Large Bonsai
These bonsai trees have achieved the owner’s vision for that tree. They’re still growing, improving – and may change dramatically in the future as the owner recognizes a different vision for the tree.
Japanese Maple – Acer palmatum
I started styling this Japanese Maple while in my teacher Robert Saburomaru’s class in 1989.
It was in a one gallon nursery pot, and a couple of large roots had grown into the ground. I chose it because the trunk, though tall and lacking taper, was thick in proportion to the size of the rootball. I bent the first limb up close to vertical, and removed the rest of the tree.
I cared for it in the one gallon pot for a year, and then planted it in the ground for five years. I’ve had a long journey with this tree, and look forward to continuing its development.
-MO
Shimpaku Juniper – Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’
I bought this tree as a 4 inch liner in 1988 at the GSBF convention (for $12).
This is a low graft by Mr Ishi of Chikugo-en Nursery on San Jose juniper root stock.
The tree was grown in large containers for 10 years to gain size, and repotted to this particular show pot in 2020. The pot is 20 inches wide and the tree is 35 inches tall.
-MG
Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum
Once upon a time, a long time ago, Marge, our neighbor and friend, on hearing I had gotten into bonsai, presented a bunch of seedlings that had sprouted up under her Maple tree. Marge is no more, but the whips have grown and become a soothing, dreamy forest. There are 13 trees in all in this 23” oval pot.
Fun fact: Did you know Acer palmatum owes its botanical name to the hand-shaped leaves with five pointed lobes? Palma is Latin for palm.
-MS
Chinese Quince – Pseudocydonia sinensis
Purchased stump from the Golden State Bonsai Federation, Bonsai Garden Lake Merritt auction
-JC
Monterey Cypress – Cupressus macrocarpa
This grove of eleven Monterey Cypress trees was created at a Kusamura demonstration by Sandy Planting in 1999 and I won it in the raffle afterwards. Originally it was in a rectangular brown glazed landscape container but as it continued to grow I put it in this larger mica pot. In keeping with Sandy’s original theme I show it here with a large rock on the beach – a common sight along the Northern California coast.
-RC
Garden Juniper – Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’
Juniper over Rock
This juniper was given to me over twenty years ago in a four inch plastic liner. I then took it to John and Sandy Planting to see what could be done. Sandy found this beautiful, interesting rock in her yard, and we installed the tree in a practice pot with the rock. Over the years the original “twig”, with pruning, wiring, and Sandy and John’s guidance, evolved into the tree you see today.
-BS
Ginkgo – Ginkgo biloba
I have had this “triple trunk” Ginkgo for 15+ years, and finally have it styled in a more typical “flame” shape that I like.
Of course, Gingko are the most fabulous in their fall “plumage,” but I do love the brilliant green of spring, too.
-CW
Apple – Malus domestica
This is an Apple (Malus domestica), but I am not sure of the variety, perhaps a Newton Pippin.
It was acquired from the GSBF auction. The next year it had a very bad case of fire blight and I did not think it would survive.
I treated it without using antibiotics and the trunk is still a bit dark from large doses of neem oil.
The peak flowering is over a period of only a few days, so it is difficult to have this tree in a “real” show and have it in this condition. But, the apples are very good to eat.
-HJ
Kurume Azalea – Rhododendron
This Kurume azalea also goes by the name of “Bridal Bouquet.”
It is over 50 years old and was cared for by the late Nancy Eaton.
It is shown in an antique pot and remains one of my most favorite bonsai.
-SP
Shimpaku Juniper Tanuki – Juniperus chinensis
This tanuki was created by Lonnie McCormick in 2000 and offered for sale at a club event. The shimpaku is bolted to a piece of driftwood found on the California coast. As the tree got taller the driftwood has been lifted into the air. I have camouflaged that a little by adding bonsai soil under the driftwood in the appropriate areas. At some point I may carve the driftwood to make it look more natural.
-RC
Prostrata Juniper – Juniperus prostrata
I love this tree for its beautiful sweeping asymmetry and feel of coastal California.
I bought it at the Mammoth Sale last year right before everything shut down.
It was quite overgrown and root bound when I got it, so it has been transplanted and cleaned up.
