🚧 Caution with Tortuosity

Dramatic tortuousity and deadwood movement, as on many advanced junipers, can include trunk or Brando bends that fold back or twist around themselves.

Be cautious that trunk or branches that contact or cause pressure against each other may result in fusion.

A few recent acquisitions (e.g. Itoigawa from Round Valley and Trident from Left Coast Bonsai) were likely to fuse into a donut. Undesirable. If young and pliable enough, one could use a cork to wedge and create space between adjacent wood. In one case, we cut back before the contact to grow a new lead to move away from the issue.

Itoigawa

trident

Another option: Once at the desired size, use of a constrained bonsai pot and akadama can limit growth.