Eccentric Bonsai: Too Strange, or Just Strange Enough?

Strange as this old tree is, it all works together with a blend of eccentricity and balance (and remarkable ramification*). This photo and the others in this post are from Peter Tea Bonsai Way back in 2009 and early 2010 we ran a series of posts that we called Eccentric Bonsai. Maybe it’s time to resurrect the series. If so, this one-of-a-kind Trident maple seems like a good place to start. We originally posted this tree in December, 2011. It was borrowed from Peter Tea’s blog. Peter was an apprentice at Mr. Junichiro Tanaka’s Aichi-en bonsai nursery at the time. Peter takes good photos and writes of his experience … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai: Too Strange, or Just Strange Enough?

A Perfect Example of Great Bonsai Ramification

This magnificent Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) received the coveted Kokufu prize at the 88th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition (the oldest and most prestigious bonsai exhibition in the world). Aside from its unique power and beauty, this tree provides a perfect example of what great ramification looks like (made even more obvious by the bright rusty-red leaf buds). The photo is from the World Bonsai Friendship Federation. Identification and other details were provided by Bill Valavanis. Yesterday we discussed ramification so we’ll keep going with this post that we last featured in January, 2015. 30% to 50% off Book Special Ends Soon see below – This … Continue reading A Perfect Example of Great Bonsai Ramification

Fine Branching Is Key to Superior Deciduous Bonsai

This now famous Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) received the coveted Kokufu prize at the 88th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition. Aside from its overall magnificence, this tree provides a perfect example of what great ramification looks like. The photo is from the World Bonsai Friendship Federation. Identification and other details were provided by Bill Valavanis. Ramification literally means branch development, or how branches grow. However, when it comes to the art of bonsai, it has come to mean branch development that displays a couple key features: taper and fine branching. These features are critical when it comes to developing quality deciduous (and … Continue reading Fine Branching Is Key to Superior Deciduous Bonsai

A Rock, Heavily Furrowed Bark, Ramification & a Well Developed Nebari

At first glace I thought the rock that sticks out on the right was part of the trunk. But a closer look (see below) confirms the strong suspicion that it’s a rock. And in case you’re wondering, the tree is the King of bonsai, a Japanese black pine. We’ve been borrowing great photos of Japanese bonsai from Micheal Bonsai for a long time now. I’m not sure where he gets them, but most are superb. The best of the Japanese trees… which are often simply the best. SITE WIDE SALE 20% TO 25% OFF EVERYTHING* You can see the rock … Continue reading A Rock, Heavily Furrowed Bark, Ramification & a Well Developed Nebari

Staying on Message: A Few More Tips on Defoliation

Here’s Juan Adrade’s English caption for this photo. “Partial defolation on one of the grandfather trees. Close to 100 yrs old.” Here’s his Spanish caption: “Defoliación de las ramas exteriores en uno de los tridentes del abuelo de mi maestro. Este arbol posiblemente se acerca a los 100 años.” Here’s our translation of the Spanish: “Defoliation of the exterior branches of one of my teacher’s Trident maples. This tree is probably about 100 years old.” You might notice the part about exterior branches in the Spanish. This would indicate that Juan is trying to redirect energy away from the outer … Continue reading Staying on Message: A Few More Tips on Defoliation

A Perfect Example of What Great Ramification Looks Like & a Series of Excellent How-to Illustrations

You have your own eyes so there’s no need for me to say much. Except that this photo appeared here on Bark last spring in a post titled The One Percent (.001 percent would be more accurate). It’s a Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) that received the coveted Kokufu prize at the 88th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition (the oldest and most prestigious bonsai exhibition in the world). Aside from its overall magnificence, this tree provides a perfect example of what great ramification looks like (made even more obvious by the bright rusty-red leaf buds). The photo is from the World Bonsai Friendship Federation. … Continue reading A Perfect Example of What Great Ramification Looks Like & a Series of Excellent How-to Illustrations

A Bonsai Teaser

I found this extraordinary and unusual bonsai on Bonsai Nakayoshi’s facebook photos. What’s unusual is the planting configuration and overall shape. What’s extraordinary is also the configuration, overall shape and excellent ramification. Still traveling so we’ll just throw a few miscellaneous trees at you today. A bonsai teaser. Here’s a funky old Oak in a funky old pot (I can’t tell for sure if it’s just a weather beaten terra cotta training pot or ceramic pot shaped like one) with some deeply hatched bark. It’s from a before and after on Jean-Paul Polmans’ facebook feed. A spectacular trident … Continue reading A Bonsai Teaser

The One Percent

You have your own eyes so there’s no need for me to say much. Except to point out a couple little things, like the bright new rusty red buds and the daring glaze on the perfectly shaped pot that picks us the trunk color and contrasts with the buds. Another thing that distinguishes this bonsai is the amazingly fine ramification (fine branching). And then there’s the perfect mossing job. Photo is from the World Bonsai Friendship Federation. The one percent. I probably look at between fifty and hundred bonsai a day. Online. Some are pretty good and a few are … Continue reading The One Percent

Precision, Power & that Natural Feel

I don’t think there are many trees in our bonsai universe this powerful and that are styled with such precision (and without sacrificing the natural feel). It’s a Ficus by Min Hsuan Lo (Min doesn’t give the variety, but does say there are details in his book, Bonsai Journey). You don’t see many defoliated Ficus either. The absence of leaves allows you to better see the structure and fine branching, both of which are exquisite (in case you didn’t notice). I like the pot too. Its dark reddish-brown helps bring out the texture of the trunk and also highlights the … Continue reading Precision, Power & that Natural Feel

Developing Fine Branching on Deciduous Bonsai

This Hornbeam by Mario Komsta has appeared on Bonsai Bark in a number of incarnations. Though it does appear even more ramified in later photos (see below), still, this particular stage in its development shows a pretty good example of ramification on a deciduous bonsai, while maintaining an overall sense of proportion. In the photo below, the branching almost overwhelms the trunk, while in this photo, it serves as a perfect counterpoint that emphasizes the power of the trunk. Nice choice of pots too. Continuing our mid-summer semi-vacation, I’m taking the easy way out once again. This post is drawn … Continue reading Developing Fine Branching on Deciduous Bonsai