The Art of Bonsai

Category: Twists and Turns, shaping trunks

  • Naming Figs

    Figs can show many variations when grown from seed. Seedlings are never identical to the parent tree.  This variability helps the fig adapt to different conditions in its environment but often complicates or makes a firm identification of a fig species a real guessing game. Once the fig has syconia/figs the naming is often a much easier process. For…

  • Ficus salicaria, Willow Leaf fig in root-over-rock style

    A Willow Leaf fig developed from a root cutting and placed on a rock. I allow it to grow wildly to help the roots grab hold of the rock and periodically I trim it back to keep the canopy shape in proper proportions. .  

  • How to get a thick trunk and tapered bonsai

    Many bonsai growers love thick trunk and quickly tapering bonsai. They often write and us for a technique on how to create such a design. Unfortunately, there are no quick ways to obtain a heavy and tapered trunk. One, is to search through hundreds of pre-bonsai to select several that  have the potential to become…

  • Dealing with a large root

    Large roots on a bonsai design can ruin the visual flow of the bonsai. With healthy figs the heavy root can be removed totally. The removed root of some fig species can sprout and produce another tree with which to create yet another bonsai.  

  • Tilting the bonsai

    Sometimes a bonsai creation works well and sometimes a gentle adjustment in one factor can result in a great improvement. In this case a seed grown Ficus natalensis in the exposed root style appears to work quite well. Making a simple adjustment and tilting the tree to the right improves the design immensely. The left…

  • How to create bonsai figs

    We all learn to appreciate thick trunked, massively tapered trunks in our first years in bonsai. I remember well trying to achieve this look with my trees and failing. I could neither afford nor find material that worked well for this style of bonsai. In the last number of years I have come to appreciate…

  • How to get a thicker branch

    In order to get a thicker branch on a bonsai fig it would mean getting the branch to grow faster and have more leaves than other branches on the tree. Another way is to fuse several branches together to achieve greater thickness.

  • Leaves vary a lot

    One interesting thing to know is that Ficus leaves can vary greatly. They can vary in size, shape, texture, color etc. They even can vary on the same plant or whether the plant is growing strongly or just slowly. Growing figs from seed reveals also that almost every seedling shows some subtle or not so…

  • Ficus glumosa, uncommon bonsai

    An uncommonly found Ficus species, Ficus glumosa is from Africa and has nice round, hairy leaves. It is in the grouping of rock-splitter figs. Those that seem to be found growing over and around rocks in the veldt. Since they seem to enjoy rock growing this seedling was placed over the rock to emulate a…

  • Bunjin style

    Bunjin or literati style is a less common bonsai style. It mainly relies on the line of the tree for its focal point. The canopy and the pot should be minimal to keep the focus on the line of the tree. It is a style that has its admirers as well as many that do…