advice, Tim. So you think an unglazed pot is best for this ? Why not glazed ? I'm not arguing with you, I just would like to know your opinion.

dave

Dave,

A very good question.

At shohin size it's mainly about the tree I believe and you don't want to risk the pot outshining it - literally.

To be purely mercenary about it, you've put all this effort into producing what will be/is an excellent tree and what do want people to look at - some "fancy dan" pot? I think not!

With the subtle spring flowers, subtle fall colour and small fruit, a light sheen or unglazed pot will show them off and not compete for the eye I believe.

Generally speaking, a bigger, much more showy or flowery tree can take a brighter glazed pot.

Just my opinion mind you.

There's a link to the pot page of one of the better Shohin Bonsai specialist importers in the UK (I have no connection).

May be a slow loader but not a heavily glazed pot in sight hardly. I'd say the blue and patterned ones at the bottom would be for indoor flowering type trees.

TimR

Here is a link that might be useful: Windybanks

I see your point, and thanks for the excellent advice. I can imagine the tree in an understated light brown rectangle, perhaps like one of the tokoname pots from your link. Then the pot would cost 20 times what the tree cost ! ($5.00)

Great buy Dave! Really nice looking, lots of potential.

James