Here is the Eastern Red bud that came from "mardens", the surplus/salvage store here...for $4.00
I'm playing with it right now. Clipping leaves, cutting branches...and really just staring at it. I'm waiting until it flowers in the spring to see if it's even worth the effort. I got it in late spring and had to re-pot it. it was kind of risky, but it survived. Actually the tree loved it. It has gone kind of crazy.
here's a few pictures of it.

Ahhhhh...this is the one I was asking about in your *gang* photo you posted in the 'Help Me' section. This has a wonderful nebari! And what interesting and delicate looking leaves...almost vine like yet, not. I really like this one. You're doing a great job, Lance. Keep up the good work. I look forward to following the Red Bud's progression!

Leslie

I eagerly await, too. I have one of these that just sprouted up in my backyard of its own accord. I haven't moved it or anything because I want the trunk to thicken, but I have been watering it along with my potted bonsai out back because of the heat. Keep us posted; I'll probably learn something! And that's why I'm on here in the first place! :woohoo:
The branches on mine are very vine-like, but you'll probably have to defoliate at some point because the leaves get so big. Good luck!

One thing you should do to your tree is take the unwanted branches off as soon as you see them . The branches grow thick very fast and leave scars when you take them off. They do come off easily though.

Hm.. if you are getting very fast growth, and you are not happy about that, you might want to consider reducing the rootmass a little. That will slow the little tree right down. Maybe not the ideal time of year though

As for removing the branches you do not want: Yes and no

In order to create taper on your trunk, you can leave a few branches to grow out. But indeed. You will have to live with scar tissue (Which is not always a bad thing; It depends a little how you strategize trunk growth. If you take a seedling and grow it into a bonsai over a 15-20 year period, you will never have the cut-of trunk effect, and the tree will be more pleasing in 20 years. However, if you do build your bonsai from old trees by cutting the tops out, you already have a scarred tree. So you might consider the possibility of creating more scars

Choices, choices

I can't do anything to this tree until spring. I do plan on re-potting it and reducing the roots. other than that the only thing I can do is keep pinching buds while they are small, and hope that it buds where I want it. That's pretty much the plan for this tree. I have to address the nasty scar on the trees "back" sometime too.ugh.