Wow..... those look awesome! I would be proud to own either one of those.

Yes, those are amazing! Best of luck with them.

Tyler

Those are nice! Great score! I hope they do very well for you! I was just looking at my Diamond Crown and oh my goodness, it's been growing so fast! Probably the largest 'baby' I have among my seedlings I started last year. My RCN's though I only just started from seed this year so they are small yet. Enjoy them!

Rick u make me so jealous they are very nice great score

Rick - I wish you were my brother, all my brother does is telling me off. The trees almost made me cry, so beautiful.

Hyn, I shouldn't have, but I want some larger specimens to enjoy. Then my smaller ones that will come along in their own time. With short growing seasons (5 Mths.) without using artificial means. It would take me quite a long time.

It is sure fun to watch your plants grow though and those individuals that really make a statement.

Diamond Crown is a nice one.

You know I found w two of mine, that they grew like crazy each time I moved them into a larger pot.

Rick

Peter, Agartta,

It is nice to be able to buy from out of country. Wish it wasn't so difficult within yours.

You have such beautiful plants there and nice to,have such a long growing season.

Rick

Rick, do you want to be my brother?

Wow, that's some branch formation going on there! They're going to look fantastic in leaf next season aren't they? Can you show us a pic when you've potted them up please Rick?

Gill

so, tough choice, which one you keeping, or will you let her decide? very very sweet indeed.

Gill, Will definitely show a photo. When I can find a pot.

Rick

Bragu, I chose the one on the Left. I like the branching of it. We each picked from photo's before ordering. Naturally, I picked mine first so this one was off the list.

Rick

Rick, Those are some lovely plants. I also would love to see it potted up. I too like the one of the left, the branching it quite amazing.

Was not expecting them to be the size they are. Went to find a pot today. Need to see if I can wire it to open it up a bit. A little nervous.

Rick

Absolutely gorgeous! Maybe next year I cam get something that nice!

Very nice!!

Lonnie

Rick, have these had some special tip pruning to get them to grow such a prolific amount of branches? The reference in your title to them being 'branch grown' trees made me wonder this....or have they done this naturally? One of my own seed grown trees has an astonishing natural branch structure compared to my others, or so I thought until I saw these two specimens!

Gill

Gill,

I believe that these plants (called trees in Thailand) are actually cuttings off of a very large specimen and then rooted. The one I have has faint marks on it's caudex/trunk from past wiring from many years ago. The marks start right at the soil level and not from recent wiring.

The Thai people are so well versed on the techniques of starting these from cuttings or chopped off roots. It always amazes me.

I think off of something like this one.

Rick

It looks like it would be tedious, hope that you get the results that you're looking for.

Looks good rick keep an eye on wire bruising the branches:×)

It looks great now it's happily settled in its pot, nice choice btw. Rick, you say there are errors in what you have done....really? Would you be kind enough to explain what you're referring to so we can learn more about this wiring technique. Not that my own plants are suitable, nor do I have the knowledge to do it but others may be interested. Thanks.

Gill

Dumb question, but what is the purpose of doing such a thing?

Alma,

The wiring is a means of shaping the tree into a desired form. The wire is only for training and it may have to be redone as the tree grows, but in future it can be left without wire as branches become older and more rigid. Only then a pruning will be needed to maintain shape.

Rick

Gil

It is quite an art form in itself. I cannot speak as anyone other than a rank beginner, but that is where we all start out.

It was not until I first started into doing this plant after long deliberation that I realized just how much thought and preparation goes into wiring one branch. A plan has to be made looking at the base of the branch to the tip, so that the wiring ends up in the correct position as you move up toward the tip.

Hard for me to explain with being so new to this. Not that I intend on doing a bunch of them.

This is a video that helps. Felt like I needed to get on a plane to fly to Thailand. Have so many questions.

https://youtu.be/D8HHsJ6mr3c

Rick

Needed to clean it up a bit. So glad to have Family Dino assisting me. They are just wonderful.

Rick

That is looking fantastic, Rick. It is so nice when they are willing to take the time to answer questions and assist. I need to wire some of mine but I think I'll wait until I bring them in for the winter for that and more pruning. I'm still eaten up with working on getting the house ready to sell, then have to house hunt and move again. Ugh. It may be spring before I can get my breath and relax again. This is one nice tree.

Interesting video link, thanks Rick.

On looking at your before and after pics there is a great difference between them already. I can now see part of the theory behind it more clearly now.

Seems like the 2 main objects are to spread the canopy out more, giving it a kind of mushroom shape by wiring the lowest branches into amore horizontal position. If you look at the original pic, they're almost vertical. This then allows each branch even more space around it and by cleaning off those small branchlets that would protrude into each main branches personal space, even more emphasis is given to each branch rather than them being crowded together.

Obviously there's more to it than that! Thanks again.

Gill

Thanks Hyn. I am enjoying this and I have to say. If you give it the time, I can see why it is supposed to be a work in progress and source of relaxation. Really is.

I can hope to understand your dilemma w the thought of moving. Do not get to stressed and take a moment for yourself every now and then.

Rick

Gill,

I believe there is way more to it than what I will ever know. I can tell you now. Using the proper Bonsai wire, technique of how to twist the wire makes all the difference. Atleast for the first Twist. All fun.

Rick

Rick. You have good taste for plants and you will be a bonsai pro.

It would have been great to watch the video with an English commentary as I guess lots of us don't speak Thai! Think the only word I recognised was 'Japan'! However, it was surprising what you can pick up from watching, not that I'm going to have a go at it. No doubt there's plenty of bonsai tutorials on YouTube.

It was interesting to see how he wired two adjacent branches simultaneously, looping the one wire around their bases like that, would never have thought to do it that way. Can't think of the reason, but there must be one I'm sure...added stability? That wire was certainly soft and bendy, but then it was rigid enough to be able to hold the branches where they were placed. I can see why using the proper wire is important.

Gill