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Chapter 2. Outstanding Plants for Bonsai

Y. Saida and M. Saida

Hints on their culture and training

Sargent Juniper

Juniperus chinensis sargenti is one of the very popular bonsai. Practically all the old bonsai of this tree are developed from specimens taken from their natural habitats by professional collectors, from the northern part of the so-called Japan Alps in West Middle Japan, from Iyo Province, from Hokkaido, and from other places where the tree grows.

Mitsukoshi Exhibit. 1966

Cuttings. Young bonsai Sargent juniper are raised from cuttings. Young shoots 2 to 3 inches long are taken, the lower leaves are cut off, and the cut-Sargent juniper, a very popular plant for dwarfingtings are pared slightly on one side. These are inserted in a bed of clean sand in a old frame, in the spring or in autumn. In a few years they are ready to be trained and trimmed as bonsai.
Training. Wiring is best done in early spring. Pinching and trimming are done in May and June. Care must be taken not to destroy the natural form of Sargent juniper, which is to have roundish compact growth on the main branches.

Fertilizer is given often in the spring and in the autumn; none in midsummer. A handful or rape cake or soy bean cake is placed on each of two or three spots on the soil in the container; or these fertilizers are fermented and applied in liquid form, greatly diluted. The liquid fertilizers are applied twice a week or so. See chapter 14 for guidance.

Sargent juniper does not need much water.

Japanese White Pine

Pinus parviflora is another very popular bonsai tree. Many professional collectors of bonsai material risk great danger to obtain naturally dwarfed specimens from high cliffs, ravines, and desolate high mountains where these trees are in eternal struggle with the ravaging elements. The collecting is done in Iyo Province of Shikoku, Echi-go, Yamato, and in southern Japan.

A three-trunked Japanese white pine. Tall slender bonsai in small shallow containers sometimes need a prop like the thin bamboo stick shown here.
 
If the soil is too rich, or if water is given liberally when the new growth is developing, the leaves become long and untidy.

It is necessary to pinch or cut off the new' growth while it is young and soft, to maintain a shapely bonsai that will not be spindling. One may think the tall tree in the photograph is spindling and wonder if it became so because it was not pinched. The appearance of this tree is not the result of gradual dying of the branches from the lower to the upper, which is generally seen in trees poorly or wrongly treated and trained. This tree has been trained to this form from an artistic point of view, to achieve nearly parallel growth of three trunks.

The low and spreading Japanese white pine shown on the this page has several trunks from the soil. It is not several trees growing together but is a single tree; this form of bonsai is called Netsuranari and is very fashionable; the trunks and roots are connected.

Clasping a Stone

The Yeddo spruce shown on the next page and the Japanese white pine on page 25 are planted on stones—a style of bonsai tried by every bonsai fancier and called Ishitsuki, or plant clasping a stone.

A very shapely Japanese white pine with five trunks

In choosing a stone suitable for planting a tree or trees, several factors should be considered: for example, whether the stone has a concave surface in which the tree may be planted, and whether there are crevices in which the tree may be placed or along which the roots may be directed downward, finally to be anchored in a pocket in the stone or in the container. The stone must be stable in the container in   all cases. -Not less to be considered is the color of the stone, to harmonize with the tree planted on it and with the surroundings in which it is to be placed for display. For the good of the tree, somewhat soft stones are preferred, and in some cases kinds that absorb water.

Yeddo spruce (Picea jezoensis) trained to a picturesque shape; growing on a weathered stone  (Tufa rock lends itself to this use).

In planting trees on stones, the novice is likely to use bigger and older trees, but   that   does   not   always   bring good results. Very young trees are far better to begin with. The roots of the bigger and older trees are rather stunted and do not spread well on the stone or grow down into the soil in the container; but the roots of the little young trees spread vigorously in every direction and grow well. In a few years the young trees overtake the older ones; but their growth is easily controlled and the trees kept dwarf because the trees themselves and most of their roots are on the stone.

