International BONSAI OnLine May - June 2021 by InternationalBonsai

2021/NO. 3 May – June

Volume 43 Issue 167

THROUGH THE PINE NEEDLES T hank you all for subscribing to my new FREE bimonthly International

BONSAI OnLine! I hope you have enjoyed the first two digital editions and have shared the link with your friends and bonsai organizations. This issue contains articles on flowering bonsai featuring one of the most spectacular and colorful species displayed in spring, Wisteria. We now have had over 14,000 views and over 2,000 subscribers from 57 countries in only five months! My blog has also been popular with over 1,300,000 views and over 1,900 subscribers from 202 countries. The immense popularity of my educational activities to promote classical bonsai art to a wider group makes them a perfect venue to advertise your business, teaching activities, organizations, shows and conventions. Our low advertising rates of only $50 for a half page and $100 for a full page make it affordable. Please contact me for additional information. Our 2021 7th US National Bonsai Exhibition will be held on September 11-12, 2021 in Rochester, New York. Please send me an e-mail photo of your best bonsai for the selection process. We have had over 200 photo submissions from across our large country. The deadline for submissions has been extended to July 1, 2021. But, please do not hesitate to send in your photos, even if it is not in its seasonal highlight beauty. The quality of a bonsai extends past its seasonal splendor. Also, I’m expecting better refined bonsai than in the past because the artists have

had an extra year to prepare their bonsai. The lecture/demonstrations and critiques are all scheduled. All we need to do is to confirm the travel arrangements for our international judges and visitors. We hope to welcome visitors from around the world. A multitude of quality vendors have registered to bring their plants, containers, supplies, suiseki and art. More information in the next issue. The official exhibition hotel has been changed to the Woodcliff Hotel & Spa where they are offering special pricing for our event. And, the Awards Banquet will also be held at the hotel. The exhibition flyer with all the details is nearly ready for distribution.

It would be appreciated if bonsai societies, clubs and study groups could help with distribution. Please e-mail me with the number of flyers you would like and I’ll send them to your group. Please plan to attend this longawaited important event. When we are safe to begin traveling again I hope to meet you at the many bonsai gatherings I’ll be attending. Let’s all hope for a pleasant summer. Please be safe and continue to care, improve, expand and most importantly, enjoy your bonsai.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 3 2021/NO. 3

FEATURES 8 The Culture And Care Of Wisteria Bonsai By Isaburo Nishiyama, Craig W. Risser TM Volume 43 Number 3 Issue Number 167

2021/NO. 3 May - June Publisher & Editor William N. Valavanis Contributing Editor Julian R. Adams Contributors David Bennett Jonas Dupuich Kyosuke Gun Masahiko Kimura Makiko Kobayashi John Romano Satomi Uchida Hiroshi Takeyama Peter Warren John Wiessinger Staff Harvey B. Carapella, Art Director Joseph L. Noga, Image Director Alan Adair, Editorial Assistant Marc Arpag, Editorial Assistant Published periodically (6 times a year) by THE INTERNATIONAL BONSAI ARBORETUM for the educational promotion and expansion of the artistic and horticultural expression of classical bonsai art on an international scale for English language bonsai fanciers.

16 A little Magic With Shohin Bonsai: Part 52/Flowering Bonsai By John Romano 20 If Trees Could Talk – Part 11 Acer rubrum For Bonsai By David Bennett 26 Is Your Wisteria Chinese or Japanese By William N. Valavanis 30 Cut Back And Leaf Cutting Chinese Wisteria By Jonas Dupuich 40 Masahiko Kimura’s Fun Bonsai Classroom Lesson 36 Reducing The Height Of A Japanese Apricot Bonsai By Bonsai World Magazine, Peter Warren, Satomi Uchida

DEPARTMENTS 3 Through The Pine Needles 5 Gallery: International BONSAI Masterpieces 18 Book Review– Growing Pines For Bonsai 46 About The Cover– Wisteria

International BONSAI— ISSN: 0198-9561 The opinions expressed in International BONSAI OnLine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the International Bonsai Arboretum. Manuscripts, art work and photos submitted for possible publication will be returned if accompanied by self addressed, stamped envelopes. Address all correspondence regarding subscriptions, advertising and editorial matter to: THE INTERNATIONAL BONSAI ARBORETUM William N. Valavanis, Publisher & Editor P.O. Box 23894 Rochester, New York 14692-3894 Telephone (585) 334-2595 Fax (585) 334-6239

E-mail: WNV@internationalbonsai.com WWW.internationalbonsai.com Blog: valavanisbonsaiblog.com WWW.internationalbonsaionline.com Designed by Harvey B. Carapella Color Separations by Joseph L. Noga

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48 International BONSAI Digest – 2021 Part 1 Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition

G a

e r y

HIROSHI TAKEYAMA

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI MASTERPIECES

Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda, trained in the informal upright style for several decades. The open branch structure allows the long slender racemes to be appreciated in late spring when in blossom. It is important to design a Wisteria bonsai so the flowers can be allowed to hang pendulous to exhibit their elegant

form. This beautiful bonsai was started from a young grafted plant which was originally cultivated in the ground to build the trunk. It now stands 38 inches above the antique Chinese container of Canton-ware. This bonsai has been shaped by Hiroshi Takeyama, Fuyo-en Bonsai Garden in Omiya Bonsai Village, Japan.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 5 2021/NO. 3

HIROSHI TAKEYAMA

ade ood

Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda, are usually displayed in full bloom, not during the dormant season without flowers or foliage. It is most unusual to exhibit and appreciate a well trained Wisteria because often the structure has been shaped to show off the long flowers. The winter display of this outstanding Wisteria clearly dis-

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plays the twin trunk informal upright form. The dark green glazed antique Chinese container provides a stable base for the impressive trunk and branching. Mr. Hiroshi Takeyama, Fuyo-en Bonsai Garden in Omiya Bonsai Village, Japan has treated us to a most unusual display of one of his masterpieces.

WM. N. VALAVANIS

Chinese wisteria, Wisteria chinensis, trained in the two line cascade style for at least two decades. Started from a common garden center young grafted plant, this Chinese wisteria has been completely container grown and trained. Wired several times to shape the branches so they can display the colorful, short fat blos-

soms. The deep Chinese container is necessary to keep this bonsai healthy. It is often placed in a shallow basin of water during the summer growing season. Although the blossoms are plump and full note that there are still flowers unopened. This bonsai has been grown and trained by Robert Blankfield.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 7 2021/NO. 3

The Culture & Styling Of Wisteria Bonsai By Isaboro Nishiyama Translated by Craig W. Risser

T he appeal of Wisteria bonsai is probably in their flowers. The pendulous

purple flowers are hard to describe with words but are most charming. The flowers present a cool and refreshing feeling in early summer and whenever you display them you can take pride in the racemes which hang 12 to 16 inches. I enjoy flowers and have created many Wisteria bonsai and know that if you are training bonsai you will surely want a Wisteria in your collection. The sight of Wisteria seed pods 8 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

hanging during the winter season is also nice. There are some who prefer viewing the seed pods and devote themselves to ensuring they will appear from the pendulous flowers. Of course it is ideal if specimens have both good flowers and seed pods. Unfortunately, the shape of the bonsai after the leaves drop in winter is rather undefined, without twigs or small branches. After the flowers finish blooming the leaves are rather large and the bonsai looks somewhat

awkward in shape. But they really don’t look all that bad in summer. Wisteria are probably one of simplest trees to create as bonsai. They take well to wiring, are robust and can be left outside in winter even in regions with rather cold climates in Japan. After flowering, they grow leaves profusely and the overall shape becomes large, they unfortunately tend to be regulated to the less important places of display. Wisteria are really at their best when in blossom.

