DEVELOPING TRUE INDOOR BONSAI

            In 1962 two young Schefflera (Brassaia actinophylla) began to be trained in a shallow ceramic pot in the newlywed apartment of David and Myrtle Fukumoto.  This led to a lifelong bonsai interest and the ease of care and success of growing Brassaia to give as bonsai gifts inspired research that resulted in the creation of Fuku-Bonsai and True Indoor Bonsai.

 

                When I began,  Brassaia was not considered a "real" bonsai like one created from Japanese Black Pine, but in time I learned the necessary techniques.  I also learned that outdoor bonsai was too difficult for most people as it required a full commitment and daily attention.  Whenever I gave outdoor bonsai as gifts to friends,  most killed the trees by keeping them indoors too long.  But when I gave rock-planted Brassaia,  they were consistently successful!

 

                In 1972 we began a backyard nursery and the nearby garden shop bought as many Brassaia rock plantings as I could supply.   By then we had almost 2,000 bonsai in various stages of training and I learned that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture was working on an export nursery certification program.   I was invited to make input,   participated;  and when it was approved,  my family moved from Kaneohe on the island of Oahu to Kurtistown on the Big Island of Hawaii to build the first such nursery.

 

                Inter-island transfer of Japanese Black Pine bonsai required bare-rooting and fumigation.  The American Bonsai Society Journal published the story and it was a major display in the society's booth at the 1974 Pasadena National Bonsai Convention that we attended.  We made friends who assisted in testing our indoor plants but the initial results were discouraging.  Although our shade tolerant trees were well packed and arrived in good condition,  most had difficulty growing them for more than a year. 

 

                In Hawaii it is very easy to grow Chinese Banyan indoors but the test group even had problems with this plant!  We learned to pre-acclimate plants and only grew those with very high success.  Each year we whittled down the offering list and we now only train and grow proven, durable, recognized house plants.

 TRUE INDOOR BONSAI™ IS A UNIQUE NEW FIELD!

 

                We've trademarked our offerings as TRUE INDOOR BONSAI™.  Too often we hear that juniper bonsai died when grown indoors.  Those doing so often think they didn't grow it properly.  But the real reason is that junipers are outdoor plants.  Just because they are trained into bonsai does not change the plant's genetics to make them house plants!  If you want indoor bonsai,  then house plants must be trained as bonsai!  In many cases the misinformation was intentional to sell a juniper bonsai.  In other cases the buyer did not ask and the seller did not inform.   This misrepresentation is the major reason for failure!

 

                "Indoor Bonsai" is a very misleading term used in a questionable manner.    For most people the term suggests that such bonsai can be grown indoors throughout the year in most homes and offices.  But the organized bonsai community also uses the term for outdoor bonsai that are grown "indoors" in very high light in greenhouses.  They also use it for tropical outdoor bonsai that are grown outdoors most of the year and brought indoors only during colder weather.   These "tropical bonsai,"  "greenhouse bonsai" or "exotic bonsai" require a very high level of skill with specific care requirements to specific places. 

 

                Just as it's impossible for a person in the Continental US to teach a Hawaiian bonsai grower how to grow an outdoor bonsai in Hawaii,  it is impossible for a Hawaiian bonsai person to teach a Continental US bonsai grower how to grow our Hawaiian outdoor bonsai in their area.  The same plant will require different care in each area.  The exception is TRUE INDOOR BONSAI™ because they are durable house plants grown throughout the world!  In specializing in only these proven plants,  we've acquired the ability to write cultural information that are sent with each plant!

 

                We want our customers to be successful and for our plants to bring joy! But, unfortunately,   we cannot be everything to everyone.  We cannot sell bonsai that look like Japanese pine tree bonsai because pines will not grow indoors and our True Indoor Bonsai can not be trained into pine tree shapes.  We cannot sell trees that flower indoors because there are no trees that meet True Indoor Bonsai criteria that flower indoors.   We cannot do the impossible,  but we are the leaders in pioneering,  researching,  and shipping True Indoor Bonsai!

 

AN INTRODUCTION TO TRUE INDOOR BONSAI

 

                To be successful,  it is necessary to establish a totally new foundation upon which additional knowledge is built.   TRUE INDOOR BONSAI is related to all other forms of artistic pot plants. The cultural requirements are dictated by the horticultural needs of the specific plants.  If you meet the needs of the plants,  they will flourish and bring joy.  But,  if you expect the plant to adapt to your version of what it needs or if you do not bother to understand the plant's needs,  then it is not likely that you'll be successful.  

 

                TRUE INDOOR BONSAI has its philosophical base in the Hawaiian Spirit of Aloha and the independent traits of Americans.  If you like it,  leave it alone.  If you don't like it,  figure out what you don't like then fix it!

 

                In the following sections,  we'll examine various facets of TRUE INDOOR BONSAI.   From time to time we'll add more information.  If you have questions,   comments,  or suggestions,  please drop me a note or FAX.  With the support and encouragement of many people,  we've survived and are growing again.   With a strong commitment,  this site will become the most authoritative site regarding TRUE INDOOR BONSAI. 

 

                WELCOME TO THE FUKU-BONSAI WORLD!

 

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