One of the things I enjoy most about my bonsai hobby is that I can do things any way I want. I am not working on anyone else's trees, so I can style them however I like.

This seed grown apple tree has put on a lot of growth this year from a strong central leader.

Apple trees generally do not have a long lifespan, and grow very fast. It made sense to me to go more extreme in achieving drastic results here I could never attain on a slow-growing tree that lives a long time.

I decided to bend that long wirey trunk into a full downward loop, and this is the very abstract result.

Historical Details

ID: 0049
Nickname: Unnamed
Type: Apple
Age: 1.5 years
Grown: seed (child of Lucy Glo)
Last repotting: Late Winter 2020
Wired: July 2020

To wire a tree in this way breaks many of the traditional bonsai rules.

The abstract shape opens up a window of possibilities that gives it greater value and meaning to the viewer.

The circle is a strong symbol that many people can identify with. It represents infinity, renewal, promise, and many other things.

Many people might also see it as a representation of marriage, because they wear the promise ring on their finger.

I always love it when people plant a tree to commemorate an important event in their life. One time I painted a watercolor of a grapevine for a friend's marriage, and it became a strong symbolic reminder for their spiritual relationship with God.

A Few Weeks Later

Now that the wires have been on for over a month, I am noticing the wood is thickening around the wire.

Soon I will need to remove the wire, and hope it holds true to its shape. Otherwise I will need to add new wire to firm things up.

I have an oddball future plan for the growth development of this tree.

With the trunk now heading out underneath and way out to the side, I would like this to become the first low branch of the tree. This will be easy, since it will be the oldest part of the tree as it ages, and it will become the thickest as a result.

On the top of the arch, I am hoping next spring a new branch will appear, and this can grow up to become the new trunk of the tree. From there, I can encourage a semi-stright trunk, with formal branches heading outward as a proper tree should do.

Having the void of emptiness underneath the core trunk of the tree will add to the mysterious nature of this tree.

Unlike traditional Japanese Bonsai, in "The American Way" we like to break rules, and try out new tricks and set new trends, even if the results a bit tacky and less refined. This kind of tree is more likely to be valued by people who prefer the instant short-lasting novelty of a cute ornamental shape, rather the value of perfect bonsai tree aesthetics that will last for generations.

Name Ideas?

Let me know if you have an idea for a nickname this tree should have.

I prefer to give each tree a special name to better represent its style, personality, and goals. When I track the progress on my trees it really helps me out to have a unique name for each tree. Apple #49 doesn't exactly have a ring to it.

Photos in this post are all #originalworks by @creativetruth, unless stated otherwise.