What a strange and compelling tree! The trunk is massive from left to right, but looks like it might be somewhat flat from front to back, though it’s hard to tell from this angle. The branching is undefined (partially caused by the way the foliage and flowers are growing in the crotches) and unbalanced in a way that might make you wonder if someone was drunk or if there was some sort of pruning accident (no insult intended; just felt like saying something provocative). Still, there is something dynamic and compelling about this tree, at least compelling enough to motivate me to post it. Is it because it looks like a living sculpture that is pointing to the right (aka windswept)? Maybe it just needs some more refining. Any thoughts?
Kennett Bonsai
I found this tree on Facebook Wall Photos by Kennett Bonsai. They have posted several interesting bonsai recently and are definitely worth a look.
More on Satsuki Azaleas
Check out Robert Callaham’s excellent book: Satsuki Azaleas for bonsai and azalea enthusiasts (Stone Lantern Publishing).
What GOOD bonsai, or for that matter “Beautiful Tree in nature” is WITHOUT eccentricies?
The tree appears to break many guidlines, yet it is compelling and beautiful, and the last thing I, as a viewer, consider when I view it, is how it breaks convention.
I look at it and say to myself “MY GOD. Now THAT is Bonsai in it’s Truest form.”
Especially considering, and I mean no slight by this either, that most of the satsuki I see look NOTHING like tree’s, and i’ve often wondered what exactly makes THEM bonsai.
This is nearly a masterpiece in my mind, whether intentional or not. I would definatly remove the lower right skinny branch though. At least based on this photo.
Hi Wayne,
the very immature branch on the lower right, the thinness of the apical leader, and the foliage on the left resultant from a high branch being brought down, and foliage hiding something(clump trunk scars?)all lead me to beleive this was a collected foundation tree with a big trunk under the surface and multiple sucker trunks that were subsequently removed. In my veiw, this appears to be recent(in bonsai terms anyway!) maybe 5-10 years.
Just an opinion, however!
Hi Mike,
Not a bad summation. Though I don’t know the details, I’d say your 5-10 years from having been dug up from a garden somewhere, is a pretty good guess.
Thanks Keith. I wouldn’t go so far as you do but there something about this tree that catches my attention. I’ve often thought about the use of the word ‘eccentric’ I don’t necessarily think of it as a negative, though in some cases I’ve used it that way. Usually it just means unconventional, or sometimes highly unconventional, to me. Breaking with convention doesn’t necessarily make something beautiful or interesting, but many things we find interesting or beautiful often break with convention. I suppose all this depends on who’s doing the viewing and who is defining eccentric (or conventional).
I just wish it was MY problem tree!
Ditto!