More about regular size Surinam Cherry.
"STONES ARE THE BONES OF THE EARTH!" It's true! Dynamic landscapes with sheer cliffs are exciting! Flat landscapes with just mounded moss have limitations. So how are they done?
First, have a GREAT IDEA! A boring idea guarantees a boring result! Don't start until you're excited!
Second, make sure that you have the material to be excited about! How can you create exciting landscapes without exciting materials?
So that's the challenge we faced when Alan Squire visited and we created a memorial bonsai to celebrate his visit! We found a great rock that would show off a great rock planting technique. We select some rare Dwarf Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora 'Teshima nana') that were developed from 500 seeds provided by Masaaki Teshima. Masaaki is the highly respected bonsai old-timer of the island of Kauai. He has a large collection of Dwarf Surinam Cherries. When the seeds are planted, only a percentage come out with dwarf characteristics. Many were planted about 10 years ago and the ones that had the dwarf characteristic was selected for this planting.
At Fuku-Bonsai, a few Dwarf Surinam Cherries are being trained as"Mame" bonsai (a Japanese term that are literally "bean-size" to describe trees less than 6" tall. But we have a more difficult time maintaining such small trees as they more quickly dry out. The tallest tree in this arrangement is only 7 1/2" tall. At this stage, nine trees were used with the smallest only 2 1/2" tall. In using them in a group rock planting arrangement, there is sufficient mass to make them relatively easy care. Without requiring any special care, after the trees have recovered, the arrangement will be placed amongst the regular exhibit collection.
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1.
Here are the components for today's lesson. The gorgeous upright rock is an ocean
eroded lava rock which has a cement base to position it at a jaunty angle. Notice
that the top is wider than the middle section and this gives us an opportunity to place a
lot of potting media that will not be apparent. The heavy 1"x2" welded
wire will be shaped to compliment the rock shape, will anchor a lot of potting media, and
provide unlimited places to secure the plants. On the right is "Fuku-Bonsai's Organic
Bonding Compound" that is another key innovative component. More about regular size Surinam Cherry. |
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2. The welded wire is roughly trimmed to size and bent, bent, and bent into a complimenting shape. Lead (wrapped around wire) is soft and easily wedged into cracks and holes. Wire can also be twisted around a jutting nub of rock. A minimum of three such anchors will secure the wire-ladder although it's better to have several more if possible. The wire-ladder stays in place permanently and the first one created in 1981 still has not rotted out. Even when it does, the roots of the trees will have already established footholds into the crevices of the rock. Note the generous amount of potting media that can be secured in place. |
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3. Alan Squire (left) of Denver, Colorado will one day be a Fuku-Bonsai corporate director. Michael Imaino (right) is Fuku-Bonsai's senior plant manager, corporate director, and president of the non-profit Mid-Pacific Bonsai Foundation. With the rock laid horizontally, they are embedding a 1/4" thick layer of spaghnum moss against the rock. This will serve as a water channel to water the trees from the inside instead of trying to water through the outside which would wash the plants off the rock. Super-slow release fertilizer and potting media is placed below the wire with it held in place with a thin layer of spaghum moss. |
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4. The first and largest 7 1/2" tall tree is positioned just below the top where the branches would show in silhouette. Bundles of spaghnum moss cushioning the roots. With the wire-ladder, these aluminum bonsai wire can be anchored anywhere to go over the roots and secured to another part of the wire-ladder. All roots will be outside the wire-ladder and roots will move into the media between the wire-ladder and the rock. By starting at the top, the roots of later trees will protect the roots of the first tree, producing an extremely high-success rock planting that would be very difficult using traditional techniques. |
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5. The butt of the trunk of a smaller 4" tall complimentary tree is placed very close to the base of the first tree so the two appear to be a two-trunked tree. The branches of the second tree "completes" the foliage canopy and the arrangement immediately has the feeling of an aged group of trees. A third 3" tall tree is being attached with the first three trees in a cluster towards the front. The trees are almost totally bare-rooted and the roots are carefully secured with paper-coated wire that will rot off within a few months. A generous amount of wet spaghnum moss is used to blanket the roots and these are also easily secured because of the wire-ladder. |
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6. While the third tree was positioned towards the front, the next fourth and fifth trees were positioned as far back as possible, but carefully placed so they would be seen. These two trees are placed where their roots are several inches above the base and in the future, we may move to a larger tray and build out a more complex design that incorporates the fourth and fifth trees as the basis for a second major complimenting rock to enlarge and expand the arrangement towards the back. Two additional trees are placed in the front-right and two smaller trees are in the back with just a few leaves showing to the bottom left of the rock. |
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7. With the trees in place, the "Fuku-Bonsai's Organic Bonding Compound" was placed to bind all items together, to protect the roots, and to be used as a base for attaching the moss. To create the bonding material, stir constantly while cooking a mixture of 1 part cornstarch with 3 parts water until clear and thick. Cool. Knead equal parts by volume fine granular soil, slightly moist long strands of spaghnum moss, and the starch "pudding." For a softer stickier mix use a bit more pudding. For a stiffer mix, use more dry granular material. The spaghum moss serves similar to "reinforcing screen to help hold things together even after the starch has lost it's binder characteristics. |
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8. The original brown rectangular pot seemed too tight and we switched to a white glazed 18"x11"x 1 1/2" shallow oval tray and mossing was completed. The arrangement is about 18" tall. The project took about two hours without rushing and with enough time to discuss, photograph, and enjoy each other's company. While Alan and I made input, when there were various alternate design routes, Michael took the lead role to move to the next step. This arrangement is not complete. It will go into a larger container and more trees will be planted to enlarge and fill out the "back" which will also be attractive. Additional trees and foreground interest will fill out the right front. Finally, there will be another attractive view of the complex landscape from the left. Creating 360° arrangements with three primary views has been a Fuku-Bonsai tray landscape objective. |
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9. Michael and Alan worked together well in their first project and it is likely that they will continue to play increasingly important roles as Fuku-Bonsai completes its recovery and begins expansion. Alan's visit included a lot of in-depth training to learn our packing method. He also attended the Annual Meeting of Fuku-Bonsai Stockholders and was elected as an Associate Director in become acquainted with the responsibilities of being a corporate leader. |
The "WIRE-LADDER" technique was developed at Fuku-Bonsai in 1981 and first publicly introduced at the Bonsai Day in Kamuela on August 6, 1983 utilizing several rock-planted Jaboticaba that are still flourishing. For additional information, go to WIRE-LADDER.