Fruiting Bonsai: A Mystery Persimmon

If you know the variety of this tiny fruited persimmon (Diospyros kaki), let me know. The photo is from Bonsai Today issue 39. When I first saw it, I figured ‘kaki’ was the variety, but no such luck. ‘Kaki’ just means persimmon in Japanese. Height 33″ (84cm). Dwarf flowers and fruit You can make leaves smaller by defoliation (cutting leaves off an entire tree, or section of a tree, resulting in a second, or even third crop of smaller leaves) and to some extent by pruning, confining the roots, limiting water and nutrients, and perhaps other means. But dwarf fruit … Continue reading Fruiting Bonsai: A Mystery Persimmon

Field Growing #9: Fall Transplanting #2

Time to go back into the ground I moved this crabapple into this Tokoname pot in the spring. I wanted to photograph it covered in fresh little red apples, but the birds ate them the morning I planned on shooting. It’s not really ready for bonsai anyway; the nebari needs more time, the scar needs to heal and more branching needs to develop, so I’m going to stick it back into the ground in a couple weeks (I’ll post a photo). As an aside, I just noticed how the companion plant’s pot (by Wendy Heller) mirrors the color and texture … Continue reading Field Growing #9: Fall Transplanting #2

In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part two

This Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis) presents a number of striking features, not the least of which is its powerful nebari (surface roots). The photo originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 35. This post is part of an article that originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 23 (out of print). It was later revised and republished in Bonsai Today issue 102. Improving a Nebari by Oishi Kazo Nebari are often under-appreciated, especially in the west. In Japan, bonsai artists will sometimes talk about nebari as though it is the most important feature when looking for bonsai material. If you think about … Continue reading In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part two