The Reason There Are So Few Wisteria Bonsai I presume the reason one sees so few Wisteria bonsai is that most people engaged in bonsai do not know how to make them bloom. People buy Wisteria bonsai because they think it is beautiful and would like to train one. Although they bloom during the year purchased, if you do not know how the proper culturing methods, you are lucky if they blossom the following year and thereafter. Because this happens, most people feel Wisteria bonsai are difficult and give up. If you know the technique of making flowers bloom you can make a literati style bonsai with a trunk no thicker than you little finger bloom. Since this is the case with Wisteria bonsai, if I show you the technique for making flowers bloom instead of teaching bonsai styling techniques you will be pleased and will gladly try one and make it flourish. All Wisteria Are Not Purple There are not only purple cultivars, but there are also white and pink. There are many different Wisteria cultivars depending on color, double flowers and very long racemes. But

the culture of them is rather difficult and when created as bonsai will have an inferior appearance. It is best to stick with a purple flowering Wisteria. Obtaining Plants Since stock plants are not that expensive, it is probably best to purchase one that is in flower from a nursery or garden center. Any grafted specimen is fine. Literati style bonsai can be created from specimens with a high graft by bending the trunk into a cascade at the graft union. Cuttings of Wisteria succeed readily so you can get cuttings from someone who is growing Wisteria bonsai and they will probably root and grow. Cuttings root best during the summer from the long shoots. Seedling Wisteria can also be collected from the wild in Japan or in southern areas. Collecting should be done in autumn and the seedlings planted somewhat deeply in the garden. They can be potted in a container in spring. It is necessary for even the most skilled collectors to root prune collected material drastically. It will take from five to seven years to make these collected specimens bloom, even if they had blossomed in the wild.

Training A Young Specimen A seedling taken from the wild or grafted plant should, as much as possible, be made to grow healthy and as a bonsai, styled as a tree. Since trees that are in training are not being grown for their flower appreciation, they should be transplanted every year or alternate years, sufficiently fertilized and watered. The techniques of are explained in this article. The vine should be allowed to extend. In general the Wisteria vine should be allowed to extend and then in summer cut back to two or three nodes. If this is done, new buds will break and they too must be cut back. Usually, if you cut back two or three times a year the tree will develop a good shape. In shaping the Wisteria you can do virtually anything if you pull or brace it or shape with wire. It will not break. But it is rather difficult to a give a shape to it, so be sure to bend it severely. If you repeat this procedure over a two or three year period, numerous flowers will undoubtedly bloom. Once the flower racemes bloom the bonsai should be cared for in the same manner as developed bonsai.

JOE NOGA

Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda,’ completely container grown and trained for approximately ten years. Notice the good graft union half way up the lower trunk.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 9 2021/NO. 3

Transplanting Wisteria The purpose of growing Wisteria bonsai is to appreciate the flowers. If you frequently transplant a Wisteria and grow it robustly, it will cease blooming. The reason is that one should plant Wisteria firmly in hard soil because root restriction is an important factor in promoting flowering. Finished bonsai that can be displayed should be transplanted after the flowers have finished and the remaining racemes are removed and the foliage is severely trimmed. If you transplant prior to blooming, the flowers will atrophy. Specimens in training can be transplanted prior to bud break since the flowers should not be encouraged. It is not necessary to transplant

Wisteria very often. Flowers will bloom if the bonsai is transplanted once every five or six years. There is no need to worry about the proportion of red loam and other soils to mix together. Wisteria can be planted in pure red loam. Ordinary bonsai potting soil or soil from the garden is also acceptable. I plant my Wisteria in pure red loam and do not mix anything with it. Additionally, I do not use fresh soil, but soil which has been used for potting other deciduous species. Since old soil has been previously used, it contains fine particles and small roots. I wash the soil in water and allow it to dry in the sun.

to remove the old soil, use a stream of water from a hose to gently wash it away. Use a chopstick to make the soil come loose and shake the plant while using the water. It is fine to completely bareroot the plant. If you cut back heavy roots too much the bonsai will be weakened and will not bloom for years. As much as possible, the new white roots that have emerged this year from last year’s roots should not be cut back. Roots which are dead and look dirty and black to the tips should be severely cut back to live tissue. Wisteria roots become active in March and many new roots have emerged by replanting time after the finish of the flowering season. Wisteria flowers will not bloom until the fine roots form a mass and begin to circle the bottom of the pot. The new long roots should not be cut when transplanting and arrange the remaining root to begin to circle the bottom and fill the pot. It is not necessary to place a layer of large bottom soil in the bottom of the pot when transplanting. If you use it, the roots will only grow there and will a cause for flowers failing to bloom.

Root Pruning Wisteria Because the old soil is firmly compacted it cannot be removed as is. In order

Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda, in training for a cascade style bonsai. Note the string lowering the trunk and the change in planting angle which will be corrected in the future.

Containers Since Wisteria bonsai will not be transplanted again for four or five years, a deep pot rather than shallow is better. Unglazed pots will dry too quickly and cause some problems. A porcelain or glazed pot is best. Since most Wisteria flowers are purple you should choose a glazed pot that has a whitish hue, or keeping in mind that the flowers bloom in early summer, a container with a refreshing color is recommended.

WM. N. VALAVANIS PHOTOS

Wisteria bonsai love water and they are often placed in a shallow basin of water during the summer months.

10 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

Growing Area Place Wisteria in an area where they are exposed to the sun throughout the year. They are fine placed outside, as is, during the winter months in Japan. However, if they are planted in a valuable container there is the danger of freezing and cracking, so to prevent damage, protect these bonsai in a cold frame. When Wisteria are in bloom you will want to bring them inside for viewing, but in some cases, after two or three hours inside, the flowers will fall. When indoors, it is preferable to be careful and to put them back outside after an hour of viewing. Wisteria And Water Wisteria love water and are found growing naturally near ponds, streams and lakes. Wisteria bonsai, even if constantly watered, are usually insufficiently watered since the pot is very small compared to the amount of foliage. After blooming, when the bonsai appears to be growing robustly with elongate buds, place the pot in a polyethylene bucket filled with water to about one-fourth to one-fifth of the container depth. The bonsai should be kept in the water bucket throughout the summer rainy season and continued to mid-autumn. Although it is not necessary to water the bonsai from above, one should take care to occasionally replenish the water in the bucket. Even if you soak the roots using this method you will not cause them to rot. Watering during spring, autumn and winter can be done as with other bonsai species.

