Creating Your Own Swamp Cypress Bonsai Grove: Step-by-Step Guide

In this video Terry Erasmus creates a John Naka inspired swamp cypress grove consisting of 7 trees at the request of a customer.
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Featured in this video:
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Carving bits: www.bonsaitree...
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[@passingthetorch126]

I hope I get to see this in 10 years. It's going to be EPIC!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks! That’s so nice of you to say. Yes, I agree. There is something about the passing of time that no technique can duplicate.

[@hagakuretv]

Incredible work. Quality of the video is also very high

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you very much! I appreciate that as I do put a lot of effort in and it’s good to know it’s appreciated.

[@elizabethsmith3313]

Thanks

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you Elizabeth!

[@meenaguruswamy9684]

Very clear display of forest composition loved it👍

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you so much! Since doing this planting not more than a couple months ago now it has really grown and I will feature it again in another video soon, so I hope you have subscribed. 🙇🏼‍♂️

[@mercamg9312]

great work. can't wait to see it in a year.🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

You and me both! 😀

[@elizabethsmith3313]

Your explanations and break downs of how you do things and all the tips and tricks you share are out of this world. I cant thank you enough for your fantastic content.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

You are so welcome Elizabeth! Thank you so much for the very kind words and the support, I really appreciate it.

[@nilokay4259]

Thanks!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you so much Nilo! Much appreciated.

[@LeandroLinguidi]

¡Gracias!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Muchas gracias por el apoyo

[@LeandroLinguidi]

Thanks for the spanish message @@TerryErasmusbonsai . I got a question for you, do you reccomend any carving nibble for dremel?

[@mikeswain9085]

Great presentation, thanks for sharing the video Terry.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much Mike, so glad you enjoyed it.

[@sueb1317]

Truly beautiful!! My one go at making a forest showed my what a great amount of patience and dexterity is required. I would love to see an update when the planting leafs out - I know it will be stunning!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you Sue! That’s so kind of you to say. Yes, these planting take a long time and even longer to mature. But I’m very excited to see how it evolves and I hope to share that with everyone

[@bigtomatoplantslover6205]

Beautiful Bonsai 😍 Like it ❤️ My friend, thank you for good sharing 😊 Have a good day

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you! You too! 🙇🏼‍♂️

[@BillsBayou]

Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) typically do not die back to points. They rot from the center outwards. This creates a dead hollow of wood at the top. Take a paper cup and tear off a section of wall, that's a more typical deadwood form. Good looking forest. Keep up the good work.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks Bill. I appreciate the kind comment. I did mention in the video that a customer asked me to plant this forest for him using this species and to style it inspired by John Naka's "Goshin." I was simply doing what I was paid to do. Thank you for the tip on the deadwood form, I will see if I can google some images like that as I dont particularily like the way they look right now although with age they should improve regardless.

[@alexandros1973]

Excellent new project and video! Thank you Terry 🙏

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much Alex!

[@egoebonsai37]

Beatiful Swamp Cypress Bonsai Grouping Forest. I hope the bonsai grows well. I am from Indonesia, appretiate for your activity Sir. Good Job Sir. 9:52

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you so much, I appreciate that 🙇🏼‍♂️

[@vln005]

It already looks quite lovely. Great work and thank you for sharing Terry.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you so much! Very “new” old forest look then 😁 thank you for watching

[@OjaiBonsai]

There be no Naa Sayers with bonsai. Take a tree and style it like nobody else does including nature and to me you have something special

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

There is most certainly truth in what you say Jason. Thanks for commenting. It’s nice to have trees which people remember, for whatever reason so long as the execution is good.

[@fungitifungus1047]

Exactly, that's the beauty of bonsai techniques. You're creating unique art whether it is nature inspired or not

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Very true.

[@lindac446]

Oh, thank you! I just purchased 7 bald cypress rooted cuttings . Still deciding when, when and how ..this is very inspiring!!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Wow, thank you. That’s a big compliment when someone is inspired by what I do!

[@koenvanmeerbeeck8724]

very nice and educational video again Terry...Thanks

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you so much Koen 🙇🏼‍♂️

[@dcharrison]

Awesome work!!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you so much. Very kind 🙇🏼‍♂️

[@yougotthelook5298]

Nice video and explanation as always! ❤Terry

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you! 😃

[@chasingthefish9042]

I will say I have about 25 bald cypress on my property. During deer season I am in the swamp more time than out of the swamp. I have never seen a natural bald cypress with downward sweeping branches. That said, they are beautiful in that style.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you very much for writing that. Yes, I completely agree with you and thanks for saying that.

[@getintothewildwithjeffruma8777]

Very nice planting.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Many many thanks I really appreciate it.

[@yousufkeralaindia9735]

Wow fantastic

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you so much!

