Surface roots play an important role in supporting the leaning trunk. Therefore, roots should spread out horizontally to strengthen the illusion of stability needed for the style.
The roots opposite the trunk’s lean should be strong and well developed in order to anchor the tree.
The strong roots underneath the slant usually have buttressed appearance owing to compressive force present in the composition.

Take care not to:

• Plant the tree at a slanting angle;
• Place the roots opposite the slant in an upright position; and
• Bury the rest of the roots underneath the slant of the tree.

If the root development is only on one side, the strongest root should be opposite the trunk’s lean.
Adjust the side without roots by using a matching coloured stone as a replacement for the lack of roots.

Slanting positions of the trunk.

The Shakan style has three slanting positions, namely –

• A moderate slant (Sho-shakan) which is between 60 and 75 degrees;
• A medium slant (Hu-shakan) which is between 45 and 60 degrees; and
• An extreme slant (Dai-shakan) which is between 30 to 45 degrees.

Formal trunk line.
A formal upright tree could develop into a slanting style after, for instance, a landslide or heavy rains followed by strong winds etc., which could force a tree to lean to one side.

Informal trunk line.
The informal slanting style has a naturally curved trunk. It is therefore far easier to create an illusion of stability in the trunk line of an informal slanting tree that in the trunk line of a formal slanting tree. Informal Shakans are usually found in most collections.

Trunk position.

The lower trunk always grows upwards at an angle of roughly 45 degrees. The trunk on the right slants first towards the left before it slants to the right to form an interesting variation.

Traditional slanting style.

The primary or second branch swing back against the trunk-flow to give balance to the composition.
Branches are place in such a manner as to resemble the outstretched arms of a trapeze artist. Despite the angle of the branches, the tips always re-establish themselves into a horizontal position.
The traditional slanting style is always shaped in the symmetrical form.

Asymmetrical design.

The design emulates a tree that is leaning over a pond in search of sunlight. Movement and rhythm are the prime objectives in this composition.
The primary or second branch is the most important one, since it should always be in a horizontal position to balance the trunk’s lean.

Reverse apex.

The informal slanting trunk line gives grace and rhythm to the creation.
To harmonise with the mood of the trunk the branches follow the same movement.

The slanting style is traditionally associated with the symmetrical design. The second or primary branch is the most important one because it depicts the mood of the tree.

The branches on the leaning side tend to grow more horizontally, while those on the opposite side tend to slant downwards. The branches on the leaning side are usually shorter that those on the opposite side.

Asymmetrical design.

The asymmetrical design has more movement. The tree in the sketch, for instance, simulates one growing on a river bank; leaning over the water in search for sunlight. The second or primary branch stretches out horizontally over the water. The branches on the opposite side of the trunk are short and, to balance the composition, they slant sharply downwards.

If the primary branch is positioned high up on the trunk, bend it sharply downwards to fill the negative space between the branch and the soil level and to ensure a balanced look. Also bend the branches above the primary branch downwards so that they follow the movement of the primary branches horizontally to stabilise the creation.

If the trunk line bends sharply in the opposite direction, the primary branch should stretch out horizontally. The apex should swing to the right so as to follow the movement of the lower trunk line.

It the trunk line have soft curves and the apex is moving in same direction as the lower trunk line, the branches could be brought downwards to create movement as well as to harmonise with the flow of the trunk.

Branch positions

Branch positions according to the degree of the trunk’s slant

It is interesting to note that the various positions of the primary branch in a manner correspond with the degree of the trunk’s slant. The primary branch on the trunk with a moderate slant tends to be symmetrical. The more, however, the tree leans to one side, the more the primary branch spreads out to balance itself. Hence the design becomes asymmetrical.

The degree of the trunk’s slant does not have a dramatic effect on branch placement, as the branches on the leaning side still tend to stretch out horizontally, whilst the branches opposite the slant have the same downward angle.  Despite the trunk’s angel, the branches always re-establish themselves in order to keep their balance.

Terminal point

The terminal point of the slanting style must never be directly above the root base; otherwise the design will be classified as an informal upright style.

Containers

Container selection

Trees with thick trunks and heavy crowns are usually planted in equally deep oval or rectangular containers, while trees with thin trunks are planted in round containers. Long narrow rectangular containers are not recommended as they emphasise the uninteresting parallel lines of the tree-trunks.

Position of the trunk in the container

Position the tree just off-centre, towards the back of the container. Make sure that the trunk leans towards the largest open area in the container. The trunk line should not extend too far over the edge of the container.

The wrong way to position a slanting tree in a symmetrical design. The tree should be planted towards the left of the container.

The correct way to position a slanting tree in a container. The slant of the trunk is the deciding factor. The trunk should slant towards the largest open area in the container.

The flow of the trunk usually determines the form of the container. Oval containers are recommended for trees with gently flowing curves in their trunk lines.