In other words, by soaking the Wisteria, which provides sufficient water continuously, this restrains the root and growth and forces flower bud production. Fertilizer And The Development Of Flower Buds It is often said that Wisteria flower buds develop in mid-summer. But in my experience they seem to develop approximately half a month to 20 days earlier, which would be about from the end of June to the middle of July in Japan. If you fertilize sufficiently or more than sufficiently until then and grow it robustly so the buds are created by the middle of July, Wisteria will bloom for you every year. Bonsai that have just been transplanted, the critical period is the first month and a half following transplanting. If they are fertilized during that time they will always bloom. If fertilizer is insufficiently applied or too late in the season, flowers will sometimes not bloom. If fertilized after mid-summer when the bonsai enters its growing period, it will be used by the plant for foliage, not flower bud production.

Fertilizer Nurserymen in the past used to say that Wisteria should be placed right in the middle of a fertilizer pile. They must be fertilized that much. If fed insufficiently Wisteria will not produce flower buds. Any type of fertilizer is fine; fermented rape seed meal, home made concoctions of chemical fertilizer. If placing solid fertilizer cakes on the surface, it may be convenient to make them during the cold season. When the roots begin to elongate they start to absorb fertilizer. Hence one should begin to apply fertilizer immediately after flowering to specimens which were not transplanted and from 20 to 25 days following transplanting to those that were. Since fermented rape seed meal no longer has any effect after 20 to 25 days, new fertilizer should be reapplied around every ten days. There is no need to remove what is left over. Thus since fertilizer is constantly being applied and not removed, by the beginning of the summer rainy season in Japan there will be so many fertilizer cakes that the soil will not be visible. Fertilizer should not only be placed on the soil surface, but also

Chinese wisteria, Wisteria chinensis, displayed at the Shunka-en Bonsai Museum of Kunio Kobayashi in Tokyo, Japan.

The Significance Of Soaking If Wisteria are placed on a bonsai table in the sun and have sufficient water, fertilizer and air, the roots and branches will both elongate. Then the bonsai will produce only foliar growth and will stop producing flower buds. It will then be necessary to transplant every year. Soaking the Wisteria will suffocate the roots and they will not elongate too much. Although the roots are suffocating and are very active, if there is sufficient water and fertilizer needed to survive, they will produce flower buds. Since the roots will not elongate, neither will the foliage. Since the buds and foliage cannot elongate this will naturally trigger flower bud production. INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 11 2021/NO. 3

into the bucket containing water for soaking. Normally a scum would form but since it is constantly absorbing the water it will not become blackened with the scum. Though the water may become slightly brown, it will soon clear. Foliage color and water clarity are the two criteria for determining the amount of fertilizer. If the foliage appears unhealthy and the soaking water is clear it is apparent that the amount of fertilizer is insufficient. Hence, until the soaking water becomes somewhat murky, continue to apply fertilizer. Generally, apply fertilizer during the summer in the same fashion as spring. After mid-August reduce the amount by one half. Fertilizer should not be applied in autumn. Styling Wisteria Bonsai Wisteria are attractive if they appear like they are coiled around a tree growing on a river bank with a swift current with water spray crashing onto boulders. Wisterias are trained into upright styles are not very appealing. Since the long flowers and

curved like the bail of a pail, gradually by the weight of the foliage and flowers at the branch tips, and the angle will naturally become more acute. Some people graft buds on the unnaturally curving trunk sections and these will become scars later. Since Wisteria produce adventitious buds readily, it is probably better to wait for these to appear. At any rate when creating Wisteria bonsai I think it is better to devote yourself to making them bloom and consider such things as shape and branch formation secondary.

foliage will overlap when they hang down. It is better to train Wisteria in the semi-cascade and cascade styles. A semi-cascade style Wisteria displayed on a table with tall legs with a small white flowering Satsuki azalea creates a formal display for early summer. As stated earlier, when creating Wisteria bonsai, styling by wiring and other techniques is secondary and making them bloom is more important. Without forcing them into shape with wire, by raising them and having them bloom early, gradually they will assume a shape and after five or ten years will produce some curves and style themselves naturally. If you try to force Wisteria to grow thick trunks quickly without having flowers bloom they will surely produce vines that will need to be wired, the real natural appearance of a Wisteria will be lost. If you purchase a specimen at a garden center and want to try to train it into a semi-cascade or cascade style place it on a high shelf and pull the trunk down with wire. It will be

Pruning And Trimming Tendrils Trim tendrils back to two or three nodes on specimens which have a developed shape, while still tender. If you allow these to extend freely the internodes will become too long and the plant will try to produce foliage growth and will not flower. When extended, a shoot will become a vine and branch. If an unneeded branch grows, remove it immediately. When branches extend they generally end up leggy with six inch internodes. It is best to develop branches by planning and allowing for growth up to a certain point each year and extending it yearly. With my branch developing technique there is no need to prune during the winter. As previously mentioned, branches and twigs are sparse. Wisteria are not attractive during the winter months. But if you follow my method for maintaining branches and removing tendrils, the winter appearance will also improve.

Chinese wisteria, Wisteria chinensis, trained from the base of an old collected vine growing on a tree in North Carolina covering acres of trees. It was reduced to two feet in height and has only been in training for four years from collecting the stump.

FRANK GRILLO

Wiring Wisteria Wiring can be done in either winter or summer; anytime is all right. Although it is a difficult time to wire, July to the beginning of August is quite effective. Since Wisteria thicken up until mid-summer and begin to harden after that time, applying wire just at this transitional time will shape them effectively. Wiring in mid-summer is not harmful because leaves will not drop even if disturbed unreasonably.

12 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

Leaf Thinning Wisteria will produce adventitious buds if the branch tip is pinched. But if foliage is allowed to grow profusely and the sun and wind cannot reach the inner areas of the Wisteria, adventitious buds will not appear.

Moreover, those weak buds that do will wither, including flower buds. Buds growing in the shade will become vegetative, not flowering. Occasionally leaf thinning should be performed and those rather crowded areas should be opened up to the sunlight and wind by removing foliage at either their base or removing partially. Many adventitious buds will form when the bonsai is leaf thinned. So many may form that it may been troubling keeping up with the thinning. Leaf thinning is thus an important activity for training for training Wisteria bonsai. Disease And Pests Wisteria are rarely afflicted with diseases. I have never sprayed them with fungicides. If they are attacked by pests most can be controlled using applications of Malathion or other pesticides recommended by nurserymen.

A Note On Flowering Times Wisteria bloom in order from the base of a raceme and flowers normally bloom for two days. When flowers wither, remove using a tweezers. Do not allow the entire raceme to bloom and remove it when 70% to 80% of the blossom has flowered. Allowing every flower to bloom is not good for the following years production of flowers. Also, the base of the raceme which has already bloomed will be ugly. I usually remove them when 60% of the flower has bloomed and then begin transplanting. I like the feeling of the purple flowers after the May festivals and have had many Wisteria bonsai. The enjoyment of Wisteria flowers is only a five day or one week period, but the remaining 360 days of the year should not be forgotten.

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Editor’s Note: This article appeared in the 1990/NO. 1 issue of International BONSAI. It is reprinted because the issue is out of print and contains excellent and valuable information on Wisteria bonsai.