The container in which the stone and tree are placed, with soil, is not a basin to hold water but is like the containers used for ordinary bonsai: it has holes in the bottom (generally two or so).

On the Yeddo spruce shown here on the stone, rather thick copper wires are coiled upward to bend the trunk; two are used on the lower part.

Miniature Forest

The miniature forest of Yeddo spruce (Picea jezoensis) shown on the opposite page was created from one tree. The trunk of a young, well-branched tree was laid horizontally under the soil of the container. The bases of the branches were covered and their upper parts projected above the soil. In the course of years, roots came out from many parts of the buried trunk, and each branch became just like an independent trunk.

Japanese Zelkova

The photograph of Zelkova serrata (next page) shows the roots spreading on the surface, the same as in giant old trees; also the branches growing obliquely upward, as they do in old trees in nature. It is good taste to train the bonsai tree to be a model of the natural tree.

Pinching. As this tree grows well, and dense growth of twigs is much appreciated, repeated pinching of the young growth should not be neglected. If all the   leaves   are   cut   off   in   June,   new growth soon appears and becomes denser.

Soil. For other bonsai good drainage is essential; but if the soil for Japanese zelkova is too sandy, the branches are likely to die.

Fertilizers that are too strong encourage the growth of too vigorous shoots. Japanese  zelkova  is   naturally   a   strong grower   and   so   should   have   only   very dilute liquid fertilizer.

Repotting should be done every other year. The tree is taken out of the shallow container; some of the soil is removed from the sides and bottom of the old soil clump, and the roots that are thus exposed are cut off. The tree is then repotted in the container, with new soil to replace what was removed.

Miniature forest of Yeddo spruce developed from one tree by the method described on chapter 13

The gray-barked elm {Zel-Icova serrata), a native of Japan, makes a shapely dwarfed tree. Exposed roots, as in this specimen, suggest that soil erosion has occurred, thus helping to convey the impression of old age.

Japanese-creeper

Boston-ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspi-data) is native to Japan and China. Our autumn tints are due to this ivy in many places, particularly on rocky cliffs, where it spreads thickly and clings firmly by tendrils with adhesive tips. It stands dust and soot well and so will make a good bonsai in the city. Although a climber in nature, it can easily be kept shrubby as wisteria can. The photograph shows how the plant should be trimmed.

Trident Maple

Maples are much appreciated for their young green foliage, for their autumn color, and in the winter for their well formed delicate branches, branch lets, and trunk.

Boston-ivy, or Japanese creeper, kept in a shrubby form and grown as bonsai.

The trident maple (Acer buergerianum, or A. triftdum) was introduced into Japan from China centuries ago. It is the one most frequently seen as bonsai. Tremendous numbers are grown because it responds well to trimming, has a tendency to form roots on the surface of the soil, produces dense growth with vigorous small neat leaves which are pleasing when young and in autumn colors, and has other virtues. As it grows very vigorously, shooting up quickly here and there, pinching must not be neglected, and continually repeated pinching is necessary, leaving two leaves on each shoot.
 
On the maple and on some other trees, it is a common and well-worthwhile practice to cut off all the leaves in mid-summer, when young shoots are beginning to harden. If all the leaves are cut off, the tree soon produces new ones, which will show brighter autumn colors than the old ones would.

Trident   maple   responds well to culture as bonsai and   displays   good   autumn colors.
Kepotting. It is important to repot a maple each spring, taking off the old soil carefully and cutting off most of the roots produced in the last year. Thus it will grow nicely, yet remain dwarf, in the same container for years. With the less vigorous maples, the roots are cut less.

Flowering Cherries

Japanese flowering cherries are so well known as to call for only brief mention. They are grown abundantly everywhere in Japan, but it is very rare to come across them as bonsai. According to general opinion, they are among the most difficult trees to grow as bonsai, and this is strictly true except for a few experts who are always particularly fond of them.

