Premna is all Robert Steven says about this remarkable tree, but maybe that's enough; it can tell its own story of a wild life with more than its fair share of abuse (like some people we might know).
As you may have noticed, we feature Robert Steven’s bonsai more than any other artist, so maybe it’s time to issue a disclaimer. But before we do that, we’ll note that Robert is one of the most prolific and talented bonsai artists we know. Beyond that, he teaches bonsai to a depth seldom seen and he expresses boundless energy and enthusiasm in promoting the art of bonsai.
Now here’s our disclaimer: We sell Robert’s book (Mission of Transformation) and we also import, distribute and retail his Bonsai Aesthetics tools (now on sale for 25% off) and his Bonsai Aesthetics wire (also on sale for 25% off). Beyond that, Robert has been very helpful with our bonsai questions and has provided our readers with his highly instructive (and free) bonsai critiques.
All the bonsai shown here were styled by Robert Steven. And though I can’t say for sure, my guess is that at least some of them were originally collected by Robert.
Gentle wind. When I saw this tree, my first thought was, yeah nice but... Until I read Robert's caption "Gentle Wind." In our fascination with wildly dramatic bonsai, it's easy to miss subtle qualities. No variety given.
Strong, incessant wind (my caption, Robert doesn't say anything about this one). Unless you've tried to style a convincing windswept bonsai, you might miss the skill involved with this tree. No variety listed.
This unusual tree with trunks growing out of, or sheathed in, what looks like old deadwood, is a Feronia lucida. Here's some of what Useful Tropical Plants has to say about it. "Feroniella lucida is a small to medium-sized tree armed with numerous long, slender, sharp thorns. It grows from 10 - 15 metres ( tall with a straight bole 20 - 30cm in diameter. The edible fruit is gathered from the wild for local use. The plant is also occasionally cultivated as fruit tree in Cambodia and Java. Range: E. Asia - Indonesia."
Pemphis. We'll call this wild jumble (in the best sense of the word) root-over-rock bonsai, but can you tell where the rock ends and the roots begin?
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Including Robert’s easy-to-use and very affordable
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and Yoshiaki Japanese wire
as well as Annealed Copper Wire made here in the U. S.
25% off Bonsai Aesthetics Tools
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