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A Little Magic With Shohin Bonsai Part 52– Flowering Bonsai

By John Romano

T he period of late winter to spring brings a profusive explosion of color

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Beginning in late winter, we first have the Japanese flowering apricots, Prunus mume, blooming. Around this time or slightly after we then experience the joy of the Red chojubai dwarf Japanese flowering quince, Chaenomeles japonica ‘Chojubai Red, which is always an early riser. Also, about this time I see the bright yellow Winter jasmine flowers, Jasminum nudiflorum. For me, these three species are the earliest to bloom. Early spring brings Witch hazel,

Chojubai dwarf Japanese flowering quince, Chaenomeles japonica ‘Chojubai.’

WM. N. VALAVANIS PHOTOS

to our bonsai garden, especially for those of us who experience distinctive four seasons. There is so much that has to be accomplished this time of year with repotting and training our bonsai, but we need to stop and take some moments to enjoy this colorful beauty. I have added to my collection over the years species that will extend this wave of color and bloom for as long as possible throughout the year. It gives a nice flourish to the bonsai benches. With smaller shohin bonsai, the color becomes even more pronounced when appreciated alone as they take up so much more of the volume. Bringing a flowering tree into the house for a short appreciative visit can elevate the feeling of the season you are in. One of the appeals of working with shohin bonsai is the vast number of species to cultivate in order to create seasonal and varietal displays. The seven, five and three tree exhibit displays give a glimpse of the natural world. Strong mountain trees are set on top with the lower shelves presenting trees from the woodland and lower elevations. Seasonal displays of flowering and fruiting species mixed with conifers, deciduous and broadleaf evergreens can round out the overall effect. Having enough shohin bonsai on hand is always a challenge,

however, so many shohin bonsai collectors will often combine with other enthusiasts to make up a good display for an exhibition. However, we are always seeking for new specimens to round out our collections. It is the shear variety that makes this challenge fun. Let us look throughout the season at the many varieties that one can work with. I am using my own personal location here in the New England region of the United States in USDA Zone 6B.

Pink hawthorn, Crataegus laevigata ‘cv.’

Little twist cherry, Prunus incisa ‘Kojo No Mai.’

Bougainvillea, Bougainvillea glabra ‘cv.’

Hamamelis sp., Winter hazel, Corylopsis sp., Forsythia, Forsythia suspensa, Cherry, Prunus sp., Mulberry, Morus sp., Crabapple, Malus sp., Wisteria, Wisteria sp., and Flowering quince, Chaenomeles sp. Forsythia are a ubiquitous species found in many local yards, and becomes a little more magical when it is singled out in a little pot and blooms earlier than your yard shrub. I remember many, many years ago being fascinated with Zeko Nakamura’s little dandelion accent plant. Take something ordinary and

raise it to the level of art. A dwarf mulberry ‘Kato’, Morus alba ‘Kato’, that I acquired from Bill Valavanis a few years ago is a new joy that I look forward to each spring. And having a little Cherry Blossom Festival in the palm of your hand is cool! Later in spring to early summer brings Azalea, Rhododendron sp., in its many forms along with Lilac, Syringa sp., Dwarf rose, Rosa sp., Crape myrtle, Lagerstreomia sp., Gardenia, Gardenia sp., Pomegranate, Punica granatum, Beautyberry,

Callicarpa japonica and Hawthorne, Crataegus sp. Summer is not as prolific as the earlier seasons but there are a few reliables. The Potentilla, Potentilla fruticosa, is a nice summer flowering species. Also, Silverberry, Elaeagnus sp., and some Chrysanthemums flower in summer. I have also been enjoying Lavender star flower, Grewia cafra, that can bloom almost all year and is a fun species for flowering shohin bonsai. As we turn into autumn and early winter, we get a second blossom of Chojubai Japanese dwarf flowering quince as well as Chrysanthemum and some Camellia, Camellia sp. Winter brings more Camellia, Japanese flowering apricot and the cycle begins again. Those of you in more tropical climates have your own plethora of species and probably a wider period of time for blooming.

Kyushu azalea, Rhododendron Kiusianum, and Shrubby cinquifoil, Potentilla fruiticosa.

About The Author

JOE NOGA

JOHN ROMANO John Romano lives with his shohin bonsai collection (and the rest of his family) in West Kingston and also works at New England Bonsai Gardens in Massachusetts where he teaches bonsai classes and has private students. Mr. Romano’s shohin bonsai have been displayed in several U.S. National Bonsai Exhibitions. One of his shohin bonsai compositions won the Excellence in Design Award by the Rosade Bonsai Studio at the 2000 International Bonsai Symposium. He spent five years studying bonsai with Kenji Miyata and also studied shohin bonsai at the, Taisho-en Bonsai Garden in Shizuoka, Japan. INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 17 2021/NO. 3

BOOK REVIEW Growing Pines For Bonsai Growing Pines For Bonsai By Julian R. Adams Softcover 8.5” x 11”, 95 pages Julian Adams, 2021 $25 When I first became interested in bonsai, I was especially impressed with the miniature deciduous trees I had seen. As I progressed however, I found myself drawn more and more to the conifers. Although I do have deciduous trees in my collection, more than 80% of my trees today are conifers. So…when I learned that Julian Adams had written a book called Growing Pines for Bonsai, I knew this was a book I had to have. As Julian rightly points out, information about the growth of pines in bonsai culture is often confusing and contradictory; I know it has been for me. Julian makes a point early in his book that “There are few situations where the home gardener can have any sort of intimate relationship with the behavior of a healthy growing pine. Human nature then leads us to opt for more familiar species when we are attracted to the practice of bonsai”. With this in mind, Julian’s easy writing style sets out to clearly and succinctly make understanding pines for bonsai enthusiasts available to everyone and I feel he has done an admirable job! This book is a good reference/refresher for anyone already steeped in pine bonsai creations. One of the most valuable points in the book is his clear description of one-flush (most pines) and twoflush pines (Japanese black, red and pitch pines). Julian walks us through the entire sequence of both groups, from dormancy to awakening, shoot development, summer growth, and 18 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

then quieting, via the text, photos, and easy-to-understand graphs. A two-page series of easy-to-understand illustrations clearly shows the stepby-step process of training two-flush pines. I found this especially helpful as a quick and easy reference. After a clear explanation of how to handle both one- and two-flush pines, Julian shares his well-founded understanding of watering, fertilizing, mycorrhizal relationships, soil, repotting tips, insect and disease issues, and propagation techniques for pines, with helpful tips on a variety of other bonsai related issues; he thoroughly covers these topics. Julian Adams is the foremost authority in the United States on an interesting cultivar of Japanese white pine called Zuisho. He shares the history of this bonsai-friendly variety and elaborates on his years of experimentation on how to grow and cultivate this tree for bonsai culture in detail. Lastly, Julian even has a chapter on definitions. I found this particularly

helpful as it clarifies terms that are often misused in “pine circles”; it helped me understand the difference between candle and shoot– they’re not the same! No question about it, in my opinion, anyone interested in pines for bonsai should have this book on their shelf. Julian’s assortment of photos, illustrations, and charts will both refresh your current knowledge base and provide new information to help you grow and create beautiful pine bonsai; this book is definitely a winner! John Wiessinger

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If Trees Could Talk By David Bennett

A cer rubrum, commonly known as Red maple, has been considered

Part 11– Acer rubrum As Bonsai?

was to mimic a red maple growing in a cow pasture near me, whose hollow trunk had mostly rotted away with only a single lower branch keeping it alive. Once in a pot I proceeded to carve an immense hollow on one side of the trunk almost entirely to the living cambium layer on the other side. Little did I know of the tree’s healing power. Since then the wound has almost completely healed; the closeup photo shows the zipper line left from healing. Inside that wound is cut putty, gorilla glue and maybe a pair of scissors I’ve been looking for. The years following the initial styling, I mostly kept the tree alive,

Drummond red maple and Red maple.

