Five Shohin Bonsai Plus One

A sweet little Firethorn (Pyracantha) in full flower. Yesterday we showed one with a few berries and if you scroll down you’ll see one with a lot more than a few. Thought we’d continue yesterday’s Shohin theme with a few more photos. I’ll spare you too much commentary. The photo above is from Bonsai Mike. Continued below… NEW SALE 25% off All Bonsai Books Choose from 50 different titles additional 10% off orders 100.00+ FREE Shipping on U.S. orders 50.00+ be sure to select Free Shipping when you check out It’s not everyday you see a shohin Buttonwood (Conocarpus … Continue reading Five Shohin Bonsai Plus One

Bay Island Bonsai Tonight

I like the way the shari is understated, relative to many juniper bonsai at least. It contrasts nicely with the striking reddish bark, which someone went to a lot to some trouble to clean up. It’s a Sierra juniper, which as you might guess from the name, is native to the Sierra Nevada Mountains (and further north into the Cascades). The photo is from the Bay Island Bonsai’s 15th Annual Exhibit. Aside from the fact that this is an excellent bonsai with potential to become even better, the fact that it’s a native North American species is an added plus … Continue reading Bay Island Bonsai Tonight

Old Kuromatsu for a New Year

This trunk is so heavy that you could imagine it supporting a huge mass of foliage, yet this humble crown works to perfection. There’s a lot more that could be said about this great old tree, but I’ll stop at pointing out the luminous color and texture of the trunk (not that you could miss it). The tree is around 50-years-old and was grown from seed. It belongs to Kiyoshi Hiramatsu (great name for someone who grows pines) owner of the Hiramatsu Seijuen bonsai garden in Takamatsu’s Kokubunji area in Japan. We just ended 2013 with three great Kuromatsu (Japanese … Continue reading Old Kuromatsu for a New Year

Bonsai Wisdom

This magnificent juniper appears on Bonsai Boon in a section on Bay Island Bonsai’s 2011 Exhibit. I’ll assume it belongs to Boon (his name accompanies the photo, though it doesn’t state unequivocally that it’s his tree and I’ve been fooled before). I dug around for a little while but couldn’t find the species or anything else on this tree. No doubt the info is out there somewhere. Bonsai is primarily a technical endeavor The following quote is by Michael Hagedorn. It’s from an article titled ‘A Student’s Report’ that appears in the Bonsai Intensive section of Boon Manakitivipart’s (Bonsai Boon) … Continue reading Bonsai Wisdom

The Akio Kondo Bonsai Award

This awesomely stocky little Korean Hornbeam by Jonas Dupuich of Bonsai Tonight (photograph also by Jonas) recently won the Akio Kondo Bonsai Award at the Bay Island Bonsai Exhibit in Northern California (my apologies to Jonas for cropping his photo, but I wanted to show the tree as close up as possible). Boon & Bay Island Bonsai Boon Manakitivipart is one of North America’s most accomplished bonsai artists and the owner of Bonsai Boon (we’ve featured Boon’s trees several times on Bonsai Bark). He is also the driving force behind Bay Island Bonsai, which is one of North America’s paramount … Continue reading The Akio Kondo Bonsai Award

Native Americans at BIB’s Annual Bonsai Exhibit

I lifted this sinuous Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) off of a great gallery at Bonsai Tonight from the 2010 Bay Island Bonsai Exhibit. Though I can’t tell for sure, it looks like at least five full twists in the trunk. Not something you see every day. Here’s another heavy-trunked bunjin. It’s a Sierra juniper, also known as Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis). It and it’s close cousin, the California juniper (J. californica) are becoming favorites of bonsai enthusiasts here and abroad. Natives It’s good to see is the use of native trees and their increasing acceptance as subject for high quality … Continue reading Native Americans at BIB’s Annual Bonsai Exhibit

Bay Island Bonsai Exhibit Coming Up Soon

I picked this photo and the text below off of Bonsai Tonight. The same photo and info appears on Bay Island Bonsai’s site. If you are anywhere near the Bay Area, you might want to check the Exhibit out. Meanwhile, if you know anything about this remarkable tree, please let me know. Bay Island Bonsai Exhibit and Auction at a new location with bigger facility Hall of Commerce, Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Avenue, Pleasanton, 94566. Admission $ 5.00. Free Parking. Same great auction on Saturday, with preview at noon and auction at 1 PM. Guided tours of the exhibit … Continue reading Bay Island Bonsai Exhibit Coming Up Soon