Natsu gumi - Elaeagnus multiflora or E. pungens - is one of the more
interesting species that can be used for making a bonsai tree. For its
beautiful tiny flowers which being pollinated turn into orange fruits,
Elaeagnus is very popular among bonsaists. In this article I am going to
present a specimen of the species, that I styled for the last three
years.
As most of the plants I have worked on, also this one had 'that
something' which had drawn my attention. Whenever choosing a material I am
going to write an article about, I look for a sufficient number of
branches, strong features (like jin, shari, sabamiki, natural twists of trunk
or branches) and an interesting trunk movement.
This particular plant used to be a garden tree shaped as a sphere.
Though, the trunk got broken and split up, which left the tree with only
half of its sphere and a vast part of shari and saba in the lower part of
the trunk. Deadwood disqualifies Kaede or Yamamomiji maples as bonsai,
however shari and saba are acceptable in some cases - for instance in
Elaeagnus'.
The plant was dug out from garden two years before because, as I was
told by the owner, it had lost its garden appeal. That is why I could get
it into my hands. I was very glad about it and gave the tree its first
styling right away.
Fortunately, the first pot the plant was given was shallow, which
actually happens very often in Japan for shallow pots resembling bonsai ones
are in everyday use. Whatmore, the plant was potted with its shari to
the front. Having removed weeds from the soil and examined the trunk's
buttress, it turned out that the only flaw there was a thick root
crossing over which I cut off immediately. Obviously, the nebari is not ideal
but it is acceptable in this case as the plant represents bunjin style
and has parts of shari.
Next, when I had cut out the branches that could not be used in any
way, I could start wiring the plant and style it.
It is much more difficult to bend deciduous trees " branches because
they are not as flexible as conifers". For this reason, shaping deciduous
plants should be planned and performed over a few years "time", with
gradual replacement of thick and ugly branches.
The plant as given its first wiring and styling. What can be noticed in
the photo, I slightly changed the front in order to hide the straight
part in the middle of the trunk (a bit of live tissue covering the shari
just below the first right handside branch, adds up to the trunk's
movement - as in images 4 and 9). Terrible branch arrangement discouraged
me from working with deciduous plants at that point.
The following Spring the plant was given a different pot (the choice
turned out to be unfortunate); all the defects were covered up by
abundant flowers and then by very tasty red fruits.
After the next season I only trimmed overgrown shoots from 2004 and
took another picture in the Spring of 2005. Analysis of the photo made me
understand that further styling in that shape does not make sense. The
crown being to heavy, bad proportion of the plant's width and height,
made the plant seem to me more like some tropical palmtree while I was
aiming for a bunjin bonsai.
In the following season of 2005 I let the plant grow freely and gave it
another styling during Autumn and Winter. At that point, getting rid of
three particular branches was the most important task. One of them was
growing out from the inside of the trunk's curve (as it looks like in
the photo; in reality it was growing out from an absolutely different
place); the second one was a back one growing to the right and the third
branch growing to the left. All these branches were making the crown
look too heavy. The next aim was to add up to the branches' movement and
create a more subtle form of the crown in order to accentuate the
splendid trunk movement and to slender the overall composition.
The plant given one more styling represents the form I had planned for
the bonsai, but could not be achieved with the first styling (performed
in 2003) for technical reasons. In Spring 2006 I am planning to give
the plant a shallow round pot of light blue colour and of shape that will
compliment the bonsai's style.
The plant before repotting. I find this part of styling a bonsai very
important and therefore it is worthwhile to write a few words about it.
Very often people wonder where to take moss from to put it on the soil.
It is very easy in fact and usually done in either of two ways. First
of them, is simply to take it from other plants' soil surface and place
it making sure it looks natural.
The other way used while repotting is to prepare sort of 'moss
seedlings' which is very easy in fact. What I usually do is to collect moss
from other bonsai trees or nursery plants (moss found on concrete
elements, ground or other, does not fit though). Ideally, moss of many species
should be collected. Then, it is dried and grinded through a mesh used
for sifting soil. Moss prepared like this is mixed with peat also
previously grinded through a mesh. Then the soil surface is covered with the
mix. Use of the peat and moss mix prevents from soil being washed away
by rain or watering as well.
The tree and its rootball taken out from the pot. At this point roots'
condition should be inspected. If they are not of light colour or stink
of rot, it means that the soil mix or watering were unappropriate.
On the bottom of the pot I layer coarse-grained mix of akadama, kiryu
and fujisuna, which provides the plant with proper drainage.
To fill the rest of the pot I use a finer-grain mix of the same kinds
of soil.
Using a stick I comb through the roots. Then, I trim the fine roots to
give the plant more space in its new pot to develop roots. In deciduous
plants' case, eliminating even a considerable mass of roots will not
harm the tree's health. It is also possible to wash away all the old soil
and comb the roots thoroughly. Though, I did not have to perform the
procedure this time as nebari of the Elaeagnus did not have to be
specially accentuated.
After pouring soil mix into the pot (it is the best to pour off a hill
under the plant's base), I position the plant and push it into its
place so all the fine grains of soil get in between the roots and under the
nebari.
Having positioned the plant properly - watching out for right
inclination and front - with use of wire I fix it firmly to its pot. The tree
can not move in its container.
Then, I add some more soil and push it in between the roots with a
stick. Great care must be given to performing this procedure properly - if
the soil is overly loose, there is going to be gaps in it, which will
affect proper root development; on the other hand, pushing the soil too
tight will result in crushing grains of soil and making the mix less
porous - roots will have no space to grow and, whatmore, lack of drainage
might make them rot.
As can be concluded, placing the soil mix is a very important procedure
and in fact not as easy as it might seem.
Next, I tap the soil surface gently so watering or rain will not wash
away fine grains of soil. With use of a brush I take away soil excess
and smooth the surface once more. It is important that the level of the
mix is even in all parts of the pot and reaches just below its brims -
it will make watering easier.
The last stage of repotting is watering and spreading the previously
prepared peat and moss mix over the soil surface. Any bits of the mix
that do not stick to the grains of soil should be removed, for instance by
blowing them off.
The plant after repotting.
The bonsai tree. Now the work will have to be focused on ramification
and crown refinement in order to give the plant more and more elegant
look.
In the end of this article, I would like to point I hope in the future
I will have many more opportunities to share with readers the knowledge
and practice necessary in styling bonsai trees.
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