Red maple before defoliation.

Typical leaf size before defoliation.

DAVID BENNETT PHOTOS

a less than ideal species for bonsai. It has very large leaves, coupled with long petioles and coarse growth. In the wild, the smooth grey bark fissures only on very old trees. But the leaves can be reduced and a lovely white/ grey fissured bark can be developed in a pot more quickly than in nature. Fall color for this variety is yellow as opposed to the red variety, Acer rubrum var. drummondii that others may be familiar with. As a newbie back in 1987, I didn’t know the drawbacks or many other things about this species, so this did not

stop me from collecting it. In this case, ignorance was bliss! This was the first tree I ever collected. Since the tree was in my own woods, collecting was done over two growing seasons. The first year, its four inch trunk was stumped a few inches above the ground line and then allowed to grow wild for the season to recover, as well as it could. The three adventitious buds that emerged from the stump are still there. One became the new leader and the others formed the two lower branches. The following spring it was dug and put in a pot. In designing this tree my intent

20 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

The wound healed in a zipper-line formation.

growing it out and cutting it back. I watched as it slowly healed its massive wound I had created that made my original intent for the design less appealing. I paid little attention to it, as my working career left little free time. I retired in 2008 to rethink the tree’s qualities. My maple was growing in a very large mica training pot and my thought was to try to slow its growth by getting it into a smaller pot, hoping that would also help to reduce the leaf size. If anything, it became more vigorous and the leaves bigger than ever; I now attribute that to an upgrade in soil composition. I found the big wound unsightly and the apex was tilting backward from the original front so it was easy to simply turn the tree around and all was fixed. One thing that plagues all of the red maples on my property is that they’re all infested with black tar spot fungus. It really doesn’t seem to

Heavy trunk and lower surface root display.

Short internodes on Red maple can easily be developed by defoliation.

harm the health of the trees but it is very unsightly on bonsai, so my next step was to try to control the fungus. That journey started by spraying as

Leaf reduction size after defoliating Red maple in spring.

the buds swelled, and as the leaves emerged and hardened off. It helped, but did not totally eliminate the ugly black spots through the spring. It’s Red maple flowers yellow in early spring.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 21 2021/NO. 3

Spring 2014– Leafing out in early spring.

2016– Before incremental defoliation.

2016– Ten days into incremental defoliation.

common practice for treating fungus in early spring to remove diseased leaves and burn them to keep the healthy leaves from being infected. And yet, as I closely watched the leaves harden off, I noticed to my disbelief, some of them were showing signs of infection. I now began the slow, incremental defoliation of the tree as I removed the infected leaves. I didn’t mind doing this as these giant leaves were shading the inner growth, crippling those inner leaves, causing them to turn yellow and fall off. It amounted to cutting a few leaves every few days, which I felt wouldn’t stress the tree as the inner leaves were allowed to flourish. Slowly the petioles fell off and new leaves emerged and as with any defoliation, smaller leaves developed. This process begins in my climate USDA Zone 5A around the third week in May and continues into mid-June when most others are just starting the defoliation process. I attribute the new leaves not getting infected to the warmer, dryer conditions in June plus, I spray copper sulfate prophylactically to keep it at bay. Let me also say this leaf reduction is not permanent. Next season the leaves will become giants again! For those of you that do not have a fungus problem, a normal defoliation may work just as well. Another benefit of defoliation is shortening of the internodes, which will eventually bring a more compact growth habit as seen in the photos. The constant defoliation also keeps branch extension to a minimum. The silhouette photos illustrate one season’s growth. Scissors were not used on this tree, other than for leaf cutting. Some

branching has extended beyond the tree’s silhouette but for the most part, it is very “well behaved.” These will be cut back late in winter along with others to keep its shape. I try to keep this at a minimum so as not to cut off flower buds. Red maple flowers in early spring before the leaves start to emerge. They’re small flowers and do

not come out in large clusters as they do when growing naturally in the ground. There is still time to cut back after the tree flowers. Native Red maples are plentiful, forgiving and hardy. Their native habitat encompasses the entire east coast of the United States and beyond the Mississippi River. I pull hundreds of

22 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

October 2019– Yellow is the characteristic color for Red maple autumn foliage.

August 2017– Small leaves were developed by defoliating.

seedlings from my landscape each year as weeds, which can be very handy if you’re looking for root

July 2019– Years of training has developed small compact foliage.

grafts. They don’t require a lot of work other than the yearly defoliation. The only advice I would offer is to

develop these to be larger trees. Although the leaves do reduce, they are still fairly big and much more believable on larger specimens.

Winter 2020– Short twig development can be appreciated in winter.

About The Author DAVID BENNETT David Bennett began his career in the arts while studying for his bachelor of fine art degree at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1976 with a concentration in furniture design and sculpture. The years after graduating Edinboro were spent in the fields of boatbuilding and woodcarving. In 1986, he established Falls Run Woodcarving, primarily as a custom carving shop and woodcarving school which spawned a “how-to” book and video. In 1991, he began manufacturing his own wood carving tools which became Flexcut Tool Co. Inc. After selling the company in 2008 his focus was allowed to return to bonsai which he has been doing since 1987. Growing unconventional species for bonsai is his specialty. In 2013, with an eye for pottery David expanded his skills to include making bonsai and orchid pots. Today his pottery is strictly hand-built from slabs with many designs inspired by historical European and American art movements. Currently, he splits his time between bonsai and pottery. INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 23 2021/NO.3

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Is Your Wisteria Chinese or Japanese?

By William N. Valavanis

W isteria make an outstanding splash of color in spring, especially

when trained for bonsai. There are two species commonly trained for bonsai. In North America, the Chinese wisteria is the most popular. I have grown both species and have not found any difference in the training and care. The primary difference between the Chinese and Japanese species is in the flowers. Chinese wisteria all open at one time, while the Japanese species open from the top to bottom. Japanese wisteria have the tendency to have the upper part of the raceme without flowers (bare stalk), the middle section in full bloom and the lower section with unopened buds. It generally flowers about a week after the Chinese species. Chinese wisteria blooms usually simultaneously, perhaps the reason for its popularity. Usually the leaves appear during the late period of flowering. A reliable method to differentiate Chinese and Japanese wisteria is to observe the foliage and the direction the vine grows, both are different. Although the training is identical for both species, most bonsai hobbyists probably are not certain (or care) which they have. Most Wisteria are probably mislabeled, but the beautiful and fragrant flowers are the main reason for enjoyment.

