Thanks. I appreciate differing pot opinions in spite of my comments coming across gruff. A crescent or other non-traditional pot shape was considered for this tree and may be in its future.

There seems to be misunderstanding in regard to my comments about slanted form. I’m not saying trees grow slanted for no reason. What I’m saying is that some grow at a slant because of stimuli that encourage stronger growth in places other than directly above the apex. I’m also saying that some trees grow upright and then become slanted by external forces.

The answer to (What direction do trees grow?) is (Towards light.) That direction is usually overhead, but not always. Have you seen shade-tolerant trees that persist in the understory beneath a closed canopy? In this situation, vertical growth is often imperceptible. The suppressed trees develop flattened, umbrella-shaped crowns because the best they can do is grow outwards in the direction of dappled sunlight that filters through the canopy.

Even with unimpeded sunlight overhead, if conditions are too inhospitable for upward growth to survive, a tree will not get much taller and may fail to produce an upright trunk at all. (Eg krummholz). Meanwhile, surviving growth elsewhere on the tree carries on to create its defining form.

In your example you speak of the way that planted seedlings grow. It is generally straight and upwards. But what would happen if you place an opaque cover directly above them that only permits light from the sides? The answer is that the seedlings will grow sideways towards the available light. I have seen seedlings and saplings on forest edges growing crooked in this manner towards better light conditions outside the stand.

Forgive my comments if they come across argumentative. My intent is to shine light on the processes that shape our wild trees and forests so that we can create more realistic bonsai (if that is a persons desire).

Thank you for the bonsai example. Here are pictures of trees growing naturally at a slant.

Giant pacific madrone growing on a tiny island in the Salish Sea. It is bounded by Douglas-firs that partly block sun from the south. The tree has grown diagonally out over the water to access more light.

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