Monthly Archives: January 2014

Evaluating a bonsai display

When assessing bonsai trees whether to judge, buy or just reviewing your own, to develop them or set up a display there are a range of criteria that can be considered. Some may be conflictual and there may be many rules, but some rules are always meant to be bent a little or broken.

Fascinated by roots

Tree roots are in general the art of simplicity, they have three key functions, to anchor the tree, absorb water and nutrients and store excess food for the tree for later. In bonsai they are essential to maintaining a healthy bonsai tree and are often over looked as out of sight, out of mind, but… Read more »

Stewartia as bonsai

Stewartia trees are part of the Theaceae family alongside Camellia and have beautiful flowers; usually white with a mass of golden stamens that bloom in early summer and the flowers are bisexual. They are renowned for their decorative bark that flakes with age and leaves a mottled pattern on the trunk.

Two needle pines

Some of the two needle pines are commonly used as bonsai and include Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Japanese Red Pine (Pinus densiflora), Mountain Pine (Pinus mugo) and Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii). They all have unique and distinct differences in their form and foliage making for quite dramatic and impressive bonsai trees in their own rights.

Types of Pines

The Pine family (Pinaceae) is quite extensive with a range of species and genera including Abies, Cedrus, Keteleeria, Larix, Picea, Pinus, Pseudolarix, Pseudotsuga and Tsuga. Pines are softwood trees and are classified into groups dependent on the number of needles they have.

Japanese White Beech Bonsai

This is a stunning species of tree, the gorgeous white bark of the Japanese White Beech (Fagus crenate) is one of the fabulous facets of this tree.  It belongs to the Fagaecea family of Beeches and the most common native Fagus sylvatica can be widely seen throughout the British Isles as a majestic tree in… Read more »