Given our “stay at home” time, I have really enjoyed this tree! I look forward to creating more asymmetry and “wind-influence” over the upcoming years.
-CW
Japanese Maple – Acer palmatum
I won the bidding on this maple at this spring’s Kusamura Silent Auction.
It was a Bill Scott donation tree.
-AL
Shimpaku Juniper – Juniperus chinensis
This Shimpaku Juniper was planted into the ground by Sandy Vrooman around the year 2000.
In 2016, she donated it to Kusamura under the condition that I dig it out of her backyard and re-pot it.
After 2 years of tree-sitting and training, I bought it back from Kusamura at our 2018 show.
-CD
Shimpaku Juniper Tanuki – Juniperus chinensis
This is a tanuki – a marriage of a new tree to the trunk of an old tree that has died. It’s not technically a bonsai but it allows us to appreciate an older trunk with new life. The base of the old trunk was closer to the ground when I put them together. Now the “blade” of deadwood looks out of proportion so in the future I will reduce it.
-DC
Shimpaku Juniper – Juniperus chinensis ‘Kishu’
I bought this tree in 1989 from the Dale Draper estate sale. In 1995 the main branch on the right side was lost to a borer.
In the period of 2010 to 2016 several other branches on the right side were lost.
In 2018 the tree was drastically restyled to make it mostly jin and shari, and repotted to this particular show pot in 2020. The pot is 13 inches wide and the tree is 28 inches tall.
-MG
Elm
-KG
Daimyo Oak – Quercus dentata
In training since 1960
Grown from seed from Japan
Seed brought back by Pete Sugawara of Kusamura Bonsai Club on a trip to Japan
Purchased from Bonsai Garden Lake Merritt at auction as a stump
-JC
Japanese Black Pine – Pinus thunbergii ‘Yatsubusa’
The Yatsubusa Black Pine is a dwarf variety.
I am showing it with an accent of garlic chives.
I put this together several years ago and had it at a show when Lonnie McCormick was still with us. He took one look at it and said “garlic chives” – amazed me that he knew the exact variety.
-DC
Dawn Redwood –Metasequoia
This group planting was originally a group of three trees started by my father-in-law. I lost one tree in 2003.
In 2017 I displayed this bonsai at our club show and received advice to plant the group such that the tallest tree is as upright as possible.
This spring I repotted the group and changed the pot to a low profile oval.
The artwork displayed with this is my original acrylic called “On the way to Mom’s.” It is an abstract of the wild brush in November around Lake Lowell near Nampa, Idaho.
-CF
Seiju Cork Bark Elm – Ulmus parvifolia ‘Seiju’
This is a Seiju Cork Bark Elm and was acquired from John Planting in 2016.
The tree had suffered some considerable die-back and needed a creative intervention.
Michael Greenstein suggested to air-layer the tree into 2, which has been put into practice in 2017.
The bottom part is still in a grow box for re-branching and a new apex. This tree shows the top part.
-CD
European Olive – Olea europaea
This saikei was originally shown as an in progress tree in 2009 Kusamura Bonsai Club show
The stone is California Lace Rock
-JC
Satsuki Azalea ‘Asazakura’ – Rhododendron
“Asazakura” Satsuki Azalea as shown in Robert Z. Callaham’s book “Satsuki Azaleas for bonsai and azalea enthusiasts” published by Stone Lantern Publishing in 2006. Bob asked to include a photo of my tree as a style example: “Literati style (bunjin) is suitable for cultivars with relatively simple and small flowers but is seen only rarely. Such trees must be slender, lack lower branches, and have an abstract or free form.” Currently the tree is coming back from near defoliation by caterpillars. It was photographed from the back as the flowers were fuller in the position.
-SN
Chardonnay Grape – Vitis vinifera
I enjoy connecting the various aspects of my life.
The set-up of my 2018 Kusamura Show entry was not traditional but one of our goals that year was to tell a story.
In addition to our merlot vineyard, we planted 30 chardonnay vines whose grapes were eaten every year by the raccoons so we offered the vines to bonsai members to dig up.
This Chardonnay grape vine is about 20 years old and trained as a bonsai for 10 years.
