Todays photo of the day is a great example of why you should keep your foliage small. You have to remember that these plants or trees will grow big and large if you let them. The foliage must make sense on the tree. Can you imagine this tree if the leaves were double in size?

Photo Credit: Wiratchai wansamngam

One of the coolest features any bonsai can have is deadwood. The deadwood technique enhances the illusion of age by creating, shaping and preserving deadwood on a living bonsai.

There are a few deadwood techniques that are used in bonsai:

JIN

This is used on branches or the top of the trunk to show that the tree has old age or has battled to survive. The Jin technique mimics natures attack on a tree through wind, lightning or any other adversity that usually kills the top ( or leader) of the tree and dries it out to form the jin.

 

URO

Although Jin may appear normal on the coniferous variety of bonsai, they really dont look natural on deciduous and most broadleaf species. This is because usually when the branches die on these species they rot and fall completely off. A small noticeable indentation is all that remains, while new wood growth forms around it creating a hollow. Bonsai artists replicate this by making small wounds in the trunk to avoid having a wound scar without control.

 

SHARI

In this technique the deadwood is actually the main trunk of the bonsai. Usually a wound exposes a dead part of the trunk, which is surrounded by living bark.

 

DRIFTWOOD ( SHARAMIKI)

If there is enough deadwood on the trunk, the bonsai is now considered a driftwood or Sharamiki style. This style is highlighted by “veins” of living bark connected to the branches that are still alive, but other than that, the majority of the wood around that is dead, stripped of bark and usually has a weathered look to it.

 

SABAMIKI

The literal meaning of the word means either a hollowed or split trunk. The technique recreates the effect of a lightning strike or other severe trunk damage that trees suffer in nature. Usually bonsai artists achieve this by stripping the bark, then carving the exposed wood to create a deep wound.

 

TANUKI

In this style a living bonsai tree is joined to an already preserved and treated deadwood to create something similar to the driftwood style. To do this style bonsai artists carve a groove into a deadwood and use a living tree is placed within the channel using nails, screws, wire wrappings or clamps. With enough time the tree grows into the groove, which makes it seem like it is growing from the actual deadwood. Once everything is in place, all the restraints are removed.

Photo Credit / Copyright: Walter Pall

 

Todays photo of the day is known as the Pinus mugo. But it has alot of other names such as the creeping pine,  dwarf mountainpine, mountain pine, scrub mountain pine or Swiss mountain pine and is native to central Europe.

 

Photo Credit / Copyright: Walter Pall

Photo Credit : Walter Pall

Todays Photo Of The Day comes to us from the personal collection of Walter Pall.

Such a GORGEOUS bonsai!

Todays Bonsai Of The Day!

What a gorgeous specimen! You can see the love they put into the plant itself!

Marvelous Piece!

One of the most intriguing things I find is that anyone can make a work of art with bonsai. Its all about learning and perfecting your craft. Once you get the initial rules down you are free to do with the art as you wish!

Photo Credit: Walter Pall

The Larix Kaempferi or better known as the Japanese Larch, is one of 5 genera of deciduous conifers. The tree is named after Engelbert Kaempfer who died in 1716. 

Kaempfer was born in Germany and was a medical officer for the Dutch East India Company. He spent  years in Japan, and wrote a book called “Amoenitatum exoticarum”, which was the first extensive book written about Japanese plants. There were a total of 23 plants that were introduced by him!

During the time that Kaempfer was in Japan, it was a time called the “Edo Period”, which basically isolated Japan and its mainland from the rest of the world. 

His book and studies abroad are credited with introducing the Japanese Larch to a much wider audience!

Photo Credit: Mick Harper

 

Todays Photo of the day comes to us from the Walter Pall collection. It is a beautiful example of the literati style of bonsai!

 

 

Todays featured Bonsai Photo Of The Day comes to us courtesy of Ian Young over at Bonsai Eejit. This is an Escallionia shrub designed as a bonsai tree. Alot of people ask us about the white part of the tree and what kind of paint they use.

In reality that is deadwood and they use a bleaching agent called lime sulfur. Bonsai Jack sells our special brand of lime sulfur which is the #1 selling bonsai lime sulfur in the United States.

Check out our full line of Lime Sulfur supplies here.

Photo Credit: Mick Harper

Did you know that up until very recently for a family in Japan to be known as being of “noble descent”, they needed to have at least one bonsai in their family that is over 300 years old?

The first written record of bonsai can be traced back to the 3rd century B.C. all the way in China. Although back then actually practicing bonsai was reserved for the higher class. In those times much as now, it was a pricey endeavor and hobby.

Photo Credit: Sakolnap