This photo was taken about 1997 when it was repotted into a shallower but wider glazed oval with the objective of creating a very wide crown banyan styling.  Over the following years, the tree filled out but the emphasis was shifting to the very heavy leafy canopy. It was decided to remove the lowest branches to emphasize the long free-falling aerial roots and to train toward the premium "Rainforest Banyan Styling."

On May 11, 2002,  the tree was restyled and a picture-story report was posted at www.fukubonsai.com/3a3b1.html

                Between 2002 and 2005, the tree was simply allowed to grow vigorously with minor trimming from time to time.  In this case, the beautiful 30 1/2" long x 19" wide x 2" deep oval pot greatly influenced the restyling.  The high-quality ceramic oval pot with yellowish glaze is a prized keepsake and souvenir of our 1977 Japan Bonsai Tour. At that time it was about the largest shallow oval tray in Hawaii.  

                Over time, the tree grew to fill out the oval pot until the restyling began in 2002 when we realized that the mass of the trunk needed to be contained within an imaginary cylinder 19" in diameter.  By removing the lower "outriggers" and pruning back the crown, the tree now sits elegantly in the prized container and measures about 23" tall.   

	Conceptually, the tree was positioned so the heaviest straight aerial roots would more or less center the tree in the pot. It is very rare for us to position a tree in the exact center of the pot but this one is close to an exception.          It makes me think of a grand Southern mansion with evenly spaced columns across the front. The columns fall just inside the rim of the pot and the tree is pretty much centered between the front and back as well as left to right in the pot. During the restyling period, only the outer free-falling pillar roots and roots surrounding the trunk were allowed to become established.
	The tallest pillar roots are towards the front of the tree with lower branches towards the back of the tree.  When aerial roots fall farther out from the main trunk, the aerial roots near the main trunk are removed.  Over time, this creates the attractive spaces between the roots rather than allowing them to grow into one heavy mass of trunks and roots.
	This photo was taken from the left front and show how the central tallest pillar roots fall just inside the edge of the oval pot.
	This shows the back of the tree with the lowest branches to give depth.

             The concept of the "Rainforest Banyan Styling" has clearly become the premium most desirable banyan shape. It is also the most difficult.  It requires first creating a very heavy canopy that will create very high humidity which will produce free falling aerial roots.  In general, the heavier the humidity, the more aerial roots.  It is necessary to continually select roots that are straight and to guide them so they are as vertical as possible.  Often roots near the trunk are removed to emphasize those roots that fall free far from the central trunk.  There is likelihood that "free-falling aerial roots" may be a generic characteristic as relatively few trees can be trained into this style.  The Logo Tree and a few others seemed to be outstanding from a very early age, were recognized, and the training emphasized this trait. Another outstanding tree with these traits is the large Fuku-Bonsai Cultural Center Entry Tree which is also be trained into this styling.

 

*** Return to original Logo Tree Restyling

 

           *** Go to Restyling the Fuku-Bonsai Cultural Center Entry Tree

*** Go to Fuku-Bonsai Home Page    

 

FUKU-BONSAI CULTURAL CENTER & HAWAII STATE BONSAI REPOSITORY

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        Phone (808) 982-9880,  FAX (808) 982-9883

        URL:  www.fukubonsai.com         Email:  sales@fukubonsai.com

 

                Notification of the posting of this article was in the Summer-Fall 2005 issue of FBnews, Fuku-Bonsai's Email Newsletter.  To receive free notification,  send an email request to sales@fukubonsai.com with your name, email address, city and state.

© Fuku-Bonsai 2005