[@matshagstrom9839]

Terry, Thank you for your contribution. Forrest planting is a skill quite different from growing individual trees. You did not talk much about the advantage of starting with fairly mature trees ideally developed for the purpose of a group composition. Starting with young trees may seem tempting buy I think your approach is better. It's not wrong to wire branches in a manner that's different then what the inherent nature of the tree is. That said it's generally better to stay true to the natural growth pattern of the tree when styling. Doing so allows the tree to continue to grow consistent with the styling design. Adding tight turns to the trunk of straight growing trees will eventually become a curvy trunk with straight branches unless the tree is constantly wired against its natural instinct. There has been a lot of discussion of lowering branches on bald cypress. Some of this comes from a story of a Japanese judge at an American bonsai show who downgraded a bald cypress because the branches were not wired down when the judge was in fact not familiar with what these trees look like in nature. The art of bonsai is without question a balancing act between the manipulation and natural development of the tree. Both are integral and each artist has the right to interpret the correct balance of how trees should or should not be best manipulated. Some bonsai artists believe in a more naturalistic style while others try to create trees that would in reality never being seen in nature. Both schools have their merit and perhaps the greatest trees of all are those that find the magical balance between the two. Happy growing to you, Mats H

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much Mats for taking the time to share your comments, much appreciated! I was not aware of the story of the downgraded bald cypress, that's interesting. Happy growing to you too :)

[@W9SL9Y]

love it!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks Wesley! 🙇🏼‍♂️

[@MitchellGoodyear-hi3ep]

Would love to see what this looks like now. Also, I want to do a project like this but needing advice on whether to go to our cypress swamp and hand select some saplings or to buy some that are already a year or so old.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks Mitchell. I did feature it in an update video I did. But I need to do another, will do so later this year during our growing season. I would strongly suggest you use material with some age. One of the most important qualities of this type of forest is a variety of trunk thicknesses for added interest created by the contrast.

[@MitchellGoodyear-hi3ep]

Hey thanks for the quick reply. Also, what is your thoughts on coastal live oak bonsai?

[@FIZZYYAM]

Hi Terry

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Hi Fizzy! 👍🏻

[@Kurtlane]

Beautiful. How long did you keep the branches wired? Thanks.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much! The wires will remain on the tree for a few weeks or months, just depends on the growth of the tree. When the wire begins to bite in then they will be removed.

[@MitchellGoodyear-hi3ep]

I have a lot of questions so I would really love to bounce some ideas and get some advice from you.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks Mitchell. You are welcome to book some virtual time with me. Here’s the link www.bonsaitree.co.za/products/consultation

[@ericabarnes8086]

What is the name of the book you were referencing?

[@agelussi3782]

How often would you water that plant if it was indoors? Could it be placed in self watering pot. We’re the roots hang into water.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

I’m sorry but I’d be guessing. I don’t grow any bonsai indoors.

[@thebb0777]

Sir the carving on the apex of the trees will remain like this or they need to be treated with something?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Great question! Right now the carving is very rough. This is because I don’t really know where the live branches will begin and need to wait for the trees to show me. Once this is clear then I can perhaps do a little more detail carving. For the first few years it will be good to leave the wood to age naturally. At some time in the future the wood will need to be treated though to prevent it from rotting away.

[@thebb0777]

@@TerryErasmusbonsai thank you for responding!! Looking forward for the update video!!!

[@ariabonsai6300]

How does this tree responds to bare rooting?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

No problem if healthy.

[@tompeppi2635]

❤

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

🙇🏼‍♂️

[@lindac446]

My question is about height. Will these 7 saplings get taller, given the tops are now deadwood?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks for the question. No, they won’t get taller, for the reason you have identified

[@darrel7382]

Looks like Rambo's booby traps from the First Blood movie haha. I like the placement of the trees, it will look great once it fills out👍

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

🤪 I was waiting for your comment Darrel. I totally agree. It’s a dangerous forest for any parachutist I’d say. Yes lots of maturing to do!

[@saltlifesmoker12]

Curious how old are those cypress trees? Im trying to get the same effect with mine but mine are very adolescent right now.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Mmmm I don’t know. These trees grow so fast. I’m guessing 5 - 10 years in age for the thickest ones. I did not grow the material myself so I’m just guessing.

[@gablerfunke8155]

I've never heard anyone call it swamp cypress. I had to look it up to confirm you were talking about bald cypress. Is that a South African dialect difference from U.S. English?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Hi there. Yes, in South Africa we know it as swamp cypress. I took a quick look to confirm if it’s a South African thing but it’s not. The listing in Wikipedia for instance is: Taxodium distichum (bald cypress, swamp cypress)

[@bckbonsai2627]

👍

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thank you!

[@Ollieslife101]

Where did u get those cypress did u grow them your self

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

I bought them from a retail nursery. Hacked the roots in year 1. Year 2 I planted this forest with them.

[@Ollieslife101]

@TerryErasmusbonsai thank you for the reply! That helps so much. I'm gonna call a couple of local nurseries in my local area to see about getting some.. I really wanna create a bald Cypress forest planting. This video has me so inspired, and the year or 2 of root work and whatever, depending on what sizes they can get of offer, will give me time to save for a decent forest pot. Those are expensive but so beautiful once they are designed into a forest planting and aged. I'll prolly start with a wood box and then upgrade in the future. idk it all depends on what they offer and how much I learn in the next couple of years.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

@Ollieslife101 sure, one can find them at nurseries although of course if from a bonsai specific nursery the chances will be even higher as they are a popular species for bonsai. Absolutely, making a wooden box is the cheapest and best way to develop your forest in the beginning. Cheap/expensive is relative and will depend very much on the size forest you’re creating. The container I used in this video was around ZAR3,500.00 at the time. To me it’s an investment as the forest planting itself will be worth a lot more in a few years.

[@ignaciogarcia7833]

Bueno pues ya Tenemos estacas para el conde Drácula 😂

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

For sure. He better stay away from my bonsai or I will impale him! 😀

[@DavidJBorja]

You are a beast; but you have very very small ears

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks for commenting but I’m not sure what to make of your comment.

[@neschek358]

shame to reference that with Naka... all trees looks same, like pencils... deadwood work at it worst,,,,

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Wow, so many insults in one sentence. Impressive.