26 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

Chinese Wisteria

Japanese Wisteria

Wisteria sinensis

Wisteria floribunda

Flowers

Racemes 7-14” in length Slighty fragrant flowers Racemes open simultaneously Flowers appear about a week before Japanese wisteria

Racemes 8-64” in length Very fragrant flowers Racemes open from top to bottom Flowers appear about a week after Chinese wisteria

Foliage

Leaflets 7-13 Appear while flowering No significant autumn coloring

Leaflets 13-19 Appear after flowering Yellow autumn coloring

Growth Habit

Vines grow from left to right Widely planted in North America

Vines grow from right to left Planted less in North America

Less winter hardy than Japanese wisteria

More winter hardy than Chinese wisteria

Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda, displaying the long elegant flower racemes which can reach 64 inches in length. They flower after the Chinese wisteria.

JOE NOGA PHOTOS

Chinese wisteria, Wisteria sinensis, in full blossom featuring shorter, 4-14 inch fuller flowers. This species flowers about one week before the Japanese wisteria.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 27 2021/NO. 3

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Cut Back & Leaf Cutting Chinese Wisteria By Jonas Dupuich

M y usual routine for new trees in the garden is simple, keep them as healthy as possible until repotting season. When I repot a tree, I can get an idea of what the roots look like and better understand how the tree might respond to bonsai

work. A few weeks ago, I brought a Caroline Chinese wisteria, Wisteria sinensis ‘Caroline,’ into the garden that challenged this approach. After just seven days on the bench, the tree had produced new shoots 28 inches long. Clearly, the tree was strong enough for some work.

JONAS DUPUICH PHOTOS

Cutback & Leaf Pruning On Chinese Wisteria

30 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

I had been appreciating the new bronze-colored leaves that grew among the pale green mature foliage as it offered a nice contrast of colors for a summer bonsai out of bloom. As you can see from the photos, the pinnately compound leaves are long and comprise thirteen leaflets. Long leaves aren’t typically great for bonsai but we forgive this on wisteria as they can provide such great spring flowers. The long leaves were, however, shading out some of the interior growth which was turning yellow and starting to fall away. To ensure more sunlight reached the tree’s interior, I decided to prune the leaves. On a healthy wisteria, it’s safe to cut back to two leaflets. Because I wasn’t sure how the tree would respond, I kept between four to six leaflets on each leaf. As I reached toward the tree to start cutting, I noticed a few ants crawling along the trunk. Ants make me suspicious, so I inspected the branches carefully and found what I’d suspected– some scale. Fig. 1 Healthy Chinese wisteria, August 23, 2019

Fig. 4 Removing scale insects.

Fig. 2 New leaf with bronze color.

Fig. 3 Pale green mature leaf.

Fig. 5 Chinese wisteria seed pods.

I plucked off the scale and started pruning. Along the way, I found and removed a few seed pods. When I was done with the leaf pruning, I found I could appreciate the shape of the tree. The grower, a hobbyist who had worked on the tree for decades, had done a fantastic job of developing the trunk and branches. Taking a few steps back from the tree, I noticed that the tallest branch was somewhat long and slender compared with the others. I liked the silhouette, but thought that reducing the branch would allow for the development of more refined branching near the apex. I cut the branch. Within a week new buds had appeared and the tree is now preparing for a third summer bloom– I can’t wait! In the meantime, I’ll keep the tree in full sun, fertilize liberally, and provide as much water as the tree can drink, about four to five waterings a day at this point.

Fig. 6 Healthy Chinese wisteria after pruning. INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 31 2021/NO. 3

Fig. 7 The branch was cut to improve the overall shape of the Chinese wisteria.

Fig. 8 Chinese wisteria after minor cutback and leaf pruning, 33 inches tall and 36 inches wide.

Developing Branches On Chinese Wisteria For years I’ve been curious about what it takes to create dense branching on wisteria bonsai. I’ve seen many beautiful specimens that bloom every year, but I don’t see as many that have fine, twiggy branching. One of the first steps in ramifying deciduous bonsai is cutting back to create a compact silhouette. This can require cutting past existing buds, which isn’t always a sure thing with older trees. Having pruned wisteria in the landscape for years, I know that I can cut into old wood and still get new shoots to develop. I wasn’t sure about what to expect with wisteria bonsai, so I decided to give it a try. Here’s the tree I wanted to experiment with. It was still full of leaves in December, so I removed them to get a better look at the silhouette.

Fig. 9 Fall color of Chinese wisteria, December 2019 32 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

Fig. 10 After removing leaves on Chinese Wisteria.

Fig. 11 After cutting back Chinese wisteria, December 2019.

This was my first chance to see the the Chinese wisteria branches clearly. I liked the primary branches, but some of the smaller branches were too long to support a compact silhouette.

I cut back to one or two visible buds on most of the branches, and in a few places, I cut past the buds to see what would happen. Although it took several weeks for the tree to leaf out in spring, I was happy to see new shoots emerge from every branch. The tree has since filled in and is now producing long tendrils. I’ll let the tree continue to grow until the leaves have hardened off before thinning the foliage in May or June. For those who noticed the new pot, here’s a close-up.

Fig. 12 Chinese wisteria with spring leaves, 35 inches tall.

Fig. 13 New glazed container by Sara Rayner, spring 2020.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 33 2021/NO. 3

Leaf Pruning Chinese Wisteria

Fig. 14 Chinese wisteria before pruning, June 2020. Left– Last summer I took a conservative approach to pruning this Chinese wisteria. I shortened long runners down to five or six inches and leaf pruned to four to six leaflets. This year, I want to cut back to two or three buds per shoot and leaf

Fig. 15 Wisteria after cutting back shoots to two or three buds.

Little Gem dwarf gardenia, Gardenia jasprune to‘Little two leaflets. The idea to moindes Gem,’ trained from is a cutkeep the internodes short as I try to ting by William N. Valavanis

improve the branch ramification. It’s hard to see what the branches look like, so here are close-ups showing new shoots with two buds and three buds.

I’ll be curious to see how many of these buds produce new shoots as this will guide future cutback efforts. The next step was to reduce each leaf down to two leaflets. After making the cuts, it was easy to see the branches again.

Fig. 18 After leaf pruning Chinese wisteria, June 16, 2020, 31 inches tall.

Fig. 16 New shoot cut to two buds. Fig. 17 New shoot cut to three buds.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

Chinese Wisteria Flowering After Leaf Pruning

Fig. 19 Chinese wisteria in bloom, July 8, 2020.

Fig. 20 Chinese wisteria in bloom, July 11, 2020.

Fig. 23 After removing racemes and thinning, July 25, 2020, 39 inches tall.

Fig. 21 Fully opened wisteria blossoms.

Fig. 22 Young seed pods developing.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 35 2021/NO. 3

Developing Branches On Chinese Wisteria For the last year and a half, I’ve been working to increase the branch density on the Chinese wisteria. Last fall, I was able to see the results. Seeing that the new shoots were 4-5 inches long, I reduced them to two or three buds each. At this point I was happy with the branch development, but I wasn’t sure if the tree was going to bloom after producing flowers twice during the previous summer. By February, I had my answer. If we look closely, it’s easy to see the result of the pruning over the last year and a half. Here’s where I pruned in December, 2019. The branch just above this point developed in early 2020. Above that was the most recent growth exten-

sion from last summer. In this one example, two cuts have yielded five branches and nine flower buds over twelve months. The results were similar around the rest of the tree. I didn’t count all of the flowers, but there were plenty. Much of the tree’s ability to produce flowers can be attributed to this cultivar ‘Caroline’, a cultivar that’s known to produce ample blooms. I plan to keep the tree in the sun again this year and provide lots of water and fertilizer. My goal is to continue improving the branch density so I plan to let the tree grow out before cutting back to three buds in spring and again in fall.

