Buttonwood – American Tropical Jewel

Buttonwood by Ed Trout. From The Art of Bonsai Project. Ed’s bonsai have been featured in Bonsai Today magazine (back issues now 40% off).

Our own amazing tropical bonsai
We’ve featured a lot of collected tropicals from Indonesia and vicinity. Much of this has to do with our connection with Robert Steven (Mr. High Energy Bonsai), one of the world’s foremost bonsai artists, authors, collectors and teachers. It also has to do with the fact that so many of the collected trees (mostly Premna and Pemphis) from that part of the world are so amazing. Now it’s time to feature some of our very own amazing collected tropical bonsai. Which brings us to Buttonwoods.

Buttonwood care
There’s lots of information on the web about buttonwoods and particularly their care (they have their very specific needs). Two good places to start are: Of Bonsai Magazine and Bonsai Mary’s. Meanwhile, we’ve gathered a few photos for your to enjoy.

 

I found this monster by Jim Smith in the Of Bonsai Magazine. I couldn’t find any dimensions, but the article on Buttonwoods that accompanies the photo is very thorough. BTW: Jim Smith is the original American tropical bonsai guru. Jim’s nursery (Dura-Stone) is in Vero Beach, Florida.

 

Mother Nature’s handiwork, with a little help from Robert Kempinski. From the Art of Bonsai Project. Robert is the author of Introduction to Bonsai (discounted at Stone Lantern).

 

This wild unique tree could only be a buttonwood. Also by Robert Kempinski from the Art of Bonsai Project.

 

They aren’t all small enough for bonsai. This photo is from Bonsai Mary’s website.

 

 

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Elevating the Art of Bonsai in the West

Mesmerizing bonsai perfection. I think this tree has something to say about just how far American bonsai has come. It’s a Japanese white pine by Ryan Neil. From his International Bonsai Mirai website.

Ryan Neil and International Bonsai Mirai
I think these photos of Ryan Neil’s bonsai speak for themselves. Loud and clear. But just in case you’d like to read a few words to flesh things out a bit, here’s what Ryan’s site has to say about itself: International Bonsai Mirai is a reference point where serious individuals can come to see bonsai pursued at a higher level with the goal of improving the quality of bonsai in the West. There’s plenty more (photos and words) to enjoy at International Bonsai Marai.

Pygmy Cypress (Cupressus pigmaea).

 

Japanese Boxwood (Buxus microphylla japonica)

 

Needle juniper (Juniperus rigida)

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High Energy Bonsai

Premna serratifolia (Wahong) by Robert Steven. Two years in training. All the photos in this post are from Robert’s ‘My Studio’ on facebook. If you don’t do facebook, you can visit Robert’s blog (though it’s not very up-to-date), or you can just peruse Bonsai Bark for a large range of posts on Robert’s bonsai.

Mr. High Energy Bonsai
I’ve been watching the bonsai scene for close to thirty years and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more prolific bonsai artist than Robert Steven. Prolific at a very high level at that. Or, for that matter, prolific at any level. I wonder if he ever sleeps.

Another Wahong (Premna serratifolia by Robert.

 

Another Premna. The leaves look a little different on this one. Could it be another Premna species?


Mr. High Energy Bonsai at work.

Robert’s bonsai tools
Stone Lantern is the North American distributor for Robert’s enormously popular Bonsai Aesthetics tools and wire.

Robert’s bonsai books
The same goes for both of Robert’s bonsai books: Vision of My Soul and Mission of Transformation.

 

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Hot Bonsai – Mid Summer Year Round

I like the fluidity of two main trunks and the contrast and depth that the third trunk provides. My only question is; why such a deep pot?

Vietnam anyone?
All the photos in this post are from a Vietnam Bonsai Tour site. I’m not sure that these photos reflect the most cutting edge (so to speak) bonsai in Vietnam, but they do provide a little glimpse into the art of a tropical hotspot.

 

Massive trunk, great taper. Do you think it would look better in rounded pot?

 

Shadow dancing.

 

A fairly ordinary tropical bonsai in an unusual (and shallow) pot.

Tropical bonsai gallery

 

 

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$1,000 Bonsai from Scratch Contest

Pomegranate from the cover of Bonsai Today issue 83. Of all the Bonsai Today covers, this one seems most like a bonsai from scratch; though you’d be lucky to find untrained nursery stock this good at your local garden center.

It’s not too late
There’s still time to enter our $1,000 Bonsai from Scratch contest. True, mid-summer is tricky and you might not be able to put your tree into a bonsai pot, but that’s okay, you can enter it in a nursery container if you’re not comfortable root pruning. Or, you can gamble and stick it into a pot.

Lots of prizes
Go ahead, take the leap. You just might win something. Here’s a link to the prizes and rules.

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Rilke & Bunjin, A Literati’s Literati

Deeper in debt. I’ve been borrowing from Michael Hagedorn (Crataegus Bonsai) for years. It’s a debt that can only be repaid by appreciation. This strange and wonderful bunjin Sierra juniper was restyled by Michael’s students at one of his Seasonals.

