Semi-cascade (Han-kengai)

The semi-cascade falls midway between the slanting style and full cascade. The dominant first branch drops at an angle of approximately 45°. The lower trunk line should not drop below the base of the pot.

Full cascade (Kengai)

The full cascade depicts a tree overhanging a cliff. A variety of styles is found in this group, e.g. the formal, informal, waterfall, windswept, literati, etc. A cascade can be created with or without a crown.

Trunk

The trunk slants approximately 45° to one side.

The first bend in the trunk is always as sharp as possible. Avoid uninteresting half-moon shapes.

The trunk should never grow vertically in the container as it looks unnatural.

Trunk line

Cascades with upper trunk line.
Both the semi-cascade and the full cascade can be or without an upper trunk line. Furthermore, the upper trunk line can be sub classified into an informal and slanting trunk line. The branch structures of both these trunk lines follow the same rules which apply to the informal and slanting styles.

Informal upper trunk line.
Always select a branch on the outside of a curve and never on the inside of a curve in the trunk line, to from the cascading branch. Furthermore, as the emphasis is on the cascading branch, do not overdevelop the upper trunk line.

Slanting upper trunk line.
As in the case of the informal upper trunk line, the slanting upper trunk line must also not exceed ⅓ of the length of the cascading branch.

Note that the cascading branch must not touch the edge of the container.

Basic principles for creating a Cascade.

Roots

The root base needs to be firmly established. The roots opposite the lean of the trunk should give the impression that they are anchoring the tree. The buttress roots underneath the cascading branch are the result of compressive force acting on the side.

Always remove all upward-growing roots as they look unnatural.

Do not plant the tree to deep in the pot as the main roots should be clearly visible above the edge of the port.

The basic rule of creating a cascade is to position the tree in the centre of the container, even though the apex of the trunk line will be slightly off-centre because of the slanting position of the main trunk.

Position of the Cascading Branch.

The position from where the trunk should cascade over the edge of the container may be either to the left or to the right in a forward position, when viewed from above.

Branch structure and branch arrangement of the semi-cascade.

The upper trunk line may be either informal or slanting. The circles on the upper trunk line indicate back branches, the crosses indicate front branches.

Branch structure and branch arrangement of the full cascade.

The cascading branches in the full cascade is approximately ⅔ the length of the upper trunk.

Branch arrangment of the cascading branch as seen from above.

The first branch is always a back branch. The branches alternate towards the tip. Front branches are positioned on the top of the cascading branch. No undergrowth is allowed on the cascading branch.

Avoiding following mistakes.

Avoid the “fish-bone” arrangement in cascades, as this arrangement not only looks artificial and uninteresting but lacks depth and character as well.

Avoid branches pointing in all directions, as it will distract the normal eye movement and it will also contribute towards a displeasing end result.

Avoid apposite trunk lines, as they look artificial. Rather train the trunk lines to flow in the same direction.

Train the branches on the cascading branch in the classical “rule-of-three” arrangement, i.e. sideways, on top and alternately.

Note that on the lower arrangement the branches are formed sideways, and the third branch is trained as the top branch. This “rule-of-three” could be modified should the final structure lack harmony.

Silhouette Line

The foliage on the upper trunk and the cascading branch should be equal in mass. This rule applies especially to semi-cascading trees. In full cascade, however, the foliage mass on the upper portion of the trunk should be less than that on the cascading branch.

The upper trunk line is usually based on the informal upright or slanting style. Trunk movement should be visible through the branches.

The overall silhouette of the semi-cascade and the full cascade styles is triangular.

The terminal point of a tree without an upper trunk line is the highest point on the downward curve. The foliage masses have triangular shapes.

Container Selection

Size and shape

Semi-cascades are usually planted in round, hexagonal or square containers. The depth of the container should be 3 to 5 times the trunk’s diameter.

Full cascades are usually planted in deep round or square containers. The depth of the container should be at least half the length of the cascading branch.

The tree and the container should complement each other, i.e. if the tree exudes a powerful feeling; the container should be the same.

Delicate trees are usually planted in narrow and deep containers.

Do not plant a cascade in a shallow container, as the composition would not convey a feeling of depth, namely trees which are cascading naturally down steep cliffs.

Use either one side or corner of a square container as the front. In the case of a round container, two legs must face the viewer.

Cascade containers often have floral design on the one side and an inscription, usually a Haiku, on the other. For flowering or berry trees, the floral design faces the front. For evergreen trees, the inscription faces the front.

Display stands

As a rule, tall stands are used for displaying cascades. However, if the container is very deep, a lower stand shows off the composition better.

The tail end of the cascade must never touch the floor surface.