The scroll drawing and label was designed by a dental hygiene patient of mine and is a rendition of our vineyard. The vineyard has been a 20 year collaboration with my husband and we tend the grapes, make the wine and enjoy it with friends and family.
John Nakata’s artistic eye has provided many of the images for our labels.
-LO and SJ
Crepe Myrtle – Lagerstroemia indica
When I was in Beaufort, South Carolina in November of 2016, I asked my brother-in-law Kerry Scott what he was planning to do with this stump in his front yard. His response, “Take an axe to it.” So I asked if I could dig it up and bring it home to California. It traveled with me on United Airlines as baggage in a cardboard box labeled “artist materials.”
I wish I had not taken the four hours to dig it up with so many roots, because I learned later I could just have flat cut the bottom, as I did when I got it home, another two or three inches cut off the bottom with my big chop (miter) saw. The wood was too hard to cut with a handsaw.
Then in February of 2020, just before Covid, I took a carving lesson with Will Baddeley in Steve Iwaki’s backyard. The tree was transformed, and so was I. I discovered that I love carving.
Here it is now all leafed out in Spring 2021. You can see a before photo and a during photo, with Will Baddeley and Steve Iwaki. It has not flowered for me yet but now that it’s in a new pot, maybe it will give me some color later this summer.
In 1790, or thereabouts, the French botanist André Michaux introduced the crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) to the United States via the port of Charleston, South Carolina (my hometown).
-IA
Needle Juniper – Juniperus rigida
This needle juniper had its origin over 40 years ago in a can at Tosh’s (Toshio Suburomaru) nursery in Palo Alto.
When the nursery was sold and bulldozed, the tree which had grown to 8 feet tall, was dug up, cut back, styled by Mitsuya and me and placed in this Gremel pot.
-JP
Banyan – Ficus
This banyan was one of the first I had in my collection.
I enjoy showing this tree because of its age and the long aerial roots hanging down from the limbs to the soil below.
-JT
Japanese Maple – Acer Palmatum ‘Tama Hime’
Dwarf Japanese Maple
This maple tree is presented in memory of my husband. It was his favorite tree. He liked it because it looks like a “real” tree. He would tell me to put down my bonsai shears and just enjoy the tree.
My husband would have agreed with the often-quoted bonsai styling rule attributed to master teacher John Naka, “The object is not to make the tree look like a bonsai but to make the bonsai look like a tree.”
This tree is a dwarf variety of Japanese maple, Acer Palmatum ‘Tama Hime’, meaning “small globe.” It was purchased in a two-gallon nursery can from Essence of the Tree ten years ago at the San Francisco Garden Show. The fall color is mostly yellow-gold with a few peach-tone highlights. Bonsai styling has to be done with extra care as the mature branches are very brittle.
(image below: Size of the leaf compared to a quarter)
– DF
Wild Plum – Prunus
This is a group planting or clump style.
Kathy Shaner styled this bonsai at Kusamura’s 2013 Show demo and I was the lucky winner.
One of my bonsai goals was to have a bonsai for each of the major trees in my yard. Five plum trees surrounding the house announce the beginning of spring every year with brilliant blossoms and fragrance. This plum clump now sits under one of the fruiting plums. I have yet to find and nurture a Toyon bonsai to match my yard Toyon.
This year I experimented with my top dressing by including different textures and colors of moss interspersed with flat stones and red lava from Maruyama’s Bonsai Nursery.
(image below: One of the five plums surrounding my property that announce the start of spring.)
– LO
Japanese Black Pine – Pinus thunbergii
This Japanese Black Pine was one of the first bonsai I had in my collection. It was started by Tosh Saburomaru around 1964 and was styled with a large rock and other pines in a Saikei style.
Through the years the tree outgrew the design and Kathy Shaner helped me remove it from the Saikei and plant it separately in a large bonsai pot.
This is one of a few trees that survived my move to Iowa where I lived for several years and also my return to California. I consider this tree to be a strong surviver to have traveled so far with me.
I had planned to repot this tree this year but waited since we had an unusually hot spring. While checking out the soil condition I noticed an abundance of mychorizza which is a good sign that the tree is healthy and happy.
-EP
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
A good friend got this off the raffle table, didn’t particularly like it, and gave it to me (in all fairness, it was in a decrepit state at the time).
