Not Just a Tree—Replicating Nature in Miniature

| |
Related articles: Life > Home

The Japanese Embassy in Ottawa hosted the Annual Ottawa Bonsai Society Show (OBS) this weekend, one of many events in 2008 that mark the 80th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between Japan and Canada.

Literally translated, bonsai (pronounced bone-sigh) means “plant in a container.” The purpose of this ancient art is to grow a tree or shrub in the form of a full-size plant yet keep it miniature in size.

There are important aesthetic considerations when forming a bonsai, such as symmetry, balance, repetition of form, and the size and shape of the container. Pot size and shape need to be in harmony with the shape of the plant, as taller trees require larger pots, and the pot needs to be of a complementary shape and colour. Spaces between branches are used to offset the shapes of the “design elements” says Barney Shum, “and to guide the viewer’s eye through the space.” Plants should be viewed “at eye level and with a neutral background.”

Creating a bonsai is a true art form and the skill lies in “producing design elements in a living plant.” The process can take several years and may never really be finished as the plant grows and morphs its shape.

Miniaturization is obtained by pruning the tree and its roots. “Plucking is better than cutting as it creates only one break point, which reduces moisture loss,” says Shum as he confidently plucks bunch after bunch of “leaves” from a juniper that he is working on. Judicious use of fertilizer and daily watering and misting keep the trees alive even though they are in tiny amounts of soil.

Interestingly, fruits and flowers produced by these miniaturized plants will often be full-sized, as if the plant didn’t realize that its size has been altered.

Shaping the tree is accomplished by wrapping anodized aluminum wire around the branches and trunk so they can be positioned in the desired planes and then stay in place. By observing how a tree grows in the wild, it can be trained in one of several styles: upright, cascading, slanting, twin trunks, or multiple plantings that emulate a forest.

There are three schools of bonsai: Chinese, Japanese, and Tropical. The Japanese school prefers “an idealized version of nature” whereas the Chinese school tells a story or represents an event. Design elements such as rocks or figurines can be added to containers in the Chinese school.

One popular design, called “Mother and Child” in the Chinese school and “Twin Tree” in the Japanese school, consists of a main upper branch and a smaller lower branch that are growing in the same direction.

Indigenous trees and shrubs should be placed outdoors from Spring to Fall to simulate natural growing conditions, and brought indoors before the winter season and given a rest period in January. The tropical plants can be grown strictly indoors.

The OBS, established in 1984, meets on the third Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at Building 72 in the Central Experimental Farm (Arboretum). For more information visit http://www.ottawabonsai.org.