This stunted beauty was discovered in a profoundly Alpine reach in Canada.  The area receives snowfall from October through June. Such a short growing season coupled with crushing snow-loading reduced this tree to its nearly procumbent form. I altered this trees design with a great deal of carving and hollowing out of its trunk.  My goal was to create a tree that represents the enormous struggle of its existence.  Several years ago I killed the large top front branch to echo the dead wood that permeates the lower trunk. I chose the low silhouette of the container to allow the tree to stand on its own without the confines of a more dominant container.  

Mountain Hemlock / Tsuga mertensiana

Estimated Age: 500 years old
Time in Training: 23 years
Origin: Canada
Container: Modern Japanese
Stand: not provided