I transplanted and fertilized it over the years and have loved the spring leaf, flowers, berries and then brilliant fall color. Thanks Richard P.!
-CW
Dwarf Korean Lilac – Syringa meyeri
This is a Korean Lilac in bloom. This tree was inherited from my mother, Helen Kindall, ten years ago who was the former president of the Amador Bonsai Club.
-RK
Boxwood – Buxus sempervirens
Six years ago, from the front yard of my good friends Sherry and Roger Taylor, I dug up this very large boxwood with Roger’s help.
It was a good seven or eight feet tall and I cut it with my reciprocating saw right on the spot.
After living first in a large wood box for several years and then in a large ceramic grow pot, this spring it fit in a real bonsai pot for the first time.
After I took a carving lesson with Will Baddeley (in Steve Iwaki’s backyard) in February 2020, I carved the stumps on this boxwood. The front of the tree is in dispute, depending on your taste and your bonsai aesthetics. Check out Front #2 also, with carving details.
-IA
Blue Atlantic Cedar – Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’
In the 1960’s Buichi Nakata (Jane’s father and Charlene’s father-in-law) grafted a trunk onto root stock from aunt Hime’s home in Berkeley.
In 1987 when Buichi’s trees were split up between family members, this tree was taken by Jane. Through the years she received advice from Kathy Shaner and Yasuo Mitsuya.
In 2008 Jane gave the tree to Charlene. Charlene has continued to keep the tree in the same pot and has received help in workshops with Jerry Carpenter.
It is rather large so is rarely shown at a live show.
-JI and CF
Japanese Boxwood – Buxus microphylla ‘Japonica’
This plant was obtained from the sale of some of Robert Stoll’s plants by the Santa Cruz Bonsai Society. It was collected by him from the home of the Capitola mayor about 1996. The mayor owned the popular Ortiz Bakery, and Robert knew both the mayor and his bakery. Robert confirmed from him that the specimen was first planted at his home about 1930. The plant is now 90 years old. Much of the reason for my purchasing the plant was because of its interesting history. I certainly never dreamed that the plant would be so big. A photo was the only information that I had of its size. The height of the plant turned out to be a towering 29”, and its nebari turned out to be 10” wide.
-RM
Desert Landscape Saikei
Red sandstone, pebbles, and grasses were collected between 4-5,000 ft. elevation in Western Colorado as an example of my love for the beauty America has to offer
-SJ
Coastal Redwood – Sequoia sempervirens
I don’t recall the exact year this tree started as a bonsai but likely from the mid-1980s by my late husband, Tom.
I’ve always enjoyed how this tree stands tall and regal. Valerie Monroe recently cut back the growth and repotted this tree in February.
-JR
Cork Bark Elm – Ulmus parvifolia ‘Corticosa’
Originally designed and developed by Bill Scott, I’ve had this beautiful tree in this beautiful pot since 2013.
Managed to keep it alive all these years, minus a few gnarly brittle branches. The elm has pretty light-green leaves from spring thru fall and then it turns ghostly, and stately – an apt and abiding reminder to aging with beauty.
-MS
Cork Oak – Quercus suber
This plant was bought from a vendor 2 years ago at the Lake Merritt show. The vendor was just unloading his truck on the street when I noticed it. Sold! The central back branch has been allowed to grow up in order to develop an apex. In contrast, the lateral branches have been pruned back and refined.
-RM
Weeping Juniper – Juniperus chinensis
I obtained this plant earlier this year from Robert Stoll, a bonsai book author, during a Santa Cruz Bonsai Society auction of some of his plants. He had collected it in 1992 at a house built in 1901. He confirmed from a second generation owner of the house that it was part of the original landscaping. That means that the plant is 120 years old. Part of the reason I bought the plant was because of its history.
From the auction photo that I saw, it seemed to be of moderate size. Boy, was I wrong! It’s a huge tree. It is 32’’ tall and the nebari is 14” wide out to the end of the deadwood tip.
Seeds of Pfizer Juniper were first collected in China by a French missionary in 1860 from naturalized populations of J. chinensis and J. sabina. The correct name for this variety has become quite complicated and confusing, but may be var. ‘Pendula’.
-RM