Rainer Maria Rilke
 I know that Rilke departed this earth long ago, and that he most likely never heard of bonsai, still, this quote (also borrowed from Michael) captures something sweet and true that might apply to how we approach our bonsai: “If you will love what seems to be insignificant and will in an unassuming manner, as a servant, seek to win the confidence of what seems poor, then everything will become easier, more harmonious, and somehow more conciliatory, not for your intellect—that will likely remain behind, astonished—but for your innermost consciousness, your awakeness, and your inner knowing.”


Somewhere between before and after.

The Schooling of an Irreverent Bonsai Monk
Michael’s book about his bonsai apprenticeship in Japan (Post-Dated – The Schooling of an Irreverent Bonsai Monk), is a great read. Michael knows bonsai and knows how to tell a story. Though I know reading a whole book, in print media no less, is somewhat passe in this post, post-modern era, still, I think you’ll really like it.

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Bonsai Miksang

Photo by Morten Albek. From his Shohin blog.

Miksang
Miksang is a contemplative approach photography that’s about “uncovering the truth of pure perception… without the biases, filters and formulas often associated with photography” (from The Miksang Institute for Contemplative Photography). It seems to me to be a both disciplined and spontaneous approach to photography and to seeing; simply seeing without projection, with an open and unbiased mind.

The photography of Morten Albek
I have long been impressed by Morten Albek’s bonsai photography. Whether his photos are the result of a Miksang approach, I can’t say for sure, though it’s easy to see that Morten has a good eye (Miksang means ‘good eye’). All the photos in this post are from Morten’s website or his blog.

From Morten’s recent Japan trip.

 

I don’t remember where I found this, but the photo is Morten’s.

 

Close up of Morten’s now somewhat famous Rhododendron lysolepsis.

 

From a bonsai display in Rome that Morten stumbled upon.

 

Another shot from Morten’s recent Japan trip.


Morten’s Shohin book (published by Stone Lantern). This photo is from Morten’s website and it’s a pretty safe guess that he took it.

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Midsummer Bonsai Treat & A Short Guy-Wire Lesson

A bonsai treat. This short, muscular and quite distinctive little Korean Hornbeam belongs to Jonas at Bonsai Tonight.

A little guy wire lesson
If you’re a little lazy like I sometimes am, then you might not always properly protect your prize bonsai from serious scarring. With some trees it doesn’t matter that much, but with others, a wire scar can become a long term blemish, or worse. Bonsai Tonight has an excellent article that shows a simple technique for protecting branches from scarring when using a guy-wire.

Looking good. Now to put this little baby to use. To see just how this is done, visit Bonsai Tonight.

Quality bonsai wire from Japan at low prices and novice grade wire by Bonsai Aesthetics at even lower prices.

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Bella Bonsai Arte

What great tree tree. It’s a black pine by Mauro Stemberger (all the trees in this post are Mauro’s) and it’s so full of unique character that I can’t say enough about how much I like it. So I’ll just shut up (except to say, that, it would be interesting to know the history of this tree… and speaking of pines, the 2nd printing of our classic pine book is now in stock).

Another Italian Renaissance
Mauro Stemberger is one of several talented and innovative young Italian bonsai artists. It helps to live in a culture where art and artists are so respected (even revered) and art and beauty are everywhere; both man made and natural (all this, and the best food in the world… now, if the Euro would only come down a bit). But just being Italian isn’t enough; talent, passion and a large doses of time and effort also help.

Bonsai Dream
The trees in this post are all borrowed from Mauro’s website: Italian Bonsai Dream.

Scot’s pine. Some bonsai look a lot like other bonsai, but not this one. Especially unusual is the way the trunk lays along the ground and then dips down below the top of pot on its circuitous route from base to crown.

 

Recently defoliated privet. Mauro has plenty of excellent trees, but I picked this because it’s not only excellent, but it’s a privet, and you just don’t see that many privet bonsai. I wonder if started its life as a part of hedge.


Abstract art anyone? This unusual tree with its wild lines and striking contrasts is a shore juniper (Juniperus procumbens).

 

 

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Outside the Bonsai Box – Robert Steven Critiques a Massive Pemphis

Robert Steven’s simulation of a photo submitted by Wayan (see below).

What a difference a pot makes
Though Robert doesn’t mention it in his critique (below), introducing a shallow pot, rather than the tree’s clunky and rather unattractive pot (also below), instantly transforms the whole tree. Nothing outside the box, just a simple change that does wonders for a bonsai.

 

Before. Submitted by Wayan.

In Robert’s own words
Although the trunk is very interesting, it is quite difficult to turn this tree into a design that ideally portrays a large mature tree. The stump is too bulky, so it is not easy to train the other physical elements to fit it in a proportional manner.Imagine the stump as a hill, and trees are growing here and there creating a unique composition.

Think out of the box! Make a rather “surrealistic” design…

Thanks to Pemphis which we can expect new shoots to easily grow, especially on the gnarled knots; then train every single shoot as a tree following natural phenomena as shown on the simulated picture below. The only tree to add separately is the one on the left bottom; or you can do without it if you prefer.

General comments
There is more than one way to design any bonsai and my critiques and recommended solutions might not always fit your taste and personal preferences, but I always try to give my opinion based on artistic and horticultural principles.

To understand my concepts better, please read my books Vision of My Soul and Mission of Transformation which are available at Stone Lantern.

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