Fig. 24 Fall color, November, 2020.

Fig. 25 After removing the leaves.

Fig. 26 Flower buds swelling, February 2021.

Fig. 27 Site of first cutback.

Fig. 28 Shoot from early 2020.

Fig. 29 Shoot from late 2020.

36 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

Flowers beginning to elongate and open.

About The Author Jonas Dupuich is an award winning professional bonsai artist from Alameda, California. His writing, photography and publishing activities have provided the perfect background for his blog, one of the top bonsai blogs in the world. Mr. Dupuich shares

new techniques that are introduced and illustrated by excellent photographs of beautiful bonsai from around the world. Mr. Dupuich is the proprietor of Bonsai Tonight where he offers a wide range of bonsai soils, tools, and supplies online, as well as in California. He tours the United States giving bonsai classes, lectures and workshops. His new book, The Little Book of Bonsai, provides guidance on bonsai care, and shaping. Check out his website and blog: www.bonsaitonight.com

Editor’s Note: This article has been

compiled from four excellent blog entries by Jonas Dupuich from Bonsai Tonight. These well illustrated and written blogs are published several times a week and are highly recommended. www.bonsaitonight.com

Caroline Chinese wisteria, Wisteria sinensis ‘Caroline,’ flowering in mid-March, 2021, height 33 inches.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 37 2021/NO. 3

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www.FlowerMarketDunee.com INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 39 2021/NO. 3

Reducing The Size Of A Japanese Flowering Apricot

Lesson 36

Masahiko Kimura's Fun Bonsai Classroom Japanese Edition: Bonsai World Magazine English Edition: Peter Warren & Satomi Uchida, Translators Editor’s Note: This article has been reprinted with permission from S Press Media Publishing Company. The article first appeared in the April 2017 issue of Bonsai Sekai (Bonsai World) magazine published in Japanese. The article has been translated and edited for our readers. Masahiko Kimura is well known around the world for the dramatic, and often magical bonsai he creates. Beginning in 1986 we have featured the 50 part series "Magic Moments– The Artistry of Kimura" where he transformed some rather unusual material into spectacular bonsai masterpieces. 40 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

T his is a very old Japanese flowering apricot with a large bone-like dead

wood in the trunk. The character and movement of the trunk are typical of an ancient tree, but the branches are wild and untamed. On careful inspection there are a number of dead branches all over the tree. These types of tree that have been left untouched for years are fairly common in the bonsai world. Here we will look at the first steps for taming such a wild and leggy tree in order to tighten up the image and reduce the outline. Student: Teacher, last month was the Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition and so you

must have been very busy. I am sorry that I too was busy and we could not arrange the time to have a class. Master Kimura: I was very busy with many clients so it is not a problem. Today we will look at what to do with this Japanese flowering apricot bonsai, which is still flowering. Student: It is truly an old tree and I bet that dead wood has a tale to tell. Looking carefully at it I can see a lot of dead branches. Master Kimura: Although it has been watered and cared for, the tree has not been pruned in a number of years

A branch which had previously died. It is turned into a small dead wood section rather than cut off at the base. The end is split and peeled back. The color of this very dry wood is different to the previous living example.

BONSAI WORLD MAGAZINE

Cutting off the unnecessary branches to make into dead wood. As this is a living branch, there is a feeling of moisture in there and the color is one of a living branch. In the case of this Japanese flowering apricot, the surviving branches are not incredibly vigorous and they are tough.

Before reducing the size of the Japanese flowering apricot, Prunus mume, height 42 inches. Although the flowers are beautiful there are many dead branches visible in the tree. It looks as though it has not been worked on for many years.

The lower left branch on the front side is an old branch which has become very leggy. If it was less leggy or more vigorous then it should be kept, but it is a very tough and difficult to bend branch. After carefully considering the options to wire it, the branch is removed.

and only been allowed to grow while just enjoying the flowers. Japanese flowering apricot branches will become leggy very easily. It has a natural tendency to shift towards younger branches, so the old ones die easily. Student: So what do we do with this bonsai then?

Master Kimura: First we need to deal with the dead branches. We will work on the dead branches and dead wood, then remove the flowers and look to wire and manipulate the branches to compact the tree a little more, bringing the branches as close to the trunk as possible. We will also look to prune the branches back as hard as possible.

Student: But an old bonsai such as this must be very tough and hard to bend surely. Master Kimura: You are correct. These branches are old and thin making them very brittle. In truth I tried to wire and move a branch around a bit. The branches have wounds and dead sections that creak and groan INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 41 2021/NO. 3

1. Starting with the branch at the rear, the branch on the lower left at the front was removed. The branches on the left side have become very sparse. One section of the back branch is to be bent around to help occupy some of that space.

5. Rather than attempting to bend the branches like a pine tree, the existing bends in branches should be accentuated and bent more using a guy wire. This way you can be sure of where the pressure is being applied and control it.

2. The back branch has thick aluminum wire applied along one section. The base of the branch is used as fulcrum, with the wire bent into a “U shape” around the branch to secure it.

6. Another back branch has a section bent towards the front to help fill in the lower left side. Again aluminum wire is applied at the branch division section.

3. With conifers it is possible to bend the branch into position as you are wiring, but for deciduous and especially an old prunus such as this, that should not be done. Place the wire on the outside of where the bends are to be made.

7. Depending on the thickness of the branch it may be necessary to use two wires rather than one. Again it is to be bent into a position using a guy wire, however the guy wire is applied to the existing wire itself rather than directly to the branch.

4.The thick aluminum wire is used down to the end of the thinner branches and is bent towards the front of the tree. When bending prunus branches, even if they creak and crack a little bit, if they are still connected on the side where they are being bent, then they will be ok.

8. The guy wire should be attached to a jin as close as possible to the branch that is to be bent. Avoid crossing over the front of the trunk when using a guy wire if possible.

42 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

9. The apex of the tree is unbalanced. This section needs to be dropped down, so it is wired and lowered.

10. After wiring, the entire branch is securely grasped and bent downwards to see how far it will go. At this stage pressure should be applied slowly. 11. A guy wire is used to lower the branch down. It is not done all at once, but rather in small steps, tightening the wire as it lowers.

when you try to bend them. For sure I picked out a difficult piece of material to work on this time. Student: It is certainly different from one of your more amazing trunk bending technical transformations. You have to be very delicate and bend with a light touch. It is the perfect way to show people that you are not just about the powerful trunk bending work. In that sense it is a great piece of material to work on. Master Kimura: Indeed. It might be troublesome and no matter how careful

12. The finer branches in the apex will be wired and pruned, but before that can be done, the spent flowers are hand removed.