Varieties. Many varieties are suitable for bonsai; only a few are not so good, such as KlBlN, with branches too stout, AMANOGAWA, with fastigiated growth, and a small number of others. There are many varieties familiar in foreign countries and better for bonsai, such as KWANZAN (SBKIYAMA), erect, with spreading branches and double deep rose-pink flow-era ; ITOKUKURI, with semidouble pale pink flowers prettily clustered; MURASA-KI-ZAKUBAJ a nice slow grower with semi-double purplish pink flowers; HIZAKUBA, the best grower, with lovely rose-pink flowers; Prunus aubhirtella pendula [the weeping variety of rosebud cherry], with slender drooping branches; P. subhir-tella pendula plena rosea, with flowers of deeper color; and the wild P. serrulata spontanea. Old dwarfed specimens of P. incisa are collected and grown as bonsai.

As Japanese flowering cherries bloom gorgeously and abundantly each year, they make the most colorful bonsai, if grown well. Varieties with smaller flowers make more attractive bonsai than those with larger flowers. Consistency of scale is important!
 
Training. I hasten to say that the burned copper wire so much used in the training of bonsai is taboo in the culture of Japanese flowering cherries; it should never be used in their training or put on them for any purpose. Anyone who ventures to use it on them finds that the branches soon die and consequently the tree becomes a sad sight.

The branches, roots, and rootlets must be cut very smoothly, with no ragged edges. Shears may be used; but some growers are careful to avoid using ordinary pruning shears and use Japanese razors and knives instead. If a root is damaged, it will die and rot just as quickly as a branch.

The curved trunk shown in the accompanying photograph was originally a side branch. It was carefully bent and pulled down by means of a rope tied to it and fastened to the container when the branch was bent to the desired shape. The rope was kept on for months. A piece of cloth was placed on the branch where the rope touched it. Instead of cloth, hemp or Japanese paper or pieces of split bamboo are often used, for all kinds of bonsai adhesive tape is harmful.

Japanese flowering apricot is more frequently used for bonsai than flowering cherry. It is easier to train and the flowers are more in keeping with the dwarf size of the tree.

If three buds are formed at the tip of a branch, the middle one should be nipped off to make the tree grow as a dwarf and to prevent the dying of the smaller branches.
Repotting is best done in March, before the new growth starts. In repotting, very carefully wash off as much as possible of the old soil or as much as seems best for the tree. Cut off smoothly any rotten roots and some of the older ones. If, for one reason or another, you cut off a lot of the roots, be careful to reduce the branches in proportion, to keep the roots and top in balance.

The soil used is very porous; we bring it from the mountains. Stagnant water kills the roots of cherry tree bonsai and causes the plants to die.

Fertilizers are applied as to other bonsai—rape cake and the like.

Pests. Just as we favor flowering cherries, the insects are very fond of them, both in the air and in the soil. Beware of these.

Japanese Flowering Apricot

Prunus mume is a popular flowering tree for bonsai. Plants that are too floriferous or too gorgeously colored are rather avoided for bonsai. Japanese flowering apricot is not so gorgeous, however, as flowering cherries and flowering quinces.

A 400 year-old Japanese flowering apricot bonsai as it looks in winter.

In flowering apricot bonsai the Japanese appreciate particularly the aged trunk and the one-year-old shoots fresh in pleasing green. When the flowering season comes, we like to have some blossoms on these shoots to perfume the room.

This tree will grow in various soils and can stay in the same soil in the container for years.

In the growing season, particularly in the early half, liquid fertilizer should be applied several times. In the resting period, rape cake or soy bean cake should be placed on the soil. The container should be kept on the dry side until the flower buds for the next year are visible.

As we are bonsai men, we have met many foreigners interested in bonsai at our Shubo-en bonsai-growing and sales-yard in Tokyo. We hope the brief descriptions given here will give some helpful hints to friends in other countries who may wish to grow dwarfed potted trees, or bonsai.

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