13. Long leggy branches are cut back at the same time. Prunus mume will back bud on old wood, so cutting back hard is good. 14. When cutting back, hold the branch tip in your fingers and cut above a leaf bud if it is obvious.

you are when bending, there will always be some branches that snap. Generally speaking, just wire alone will not be sufficient, so guy wires to pull branches into place should also be used. Student: Even doing that will you still snap branches? Master Kimura: In the case of Japanese flowering apricot bonsai, obviously if they snap off entirely then there is nothing that can be done, but if they snap a little and the opposite side is still intact then the

15. Without being pruned appropriately, the branches in the apex of a Prunus mume become much too strong. This tree is no exception and there are too many branches which need thinning out.

16. The width of the apex is ok, but in order to reduce the height of the tree, the long racing branches in the top of the tree are cut back hard. 17. The congested apex can be cut back to this level of density. The branches that remain are relatively thin and are to be wired and bent down

branch will usually survive. Student: I heard a cracking sound a little bit earlier, was that what was happening? Master Kimura: Yes. With branches this old, even the thin branches have a very tough and hard core section which will snap even with a tiny amount of pressure applied. As long as the side which is bent is still intact however, the branch will be fine. As much as possible it should be avoided, and if it happens then no more bending would be done. INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 43 2021/NO. 3

18. This branch is a relatively dense and congested one coming from the left hand side of the apex. It is decided that the tree does not need it and it is removed. Normally you would look to reduce the secondary branches at the end first, however in this case it was too thick, too straight and too long to be of any use. By doing this a sense of consistency is brought not only to the look of the tree, but also the overall vigor.

20. After unnecessary branches have been removed.

19. The main character feature of this tree is the shari in the lower trunk section. Looking at the other photographs you can see that the core of the trunk remains while areas around it have rotted away, telling the story of the tree’s life over a long period.

21. The apex after pruning and styling. Alongside wiring, guy wires have been used to great effect in order to lower upward growing branches and to tighten up the image. In terms of styling a Japanese flowering apricot, the branches should always maintain a sense of natural movement and ordered chaos. Crossing branches are allowable with them as it complements their natural character, along with strong branches showing vigorous growth next to ancient trunks.

Left side before styling. The tree spreads out in all directions, not just left to right.

After styling, seen from the left side. A lot of branches have been removed, especially in the congested apex area.

44 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

The faint background photo is the before image

After styling Japanese flowering apricot Prunus mume, Height 33 inches.

From now until the branches have solidified in this position, it must be kept as it is for over a year. If the branches move back considerably after the guy wires are removed then it needs to be done again. In practice, branches need to thicken and expand in order for them to stay in position. This tree has weak, thin, aged branches which will not extend or thicken easily, so the wire needs to be left ,as long as possible.

The height after styling has been reduced by around eight inches, which you can see when comparing it to the faint background picture. It is not just the height but also the width that has been compacted and pulled in tighter. The tree now has a bonsai-like appearance.

Student: This is a little off topic but you often hear of Japanese flowering apricot being grafted or having the flower type changed, particularly if the tree has lost its shape. Have you not considered that here? Master Kimura: The flower type here is a good one so there is no need to change it over, but some grafting could be possible. In the case of this tree though, with correct pruning,

wiring and subsequent cultivation, it will be possible to restyle without grafting. We will develop new branches from new shoots that will form. Student: The aim of the work here is not just to reduce the impact of years of neglect, but to prepare the tree for new bud formation. With those branches you will then go on to develop the tree into a better shape?

Master Kimura: Yes, that is correct. A lot of people who have been doing bonsai for a long time don’t understand that process of cutting back and starting again from new shoots. As a result there are lots of trees that look like this on the benches of enthusiasts. Student: That is certainly true.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 45 2021/NO. 3

ABOUT THE COVER Japanese Wisteria From The Collection of William N. Valavanis, Rochester, New York

his Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys,’ was trained from a young two year old bare-root grafted plant since 2004 and has been completely container grown. As the plant grew, bigger containers were used for training. In summer the wisteria is kept in a shallow basin of water. Japanese wisteria flowers are much longer than the shorter Chinese wisteria. This cultivar has the longest flowering racemes. The long racemes are probably due to a mutation of the flowering central stem of the flower. This bonsai easily produces flower racemes over 24 inches in length, while two of my garden specimens produce long racemes over 54 inches. Cover photo: Wm. N. Valavanis

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INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 47 2021/NO. 3

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI

95th 2021- Part 1 Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition Sponsor: Nippon Bonsai Association Japan Cultural Department

Location: Tokyo Metropolitian Art

Dates:

Museum, Tokyo, Japan

Part 1 - February 8-11, 2021 Part 1 - February 13-17, 2021

This year’s Kokfu Bonsai Exhibiton took place with COVID precautions for visitors. Fewer bonsai were displayed and the aisles were wider to allow for social distincing. The following statistics were compiled from the exhibition guide: Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition- Part 1 Displays: 131 (usually 151) Kokufu Prizes Awarded: 3 Important Masterpieces Displayed: 9 Medium Size Bonsai: 31 Shohin Bonsai Compositions: (9) (53 individual specimens) Special Exhibits: 2 Suiseki Displayed: 4

Japanese flowering apricot, Prunus mume, trained from an old gnarled tree. Overall view of the main display gallery at the 95th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition.

Part 2 of the Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition will appear in the next issue. Photos courtesy and copyright of Makiko Kobayashi 2021.

Trident maple, Acer buergerianum, trained as a shohin bonsai.

48 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

Trident maple, Acer buergerianum, trained in the root-over-rock style. The slender multiple trunks harmonize with the fine twigs.

Right– Japanese camellia, Camellia japonica, displaying small size flowers.

Zuisho Japanese five-needle pine, Pinus parviflora ‘Zuisho,’ completely container grown. Probably less than 50 years old.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 49 2021/NO. 3

Sargent juniper, Juniperus chinensis, var. Sargenti ‘Shimpaku,’ trained in a long, dramatic cascade.

Japanese beech, Fagus crenata, trained in the broom style featuring fine twigs.

Japanese five-needle pine, Pinus parviflora, displayed with an accessory plant.

Two small accessory plants.

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Left– Dwarf ezo spruce, Picea glehnii ‘Yatsubusa.’ Several inividual specimens started from cuttings were carefully designed on a stone to present a naturalistic feeling.

Below– Ezo spruce, Picea glehnii, trained from an old collected specimen from northern Japan. The dense twigs and short needles are the result of dedicated techniques used for decades.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 51 2021/NO. 3

Top– Kokufu Prize This old and famous Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergii, has spent many decades of restyling and refinement.

Left– A medium size collected Sargent juniper, Juniperus chinensis, var. Sargenti ‘Shimpaku,’ displayed with a Silver Berry, Elaeagnus pungens and a small accessory. 52 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

Kokufu Prize This old appearing Sargent juniper, Juniperus chinensis var. Sargenti ‘Shimpaku,’ has a fast tapering trunk

which winds upward through the dark green dense foliage mass. The deep antique chinese container balances the

massive bonsai plus adds more room for the root system to flourish.

INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 53 2021/NO. 3

54 INTERNATIONAL BONSAI 2021/NO. 3

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